GreenBrilliance Solar Review: The Best Solar Company for the Mid-Atlantic

As more homeowners turn to solar energy, more solar scams and subpar providers also seem to pop up. Picking the right company isn’t just about the price; it’s also about reliability, trust and long-term performance. That’s why when you find one of the good guys, stick with them. 

GreenBrilliance, founded in 2007, receives one of the highest scores we’ve given a solar company, at 8.7 out of 10. This score reflects the company’s equipment options, service offers and overall customer reviews. The company outranks Palmetto Solar thanks to its 30-year warranty. However, Palmetto operates in 25 states while GreenBrilliance serves six and Washington, D.C., giving it a more limited footprint. However, customers outside GreenBrilliance’s service area still have highly rated options. 

“Global warming is real and that is a huge priority, but we’re also focused on doing the right thing for our customers,” said Adam Seaman, project manager at GreenBrilliance. “If you stay humble, you make a difference beyond just the financial savings for homeowners.”

While we haven’t personally experienced a GreenBrilliance solar installation, we can offer guidance based on the company’s service and how it compares to competitors. We recommend requesting multiple quotes from national and local installers to compare prices, product options and customer service. 

What do I get from GreenBrilliance?

GreenBrilliance installs high-quality solar equipment with a 30-year warranty for all parts, labor and weatherization. The company’s in-house team handles the process from sale to installation and beyond in six states and Washington, D.C. You can pay cash or finance your solar system with a lease or loan through financial partners such as Sunlight, Sunnova and Sungage.

Seaman emphasized how the GreenBrilliance team is dedicated to helping homeowners for 30 years after installation and the team doesn’t stop there. 

“We work with homeowners to help them with a specialist, too. We don’t do gutters, but if a homeowner needs gutter repairs, we 100% will work with the repair man. And that doesn’t just fall within the warranty time frame,” said Seaman. “The homeowner is part of our family and we treat them that way. We use our minds but lead with our hearts. That is the huge difference between us and other solar companies.” 

What solar equipment does GreenBrilliance install?

GreenBrilliance offers reliable and well-known solar panels, including REC 460s and SEG 420s. REC panels tie for best overall with a 22.6% efficiency rating in our top solar panels list. The SEG solar panels aren’t far behind with a 22.02% maximum efficiency. 

You can choose from some of the best solar batteries, such as Enphase, FranklinWH, SolarEdge and the Tesla Powerwall. While these batteries lack modularity, they have strong 10- to 15-year manufacturer warranties to cover your backup power system. Having multiple solar battery options is ideal, so you can choose which one best fits your budget. These battery options typically range from $3,000 to $18,000 per battery, depending on the provider and storage size. 

GreenBrilliance offers inverters from SolarEdge string inverters and Enphase microinverters, both found on CNET’s best inverters list. Inverters convert solar panel electricity into usable energy for your home. String inverters handle multiple panels at once with a central location while microinverters work with each individual panel. The choice depends on your preference and budget, but the GreenBrilliance team can help you determine which is best for your system.

What warranties does GreenBrilliance offer?

GreenBrilliance extends warranties to 30 years for all equipment, labor and weatherization. This warranty is five years longer than the industry standard for rooftop solar panels and triples the 10-year industry standard for solar batteries. The extended warranty gives you long-term protection and added peace of mind, knowing GreenBrilliance is just a call away and a real person will pick up the phone to help. 

“We take care of anything related to the solar installation,” said Seaman. “Even if there’s an issue on a side of their roof without solar panels, we will still work with the homeowner to help them with a specialist and ensure they don’t void the warranty.”

Does GreenBrilliance offer monitoring services?

GreenBrilliance offers the Blaze solar app for monitoring production with real-time insights and system updates directly from your phone. You can download Blaze in the App Store and Google Play. If you’d rather use your inverter manufacturer’s mobile app, you’ll also find Enphase Enlighten and the mySolarEdge app on the App Store and Google Play. 

Does GreenBrilliance use subcontractors? 

GreenBrilliance keeps the entire process in-house with installers certified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners. Seaman explained, “In this business, you need to have control from start to finish. There are so many things that can go wrong, especially during the installation and after.” Without subcontractors, GreenBrilliance ensures quality and reliable service throughout your experience.

How much do GreenBrilliance panels cost?

Solar companies typically don’t share specific solar panel costs because the total depends on your location, system size, financing method and available solar incentives. When comparing multiple quotes, you’ll likely find GreenBrilliance in the middle range. 

“We are not price gougers, but at the same time, we’re not dirt cheap,” said Seaman. “We have a dedicated care team managing the 30-year warranty with engineers, design specialists and electricians on standby. It costs an average of $8,000 to $10,000 for us to secure funds to service the system for the next 30 years.”

You can use 2022 data from Wood Mackenzie to compare solar quotes. Its data shows the average cost of an 8-kilowatt rooftop solar system is $2.99 per watt, which totals $23,920 before incentives. Applying the 30% federal solar tax credit lowers the price to $16,744. Local and state incentives depend on where you live, but may further reduce your total cost.

What financing options does GreenBrilliance offer?

