Renu Energy Solutions has spent the better part of fifteen years building one of the most established residential solar practices in the Carolinas, and what stood out to our research team is the depth of their in-state credentialing. Founded in 2010 by Jay Radcliffe, Renu carries both a South Carolina General Contractor license (#119903) and a South Carolina Electrical Contractor license (#CLM.113782), and the company maintains an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau where it has been accredited since 2017. Their Columbia office at 2711 Alpine Road anchors a broader SC footprint that includes a Greenville warehouse and active project work across Charleston, Columbia, and the Upstate. Across the Southeast, Renu reports more than 6,000 solar installations and over 1,500 energy storage installations, with a 4.6-star Google rating across 557 reviews.
On equipment, Renu installs CertainTeed solar panels paired with Enphase and SolarEdge inverters, and the company is a certified installer for Tesla Powerwall 3, FranklinWH aPower 2, Generac PWRcell 2, and Enphase IQ battery storage. Their NABCEP certification (#090919-017323) and W-2 in-house installation crews — rather than subcontracted labor — were factors that contributed meaningfully to their score. They are recognized as a Solar Power World Top 500 Solar Contractor every year from 2013 through 2021, an Enphase Platinum Installer, a Tesla Certified Installer, and a Generac Premier dealer.
Prospective customers should also be aware of the company's recent ownership history. Renu was acquired by Swell Energy in February 2024, and Swell subsequently entered an assignment-for-the-benefit-of-creditors liquidation process in early 2025. Renu itself, however, has continued to operate in the Carolinas through 2026, with documented installations and permitting activity confirmed across the period and an active office presence in Columbia. Our research team did flag a number of BBB complaints involving design errors, post-installation responsiveness, and project delays — issues common to mid-sized regional installers, but worth raising directly during the sales process. Homeowners should ask pointed questions about warranty backing, service-call response times, and how Renu structures its in-house electrical work versus permitting handoffs.
With a composite score of 78.4 out of 100, Renu Energy Solutions stands as our top-ranked solar company in South Carolina for 2026.
“We recently had a solar roof system and Tesla Powerwall 3 battery installed on our home in the Charlotte, North Carolina area by Renu Energy Solutions, and the experience from start to finish was...”
Greg M.
“I was stumped finding a reputable Solar installer because of the fraud common in that industry but somehow stumbled upon Renu Energy Solutions and as of a few days ago, my solar system is active with...”
Brian J.
“Kevin was a great Salesman. Very Knowledgeable and answered all my questions. Being an Engineer I had A LOT of them. He did such a great job educated me I was able to refer him several other friends...”
Michael M.
“Recognizing that solar and battery systems are a huge and long -term investment, I did much research and obtained several quotes including from national, local and more regional companies. Renu was...”
CP C.
“From start to finish, Renu maintained excellent communication, was responsive to my questions & concerns and professional.
The sales rep, Almir, was quite helpful with coordination of financing. He...”
Rama T.
“We chose Renu Energy after an extensive search for a reliable and trustworthy solar installer for our home, as well as a Tesla‑certified Powerwall installer. Our experience began with a no‑pressure,...”
Nickie V.
“I can’t say enough great things about Renu Energy Solutions. From the very first consultation to final installation and activation, the entire process was smooth, professional, and incredibly...”
Tracey L.
“We appreciate the professionalism of Renu Solar. John and Megan have seamlessly guided our solar panel and Tesla battery install with a high level of customer support and interaction that is very...”
Carolina Energy Conservation has been quietly building one of the longest-running residential solar PV practices in coastal South Carolina, and the depth of their state-specific recognition was hard for our research team to overlook. Founded in 2009 by Jeff Thompson out of a Surfside Beach garage, the company is now headquartered at 9516 Highway 707 in Myrtle Beach with a second SC office at 40 Pennington Drive in Bluffton, and their service footprint covers the Lowcountry, the Grand Strand, and most of coastal South Carolina with extensions into the Savannah area and southeastern North Carolina. The company holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and has been BBB Accredited since January 2012, with only a single resolved complaint in the public record.
The credentials that stood out the most are the back-to-back Santee Cooper Solar PV Contractor of the Year awards in 2016 and 2017 — a recognition from South Carolina's state-owned utility that reflects sustained installation volume, system quality, and customer-satisfaction metrics tracked by the utility itself rather than self-reported. Carolina Energy Conservation has also appeared repeatedly in Solar Power World's Top Solar Contractors rankings from 2016 through 2023, including a Top 100 Residential Solar Installer designation in 2018. Their NABCEP PV Installation Professional credential (#102216-013865) sits with team member Eddie Galloway, with a NABCEP Photovoltaic Associate held by Fred Baker.
On the technical side, the company installs Canadian Solar panels paired with SolarEdge and Fronius inverter platforms, with Tesla Powerwall available for battery backup. They carry South Carolina General Contractor license G118852 and Electrical Contractor license M113819, and like the top-ranked installer in the state, they perform all work with in-house W-2 employees rather than subcontracted crews. Systems are backed by a 10-year workmanship warranty alongside standard manufacturer coverage on panels and inverters.
