Home Depot Solar Review

Most people have heard by now that the Home Depot has partnered with BP (British Petrol… Beyond Petroleum) along with local solar installers across the country to make going solar even easier for home owners. We wanted to take a closer look at how the program has evolved since it started in 2006 and what it really consists of.

We were pleasantly surprised to find that not only does the Home Depot coordinate panel purchases from BP and installations with local installers, it also helps customers sort through the paperwork required to get discounts and tax incentives from the government! The program really reminded us of the services offered by a company called SunPower that are very similar in nature. We found that in general, the Home Depot program hasn’t changed much since it launched – it just has more “home depot authorized” partners around the nation that it’s working with which means the program is growing.

For anyone reading this who has tried either service (the Home Depot or SunPower), please share your comments below. The primary difference we have seen thus far between the two programs is that SunPower offers all black panels that might be more aesthetically pleasing to home owners and because they are not a third party like the Home Depot (SunPower actually makes panels instead of buying them from BP) they tend to be a bit cheaper. That said… The Home Depot offers physical outlets where anyone can walk in and speak directly to a sales rep, which is nice. Both programs offer a toll free number and web support. In the case of the Home Depot that number is 1-800-HOMEDEPOT

Solar Power Authority visited several Home Depot’s in the San Francisco Bay Area and interviewed employees and reps about how the program works. We even spoke with one employee who had had a solar electric system installed on his house through the Home Depot program and we will post an article on that at a future date. It sounded like employees fall under a different plan and might even receive a discount. In the mean time, enjoy the short video overview posted below. For more information on the sustainable products and services offered by Home Depot visit HomeDepot.com/ecooptions