Solar Companies NM
Here are some of the top rated Solar Installation Companies in NM:
If you’re from New Mexico, and the fact that you’re reading this means you probably are, then you know that pretty much everything is in Las Cruces, Santa Fe or Albuquerque. So if you live in any of the other several thousands of square miles of the state, you may struggle to find anybody local to do your solar panel work. But hey, if you live outside of any of those thriving metropolises, you’re probably used to that already, right? So in this article we’ll focus on the top reviewed companies regardless of where they’re located in the state, with the knowledge that many solar companies don’t mind traveling hundreds of miles to complete a job.
Company: Affordable Solar
Address: 4840 Pan American, Albuquerque, NM 87109
Years in Business: 23
Website: http://affordable-solar.com/
Reviews: 4.6 / 5 Solar reviews (79 reviews), 4 / 5 Yelp (14 reviews), 4.8 / 5 Angi (39 reviews), 4.6 / 5 Birdseye (182 reviews), 4.5 / 5 Facebook (61 reviews)
Business Quote: It’s a win-win for everyone:
1. You save money on a reliable, durable alternative electricity solution and reduce your carbon footprint.
2. We win because you’re happy to refer more clients to us.
3. The state wins because it’s closer to achieving its 2030 clean energy targets.
The Good: One of the best websites I’ve seen, Amazing reviews and lots of them, no complaints with the BBB
The Bad: Squeaky clean. Not one bad thing to say about these people.
Summary: Wow. This may be the best solar company I’ve seen to this point. I can’t find anything notable to say about them that isn’t glaringly positive. Great website, huge web presence, tons of good reviews, BBB accredited and no complaints- these people have got it going on. They are based in Albuquerque but have an extensive coverage area which looks to extend to most of the state. Unless you just know something I don’t, I see no reason this shouldn’t be the first phone call you make if you’re looking into solar panels in the state of New Mexico.
Company: Solar Works Energy
Address: 500 Marquette Ave NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
Years in Business: 6
Website: http://solarworksenergy.com/
Reviews: 5 / 5 Yelp (1 review), 4.5 / 5 Birdseye (84 reviews), 4 / 5 Facebook (10 reviews)
Business Quote: “Based in Albuquerque, NM, We’re committed to making the world a better place by educating the public on how to save money and do the right thing by reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. Let us be your answer to rising electric rates.”
The Good: Outstanding website, especially their “blog” section with lots of video FAQs (https://solarworksenergy.com/blog/), Lots of positive reviews, no complaints with the better business bureau
The Bad: Only 6 years in business, a few super nasty reviews lurking around out there
Summary: Though a young company, Solar Works looks very promising. They have a very good website and a pretty good web presence. Their coverage area apparently expands all the way from Utah to Texas so it looks like if you’re anywhere in the northern part of New Mexico they would probably be willing to come to you. The only thing concerning is that I have seen a few nasty reviews out there, all of which seem to focus on their service after the sale. So while the company does great work, it’s possible their aftercare may leave something to be desired. But by all means, check them out.
Company: Poulin Solar Pro
Address: 8600 Pan American Fwy NE, Albuquerque, NM 87113
Years in Business: 38 (sort of)
Website: https://poulinsolarpro.com/
Reviews: 5 / 5 Yelp (1 review), 4.7 / 5 ChamberofCommerce.com (48 reviews), 4.8 / 5 Birdseye (48 reviews)
Business Quote: “We’ve partnered with some of the best name-brand solar panel manufacturers to offer Albuquerque homeowners high-quality and affordable solar panels that will help lower utility bills through the use of green energy. To top it all off, all of our solar panel equipment is backed by a 25/25/25-year warranty*. That means you get a 25-year product, performance, and labor warranty with every solar panel installation.”
The Good: 38 years in business (sort of- I’ll explain in a minute), lots of reviews available (sort of) and almost all positive
The Bad: It’s a little hard to tell how long they’ve actually been in the solar business, some complaints with the BBB (sort of)
Summary: So this one is a little unusual. Poulin Design Company appears to have been in business for 38 years, but it’s hard to tell when they started in on the solar business. Poulin Design Company has an entry on the BBB website however, with 5 out of 5 stars in 5 reviews, which is always good. They do have three complaints, but the two that are visible are directed toward their home redesign business and not their solar work. They are definitely the same company by the way, according to their address, so unless two companies named “Poulin” share an address, I’m guessing they’re basically one business with two show rooms. Their website is fine, you can definitely find whatever info you need out of them on it, and this looks like another very good and reputable company to work with.
Company: Amenergy
Address: 3212 Richards Ln, Santa Fe, NM 87507
Years in Business: 12
Website: https://www.amenergynm.com/about-us
Reviews: 2.6 / 5 Birdseye (5 reviews), 5 / 5 Facebook (2 reviews)
Business Quote:
“AMENERGY holds many of New Mexico firsts, including:
•First two installations of a solar electric system that were approved for the state tax credit
•Design and installation of the largest battery backup system for residential use
•First installation of an 3 Phase off-grid SMA Multi-Cluster system
•Installation of the three largest residential solar electric systems in Mora-San Miguel Coop
•First Enphase micro-inverter installation
•Largest Integrated Solar Thermal System infrastructure for residential use”
The Good: Really liked the “New Mexico firsts” on their website, quoted above
The Bad: Not BBB accredited, 3 of 5 reviews on Birdseye were 1 star. Yikes
Summary: I had to dig to find a company with any reviews outside of Albuquerque, and I came across Amenergy, from Santa Fe. Their website says all the right things and all sounds good, and I really liked the “Firsts” from their website, but the fact that they’ve been around for 12 years and have so little web presence, several bad reviews and are not BBB accredited are all kinda turnoffs. Doesn’t mean they aren’t good, just means their reputation is less than sterling and you may need to do some extra checking on them before taking the plunge.
