LightWave Solar entered our Tennessee evaluation as the state's most established residential solar specialist, and what our research team found largely confirmed that reputation. Founded in 2006 and headquartered at 3026 Owen Drive in Antioch, just south of Nashville, the company has spent close to two decades focused almost exclusively on photovoltaic design and installation rather than treating solar as a side line off of an electrical or roofing business. Per their own published figures, they have completed more than 1,400 solar PV systems across the Tennessee Valley, representing roughly 80 megawatts of installed capacity, and they employ a team of more than 70 full-time staff with multiple NABCEP-certified PV installation professionals on the roster.
What stood out to our researchers is the depth of credentialing behind the day-to-day work. NABCEP certification, which the industry treats as the gold standard for solar professionals, is held across multiple roles on the LightWave team rather than sitting with a single individual. The company holds Tennessee Unlimited Electrical Contractor License No. 58005 and 71602, carries an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and posts a 4.88-out-of-5 average across 51 verified reviews on SolarReviews, with similarly strong scores on Google. As a founding member of the Amicus Solar Cooperative, LightWave participates in a national purchasing and best-practices network that includes more than 70 independent installers, and President Chris Koczaja sits on the cooperative's board.
On equipment, LightWave describes itself as brand-agnostic and has installed systems from REC, Q Cells, Silfab, Mission Solar, and Panasonic-class panels paired with SolarEdge, Enphase, SMA, and Fronius inverter platforms, alongside Tesla Powerwall and Enphase battery storage. They offer ground-mount, roof-mount, carport, EV charging, and smart-panel work, and they self-perform service and monitoring rather than handing customers off after commissioning. The most common knock our team found in customer feedback was occasional delays between contract signing and system activation, a familiar pain point in the post-2024 interconnection environment that prospective customers should ask about during the sales process.
With a composite score of 86.4 out of 100, LightWave Solar stands as our top-ranked solar company in Tennessee for 2026.
Lloyd's Electric Service is a multi-generational East Tennessee contractor that has built a real, credentialed solar division on top of a four-decade electrical practice, and that combination is what put it on our shortlist for the state. Founded in 1982 by Jim Lloyd and now operated by three generations of the Lloyd family from 7233 Oak Ridge Highway in Knoxville, the company carries an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau where it has been an accredited business since 2015. Across publicly available channels including Google, Lloyd's holds a 4.8-star average across roughly 544 reviews, which is one of the larger verified review bases for any solar-capable contractor in East Tennessee.
What our research team weighed carefully here is the line between an electrical company that dabbles in panels and one that actually installs photovoltaic systems as a service line. Lloyd's clears that bar. The company publishes a dedicated solar service page describing residential and commercial PV consulting, design, installation, monitoring, and service, and its Master Electrician is a NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional, the same credential held by the lead designers at dedicated solar firms. Additional team members are NABCEP-trained in design, installation, and maintenance of solar energy systems, and the company is listed as a NABCEP-certified solar contractor on independent directories including findenergy.com and EcoWatch's Knoxville solar guide.
On the scope side, Lloyd's offers grid-tied residential systems, optional battery backup, EV charger installation, and full electrical-service integration, with financing structured around cash purchase, traditional loans, lease-to-own, and power-purchase agreements. As a Generac Factory-Trained dealer the company also handles standby generators, which is genuinely useful in storm-exposed East Tennessee but should not be mistaken for solar specialization. Prospective customers should ask pointed questions about the company's recent PV install volume, panel and inverter brand selection, and production-warranty terms, because the public-facing website intentionally keeps equipment and warranty specifics general rather than naming brands the way a pure-play solar specialist would.
With a composite score of 72.6 out of 100, Lloyd's Electric Service holds the second-ranked position in Tennessee for 2026.
“The folks at Lloyd's Electric Service did an absolutely fantastic job of installing our Generac generator. All their efforts were in a workmanlike manner. The crew that did the installation all...”
Chris B.
“Had my home service and electric panel replaced and Jamey Gribble and his work partner made the experience pain free. Great work! On time! Courteous and excellent communication! Highly recommend.”
Hannah Y.
“I highly recommend Lloyd’s Electric! They got back to me very quickly after my initial call and had someone out to my house as soon as possible. Jamey Gribble did great work, he and Bryce worked...”
Brandon (.
“I had Lloyd's Electric Service come out to install a Tesla Home Charger in my garage and can not be any happier with the whole process from start to finish. Service was excellent, pricing was great,...”
Rodeseai B.
“Jamey came by from Lloyds electric service to give us a quote on a work order we need for my property I manage Jamie was very nice. Very thorough and gave great customer service. Jamie was also very...”
Dave H.
“Bryce of Lloyd's Electric Service, Inc. fixed the switch to my garbage disposal that literally flamed out the night before. He did a rapid and perfect replacement and showed me how fried my old...”
Lili V.
“I can't say enough how much we enjoyed working with Victor, Nick, & Ross from Lloyds Electrical. They addressed every issue and were flexible when the plan had to shift. They were on time every day,...”
William J.
“Jamey Gribble helped install an outdoor outlet and replace two fans with Vintage Hunter models. He did great work and I really appreciate all of his help troubleshooting the older fans, A+ on the...”
Solar Alliance Southeast is a dedicated solar contractor headquartered at 3709 Martin Mill Pike in Knoxville, and unlike most of the other candidates we reviewed in Tennessee, photovoltaics is not a side service line for this company, it is the entire business. The Southeast subsidiary was incorporated in Tennessee in August 2015 and operates as the regional installation arm of Solar Alliance, a publicly listed clean-energy contractor that trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker SOLR. That dual structure is unusual at this market level and means the company files audited financials, which gave our research team more visibility into ongoing operations than is typical for an installer of this size.
What earned Solar Alliance the third-ranked spot for us is the credentialing and the residential scope. The company is staffed by engineers and installers accredited by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners and operates as a fully licensed Tennessee general contractor with a NABCEP-certified design team. Service offerings cover residential rooftop solar, the company's pre-engineered Sunbox residential and small-commercial systems, battery energy storage, EV charging, and a Powershed solar-powered equipment charging station, alongside larger commercial, community-scale, and utility work. Solar Alliance has publicly reported securing more than seven million dollars in grants and incentives for clients across its Tennessee and Kentucky service area, which suggests genuine fluency with the Tennessee Valley Authority Dispersed Power Production program and federal Investment Tax Credit stacking that homeowners depend on.
Prospective customers should weigh two flags our team noted plainly. First, the Better Business Bureau lists the company as Not Rated rather than accredited, meaning the BBB has not gathered enough information to issue a letter grade despite a file dating to 2020. Second, the company's marketing leans noticeably toward community and commercial solar, so residential customers should confirm crew availability and project-management capacity before signing, and ask for recent Knoxville-area residential references and equipment specifications since panel and inverter brands are not published.
With a composite score of 69.4 out of 100, Solar Alliance Southeast holds the third-ranked position in Tennessee for 2026.
Sales tax exemption on solar equipment|No state solar tax credit|TVA Green Connect program|Net metering varies by utility|Property tax assessment varies by county
There is no comparable replacement program for TVA's GPP program, and there is no net metering in Tennessee. Although TVA is required by federal law to buy ...
Energy - As introduced, establishes a regulatory framework for solar energy facilities in this state. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7, Chapter 51 and ...
Yes, Tennessee has restrictions on off-grid energy sources, particularly regarding fossil fuels, renewable energy generation, and energy storage systems, all ...
*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.
