Solar Heat & Electric

Solar Heat & Electric is the oldest continuously operating solar contractor in Nebraska, and that institutional depth is the central reason it earned a place in our 2026 top three for the state. The company was founded on January 1, 1983 by Michael Shonka, an NABCEP-certified Solar PV Installer, and operates from 7342 Farnam Street in Omaha. Shonka started the business fresh out of college with what he describes as the ambition of seeing solar on every rooftop, beginning with solar thermal work and expanding into photovoltaic installation as the technology matured. More than four decades later, he still leads the company as president and owner.

What stood out to our research team is the project history that comes with that tenure. Solar Heat & Electric installed Nebraska's first net-metering system in 2009, completed the first educational-institution solar array in the state at Creighton University in 2010, built the Solar Lab at Metropolitan Community College in 2012, completed a 25 kW center-pivot irrigation project in 2013, and contributed to the Central City community solar project in 2014. Beyond the headline installations, the company has done a steady volume of 25 to 50 kW grid-tie systems for agricultural and commercial customers across Nebraska and into Iowa.

The service mix spans residential, commercial, agricultural, and municipal solar, with solar thermal, radiant floor heating, and energy-conservation consulting still on the menu. The Better Business Bureau lists Solar Heat & Electric at an A+ rating, with formal accreditation granted on November 8, 2024 — recent paperwork but reflecting a business that has operated under the same ownership and name since the Reagan administration.

The trade-off worth naming is review volume. A 4.4-star Google rating across only five reviews is a thin public footprint for a company this established, which suggests Solar Heat & Electric continues to source work through referrals, agricultural networks, and its long-standing role with Nebraskans for Solar rather than digital lead channels. Prospective customers should ask for recent project references in their specific use case — residential, irrigation, or commercial — because the company's portfolio spans all of them.

With a composite score of 72.0 out of 100, Solar Heat & Electric holds the third-ranked position in Nebraska for 2026.