The company is smaller than the regional installers ranked above and below — roughly 35 staff as of 2022, with a cumulative installed capacity of about 2.7 MW — but for homeowners in Horry, Georgetown, Charleston, Beaufort, and Jasper counties, that local rootedness translates into firsthand familiarity with coastal wind-load engineering, Santee Cooper interconnection, and salt-air hardware selection.
With a composite score of 75.6 out of 100, Carolina Energy Conservation holds the second-ranked position in South Carolina for 2026.
“Carolina Energy Conservation company is great. Very solid on communication and updates for your service. Rex was my advisor and Alex was the foreman for the install. Everyone was very professional...”
Brenda R.
“The young men (Jake, Sean,Andrew, Grayson and Landon) who showed up did a great job. Their work ethic was remarkable. The job was done in one day. They were knowledgeable and could explain every...”
Rand C.
“I was originally concerned about installation issues, and if there would be problems with my roof from sun in the Summer, and humidity in the attic in the Winter. I was also concerned that I couldn’t...”
Christopher W.
“Subject:
Outstanding Experience with Carolina Energy Conservation
I recently had attic insulation purchased and installed, and I couldn’t be happier with the entire experience from start to finish....”
PattyAnn B.
“Excellent customer service, great priding snd the installer was amazing! We love our solar tube. It brings so much light to our dark upstairs room. You can hardly see it in the roof too.”
Aaron A.
“I just had a SolaTube solar attic fan installed, and the experience was top-notch from start to finish.
The team at Carolina Energy Conservation really knows their stuff. They recommended the...”
Joe L.
“I recently had the pleasure of working with Carolina Energy Conservation for an insulation project in my garage, and I couldn’t be more satisfied with their service. The team worked diligently,...”
Barbara p.
“The installer had exceptional experience! We had 2 solar tubes & 2 solar powered attic fans installed. It was fast ! We were pleased with the installation. The solar tubes are bringing in much needed...”
Solar Energy Partners has built a focused Upstate South Carolina residential solar practice from a permanent Greenville office at 355 South Main Street, and the company's combination of premium-tier equipment and recent third-party recognition earned it the third spot in our 2026 ranking. The broader Solar Energy Partners organization was incorporated in 2017 with corporate offices in Smyrna, Georgia, and the Greenville location operates as a fully staffed field office serving the Upstate, the I-85 corridor, and adjacent counties. The South Carolina office holds full General Contractor and Electrical Contractor licensing for the state, and the company carries an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
What stood out to our research team is the equipment specification. Solar Energy Partners is a Maxeon Preferred Partner, which means homeowners get access to the Maxeon residential solar cell — historically the same cell technology that anchored the original SunPower premium product line — paired with Enphase microinverters or SolarEdge string inverters depending on shading and array geometry. The company is also Tesla Powerwall Certified, a FranklinWH Certified Installer, a SPAN Authorized Installer, and an Enphase certified partner. Their NABCEP-board-certified team and Solar Stack and Schneider certifications round out a credential stack that is genuinely above the South Carolina market average.
On the recognition side, Solar Energy Partners holds the EnergySage Elite Installer designation and was named the 2026 EnergySage Installer of the Year, an award based on verified-customer review aggregation across the EnergySage Marketplace. Their EnergySage rating sits at 4.8 out of 5 across 19 verified reviews, and customer comments consistently cite responsive ownership, clean installations, and willingness to revisit site design when shading or roof complications surface.
That said, this is a younger operation than the two installers above it, and our research team did identify mixed feedback around project-timeline management — including one documented case of a roofing-subcontractor handoff that stretched into a multi-month delay. Prospective customers should ask directly about realistic install timelines, in-house versus subcontracted roofing work, and the warranty terms that flow through from Maxeon and the inverter manufacturers.
With a composite score of 71.2 out of 100, Solar Energy Partners holds the third-ranked position in South Carolina for 2026.
State tax credit: 25% (up to $3,500)|Sales tax exemption on solar equipment|Property tax exemption for solar value|Net metering at retail rate|Palmetto Clean Energy (PCE) credits
SCE&G is under South Carolina's net metering policy, which places the cap at 2% of each utility's peak capacity. This means that the amount of solar that can ...
(E) "Net energy metering" means using metering equipment sufficient to measure the difference between the electrical energy supplied to a customer-generator by ...
Customer-generators who applied for net metering between May 16, 2019 and May 31, 2021, will receive credit at the full retail electric rate until May 31, 2029.
1. Customers must be on a time-of-use (TOU) rate. · 2. System size can't exceed your facility's demand. · 3. Interconnection requirements remain unchanged. · 4.
Net metering in South Carolina has undergone important changes for 2025. The good news is that the state has extended its net metering program through 2029, ...
In this blog post, we'll discuss why now is the perfect time to explore solar solutions for your business in North or South Carolina and what advantages lie ...
*Companies displaying 15 or more years in business are typically established electrical, roofing, or general contracting firms that expanded into solar installation in more recent years. The years shown may reflect the age of the parent organization or a strategic partner, not necessarily the solar division itself. This distinction is worth considering when comparing to dedicated solar installers, as purpose-built solar companies may offer more specialized expertise despite a shorter operating history.
