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Solahart has been ranked best in Canstar Blue’s 2023 review of solar installers in Australia. Solahart earned five stars across all research categories this year, including overall satisfaction and customer service and advice.
It goes without saying that solar installation isn’t always black and white, with so many installation companies on the market claiming to have the cheapest prices and best service. Especially as a first-timer, it’s not always clear what your best options are. And that’s where we come in.
Canstar Blue has taken the work out of choosing a good solar installer, by collecting the opinions of those that have already installed solar across Australia. We’ve asked them to rate their solar installer on variables such as customer service and advice, performance of solar system, installation process, and durability and set-up cost, in order to help you find one that suits your needs. Please note, while this review looks at six of the most prominent installers in Australia, there may be other companies available in your area.
Canstar Blue surveyed 1,340 Australian households for their feedback on their solar panel installer. Respondents had to have solar panels at their property by a professional solar installation company in the last five years for their response to be eligible.
Respondents rate their satisfaction with their solar installer from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Provider satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:
The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.
Best solar installers in Australia:
Solahart was the only provider to be rated five stars for overall satisfaction in this year’s ratings. In fact, it achieved five-star ratings across all categories, which also include installation process and performance of solar system. For Arise Solar and Bradford Energy it was four stars for overall satisfaction. Rounding up the pack was Solargain, Origin Energy and SolarHub, all with three stars overall.
Find more detailed information on our ratings methodology.
Here are some of the cheapest solar-specific deals from the retailers on our database. These costs are based on the Ausgrid network in Sydney but prices will vary depending on your circumstances. We show one product per retailer, listed in order of lowest price first. Annual price estimates assume general energy usage of 3911kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Price estimates exclude solar feed-in tariff credits. These are products from referral partners†. Our database may not cover all deals in your area, and please check retailer websites for up to date information.
Here are some of the cheapest solar-specific deals from the retailers on our database. These costs are based on the Citipower network in Melbourne but prices will vary depending on your circumstances. We show one product per retailer, listed in order of lowest price first. Annual price estimates assume general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Price estimates exclude solar feed-in tariff credits. These are products from referral partners†. Our database may not cover all deals in your area, and please check retailer websites for up to date information.
Here are some of the cheapest solar-specific deals from the retailers on our database. These costs are based on the Energex network in Brisbane but prices will vary depending on your circumstances. We show one product per retailer, listed in order of lowest price first. Annual price estimates assume general energy usage of 4613kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Price estimates exclude solar feed-in tariff credits. These are products from referral partners†. Our database may not cover all deals in your area, and please check retailer websites for up to date information.
Here are some of the cheapest solar-specific deals from the retailers on our database. These costs are based on SA Power network in Adelaide but prices will vary depending on your circumstances. We show one product per retailer, listed in order of lowest price first. Annual price estimates assume general energy usage of 4011kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Price estimates exclude solar feed-in tariff credits. These are products from referral partners†. Our database may not cover all deals in your area, and please check retailer websites for up to date information.
This year’s winner, Solahart has earned a clean sweep of five-star ratings across all research categories, including overall satisfaction and customer service and advice.
While Solahart is probably best known for its solar hot water systems, with operations dating back to 1953, this company also retails solar panels and energy storage solutions. Solahart made its humble beginnings in Western Australia, growing to offer solar installation to more than 70 countries as a major subsidiary of Rheem. The company, a Clean Energy Council Approved Solar Retailer, claims it holds its practice to a high standard and according to its website, its installers are trained to the highest standards to ensure the safety and effectiveness of your system.
Arise Solar was rated four stars across all research categories this year, including for overall satisfaction and performance of solar system.
Arise Solar states it is a 100% Australian-owned company, delivering solar power systems to homes and businesses far and wide. It packs a lengthy 25-year manufacturer’s warranty on its systems and has flexible payment options available, including zero upfront deposits and interest-free plans. Arise Solar specialises in systems from 6.6kW to 100kW, claiming to analyse customers’ bills to find a system best suited to their circumstances.
Bradford Energy scored a mixed bag across all research categories, scoring four stars for overall satisfaction, customer service and advice, installation process and durability. It scored just three stars for performance of solar system but managed a notable five stars for its set-up cost.
Bradford Energy is one of Australia’s oldest and most well-known solar installation specialists, with almost 85 years in the energy market. This retailer was one of the first to receive Clean Energy Council approval, claiming to have a high standard of service. From Bradford you’ll find solar panels, storage systems, inverters and even monitoring tech, with its most popular systems coming in the form of bundles. Customers can choose between variations of the ‘SolarPack’ and ‘ChargePack’, which both include all of the components necessary to begin generating solar power.