You can choose to make a cash purchase, finance with a solar loan or participate in a lease agreement. With a cash purchase or loan, you own the system and can take advantage of available solar incentives. A lease allows you to pay a monthly fee for the energy produced by the panels, but you won’t own the system or benefit from incentives. While loans can reduce upfront costs, they may come with interest or escalator fees, potentially increasing the overall cost. Solar leases also offer low upfront costs, but you won’t receive the benefits of ownership.

GreenBrilliance partners with several popular financing companies, such as IGS Solar, Sungauge, Sunnova and Sunlight to offer you a variety of options. 

Does GreenBrilliance operate in my state? How do I order?

GreenBrilliance serves six states and Washington, D.C. While this service area is somewhat limited compared to nationwide companies, like SunPower, Seaman explained it has taken 18 years to grow the right way with attention to detail and high-quality customer care. 

If you live outside GreenBrilliance’s service area, check out CNET’s best solar company list for other options, such as Palmetto Solar, EnergyPal and Freedom Forever. 

To get a quote, start by entering your home address in the form on GreenBrilliance’s website. You’ll answer a few questions about your average utility costs and roof condition. The form uses Blaze to visualize your roof and offer an instant savings estimate. If you prefer chatting with someone on the phone, you can call or email the GreenBrilliance team instead. After the initial contact, you’ll set up a site evaluation by one of its energy consultants to learn about your energy needs and gather information to generate a proposal. 

GreenBrilliance reviews: What are customers saying?

Customer reviews of solar companies are often a mixed response and GreenBrilliance reviews are no different. With a 4.4 out of 5 rating on Google reviews and a 4.26 out of 5 on Better Business Bureau, GreenBrilliance generally receives positive feedback overall. However, Yelp’s 2.4 out of 5 star rating mentions roof leaks and difficulty contacting customer service. Positive reviews mention helpful salespeople and knowledgeable staff who ensure a smooth installation process. 

Here’s a sample of positive and negative customer reviews on Yelp, Google and BBB. 

One-star GreenBrilliance reviews

“The installed solar panels under warranty have produced a leak in our roof that has been confirmed by roofers who will not touch it because it’s related to the solar panels. GreenBrilliance has refused to acknowledge this and has been entirely unresponsive as our roof continues to leak and the damage continues to mount. Their only response was to demand $500 upfront to conduct a site inspection. A demand that is inconsistent with the home repair industry (roofers already inspected for free) and provides no guarantee of resolution.” Kevin S. 7/2023

“Good price but very poor service: they move very slowly and do not answer my calls and emails. I signed the contract in August. They came to install the system in October. Now it’s the new year and the system is still not running! Can’t imagine how slow the company is. I advise anyone to find a more responsive company.” Tianhao W. 12/2023

Five-star GreenBrilliance reviews

“Just got my solar system activated. My GreenBrilliance experience has been above and beyond my expectations. I am very happy with them. Jonathan Ngo was extremely helpful, even going as far as staying in touch while he was on vacation out of the country. I highly recommend Jonathan and GreenBrilliance to anyone interested in solar.” Hassan Z. 9/2023

“The solar consultation with GreenBrilliance was informative without being overwhelming. They explained the benefits clearly, making it easy to decide.” Andrew 10/2024

“We’ve had our panels installed for approximately 2 months now and have enjoyed the power generated by them immensely. Our salesperson, Jonathan Ngo, has followed up with us every step of the way to make sure we are satisfied with our decision to go Solar and so far we’ve had no complaints. If we had another house to install Solar on we would work with GreenBrilliance again!” Eric L. 06/2024

Is GreenBrilliance the best choice?

GreenBrilliance is a strong option for anyone in its service area, but you should shop around before signing a contract. We also recommend reviewing each company’s customer service and asking questions about its use of subcontractors, business history and experience in the area.

With GreenBrilliance, you can choose from some of the best solar products on the market, such as REC solar panels and the Tesla Powerwall. You’ll also receive a 30-year warranty, which exceeds the industry standards for equipment and labor warranties. 

While the company doesn’t operate nationwide, this can be a strength. Its focus on “strategic and systematic growth” suggests that GreenBrilliance focuses on quality over quantity. The mixed customer reviews might raise an eyebrow, but it’s generally common across the solar industry. 

Although we don’t have hands-on experience completing the order or installation process, we received responses from two different team members within 10 minutes of contact. Speedy replies are not typical in our experience reaching out to solar companies, so this stood out and potentially reflects the level of service customers can expect. 

How we evaluate solar companies 

Reviewing solar companies in a hands-on way is difficult. Accounting for all the differences project to project is impossible. To provide a helpful review, we focused on what we can measure and meaningfully compare among companies.

We focus on three buckets of criteria: equipment, warranties and service. 

Within the equipment category, companies receive scores for the panels, inverters and batteries they install. Warranties include the guarantees on the panels, workmanship and weatherization against leaks. Companies earn points for service if they offer a price match, a meaningful level of price transparency and a well-rated app for monitoring solar production. They lose points if there are major issues pertaining to customer service (lawsuits, investigations or clear reputations for shoddy service). These issues will always be detailed in the review.

You can read a detailed look at how the scoring breaks down.

We don’t consider the average price of a company’s installations in their score. This information is difficult to find and hard to compare across service areas (and even roof to roof). Companies are often slow to disclose it, too. We also leave out easily found but not useful information like how many states a company operates in.

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