How Much do Solar Panels Cost in New Mexico?
Solar panels in New Mexico go for around $2.40 – $2.70 per watt, which is fairly average to below average on a national level. Standard commercial solar panels usually come in 250 watt denominations, so they’re going to be around $600 to $675, and you’ll need anywhere from 20 to 28 panels if you want to be completely self-sufficient, the panels themselves are going to cost $12,000 to $19,000. Again, this is a pretty average price for solar panels in the U.S., maybe even a little bit on the low side. So right off the bat, before we get to anything else, you’re already coming out ahead of a lot of places.
What are the benefits of going solar?
- State Net Metering Laws- New Mexico has outstanding net metering laws. I’ll explain a little more about what net metering does later in this article, but for now just know this is what allows you to “sell” unused electricity generated by your system back into the grid. So strong net metering laws are a big bonus, because you’re going to want those in place in those parts of the year when your system is producing more energy than you use.
- Statewide Interconnection Standards- Interconnection standards are important to keep metering accurate and to make connecting your solar power system to the grid. New Mexico’s standards are among the strongest in the U.S. and should make it easier, faster and (maybe most importantly) cheaper to connect to the grid.
- New Mexico State Tax Credit- The state of New Mexico allows purchasers to take up to 10% of the total purchase & installation price of a solar power system off your state taxes, up to $9,000- And unless you’re running a power plant, your 10% won’t go over $9,000. And this is not just a write-off, this is an actual credit toward your state income taxes, just as good as cash. So this is one of the more valuable solar incentives I’ve seen.
- Performance Based Incentives- The state of New Mexico offers performance based incentives in the form of SRECS (solar renewable energy credits), which appear as credits on your electric bill. These SRECS are based on the actual amount of energy your system creates and feeds into the grid and are valued according to supply and demand at the time they are generated.
- New Mexico State Sales Tax Exemption- The entirety of your solar installation, from parts to labor to service, is entirely sales tax free. NM state sales tax is about 5%, which could potentially save you $700 or more.
- New Mexico Property Tax Exemption- According to state law in New Mexico, your property taxes cannot be reassessed based on your installation of a solar energy system. This could result in a potential savings of thousands of dollars in taxes as a result of adding your system.
- Federal Tax Credit- And never forget, the federal government currently allows you to deduct 26% of the total cost of your system and installation from your federal income tax responsibility. Once again, this is a potential savings of thousands of dollars, so make sure you don’t miss out on this one.
How much will the addition of solar panels increase my home’s value?
There are a lot of estimates about how much solar panels can increase the value of your home, and there are a lot of different schools of thought on the matter. The short answer is that yes, they generally will increase your home value, though some potential home buyers will be more willing to pay extra for them than others. Now, how much more can you expect to tack onto the value of your home with the addition of solar panels? Some people suggest a flat 4%, which in New Mexico is something around $10,000, as the average sale price on a home is somewhere in the ballpark of $250,000.
Another way to look at it is $20 in additional home value for every $1 in savings your system generates. That means if your system saves you $1,000 in a year, you can add $20,000 to the value of your home. This seems excessive, but again, it all depends on the person buying the home.
Other people suggest the value of your home may increase by $4 per watt of your system. This adds up very quickly, as to be self sufficient your system will need to be at least 6 Kw, or around 6000 watts. So even at that base level, the value of your home jumps up $24,000 according to this estimate.
So again, the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle of all these, and it’s really based entirely on the preference of a potential buyer.
What are the Effects of Net Metering on a Solar System?
Net metering is the way a utility can measure the output of your solar energy system. Why do they need to know, you might ask? Simple- the more energy you put back into the grid, the more credits your utility owes you toward future bills, thereby granting you “free” electricity in months where you draw more power from the grid than you put back in.
How much solar power do I need to power my home?
Estimates vary greatly on how many kilowatt hours per year the average home uses, but from my experience it looks like a home cannot expect to be self-sufficient energy wise without at least 6 Kw or solar panels, and you’re probably not 100% certain to be self sufficient till you get closer to 9 Kw. Nevertheless, a 6-7 Kw system is what most homeowners go for when installing solar panels, which is around 24-28 250 watt panels. If you aren’t trying to be self-sufficient and just want a smaller system, you may go as low as 2 Kw (8 panels). Anything lower than that is probably not going to make much of a difference.
What is the “Payback” period for Solar Panels in New Mexico?
The “payback period” for solar panels is how long the panels take to pay for themselves, via rebates, incentives, performance based solar credits, and most importantly through savings on energy bills. Current estimates in the state of New Mexico are between 10 to 10 and a half years, which is actually a pretty average length of time. Now keep in mind, most solar power systems are warrantied for 20-25 years depending on the company you use, and commercial solar panels are usually guaranteed by their manufacturer for 25 years. Basically, even if it does take you 10 years for your system to “pay itself off”, there’s a good chance your system will continue to function for at the very least another 10-15 years, meaning they are working to give you “free” electricity for the remainder of their lives.
Final Word:
So in a state with place names like “Truth or Consequences”, “Elephant Butte” (heh) and “Angel Fire”, you know you’re dealing with something unusual. So unusual, maybe visitors from another planet had to see it for themselves (or so the city of Roswell tells me). And one thing that’s unusual about this place is that it gets more sunny days than Alaska and Washington combined (Seriously- New Mexico averages somewhere around 270 a year, Alaska around 100 and Washington around 160), and the fact is that you could make a lot worse decisions than going solar.