Last year’s winner, Solargain has dropped to fourth place this year with just three stars for overall satisfaction. It also scored three stars for its customer service and advice. In all other research categories this retailer managed to notch up four stars.
Australian-owned and operated solar retailer, Solargain, has been around since 2005, with a log of more than 65,000 installations across the country. Specialising in solar panels, solar hot water and battery storage systems, this retailer has a range of pre-established packages, regularly offering discounted deals on certain systems. A Clean Energy Council Approved Solar Retailer, Solargain also claims to have its own dedicated after-sales solar service department.
Origin Energy achieved an almost clean sweep of three-star ratings this year, including for overall satisfaction and customer service and advice. It did, however, score four stars for its installation process and durability.
In what may be news to some, Australia’s biggest energy provider, Origin is also retailing solar products. Origin Energy currently offers three main solar panel packs in its range, though also claims to cater to its customers’ individual requirements. Those interested in Origin for solar installation should also note that this retailer only has limited battery storage options, but the Tesla Powerwall and LG Chem are available. This solar installer also advertises a two-year interest-free payment plan for those who’d rather pay their big investment off gradually. Origin also provides customers who purchase solar through them to receive a slightly inflated feed-in tariff when signing up to its Solar Boost Plus plan.
Rounding out our ratings this year is SolarHub with a clean sweep of three stars across all research categories.
Up-and-coming solar installer, SolarHub offers a variety of energy services to households and businesses across Canberra, Melbourne and the south coast of New South Wales. From solar system and battery installations to electric vehicle charging, and even air conditioning and hot water, SolarHub has been providing Aussies with the ability to generate, store and optimise their power needs for over 10 years. The retailer is Clean Energy Council approved and claims to only use products and installers that have also been approved by the Clean Energy Council. SolarHub also partners with ActewAGL in Canberra to offer solar solutions to households in the nation’s capital.
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It’s safe to say most of the brands that made it into our ratings have websites, but if you’re more the ‘pick up the phone’ type, we’ve compiled all the numbers we could find to get you started on your solar journey:
Kelseigh Wrigley covers Australia’s retail energy market, growing her industry specific expertise over the last two years. She holds a Bachelor of Journalism at the Queensland University of Technology and has contributed her skills to online publications Hunter & Bligh and local radio station 4ZZZ.
Meet the Editorial Team
Samantha Howse is Canstar Blue’s Consumer Research Specialist, coordinating the consumer research program behind our customer satisfaction awards across Canstar and Canstar Blue in Australia and New Zealand. Sam has earned a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Griffith University and, with seven years in market research and two years in marketing, she is experienced in survey design, implementation and analysis, coupled with an understanding of marketing principles and best practice.
Meet the Research TeamWith thousands of solar installers in the Australian market, it’d be impossible to name them all. Instead, we’ve compiled a list of some of the more well-known solar energy installers around the country that haven’t been included in this year’s review. Please note, there may be more solar installers available in your area.
When it comes to installing your solar system, there are a few things to keep in consideration. The first and most important lesson is that what system you’ll be able to get will depend strongly on factors such as your roof size and style, household positioning and your personal budget. It’s your solar installer’s job to assess your roof and lay out your options in the form of a quote. And with most solar installers offering different options at different price points, it’s not always crystal-clear which installer to go for.
As part of our ratings report, we asked survey respondents to share what the biggest deciding factors were for them when picking their solar installer. We’ve listed these below:
The Clean Energy Council (CEC) is a not-for-profit body that advocates for clean energy and sets guidelines around solar installation in Australia. There are two main levels of Clean Energy Council approval you should be looking for. These are CEC Approval and CEC Accreditation.
Here’s the thing with solar installation companies – some of them work independently, and others don’t. In other words, some installation companies will hire their own installers, and others will hire contractors to do their job.
Larger electricity companies, for instance, tend to have ongoing arrangements with contractors rather than an in-house team dedicated to the job. Both types of business models have their strengths and weaknesses, so it’s important to look at a company’s track record before jumping into the deep end. Likewise, if you have a preference for how you’d like to go through the solar installation process, don’t hesitate to ask a company directly how it conducts its business.
Best case scenario, your solar panel installer will provide you with all the information you could possibly need. Though, in some situations, it’s best to have a log of questions prepared to help you pick the right installer for you.
Choosing a solar installer can be hard for many reasons, a big one being that you’ll be relying on sometimes decades of service from the same company. Any good installer will conduct maintenance on your PV system during its life, whether that’s scheduled or necessary due to complications. So, what do you do if your solar installation company goes out of business in the meantime? Here are some steps you should take:
Here are the previous winners of Canstar Blue’s Solar Installers Customer Satisfaction Award:
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