Best Solar Companies in North Dakota: How to Choose an Installer (2026)

Updated November 2026 by Wolf River Electric, a Midwest solar installer that serves North Dakota homes, farms and businesses with its own crews.

We install solar in North Dakota, so we have a stake in this question. That is why this page does not rank companies. It gives you a checklist that works on any installer, including us, and shows our own numbers so you can check them.

How do you choose the best solar company in North Dakota?

Price matters, but the lowest price is not the best value if the crew, the equipment or the warranty is weaker.

The installer matters as much as the panels. Most problems with home solar come from how it was installed and who answers the phone years later, not from the panels themselves.

In North Dakota, system size matters too. Net billing gives you the retail rate for solar that offsets the power you buy, but extra power earns a much lower rate. A good installer designs around your real use.

The North Dakota solar installer checklist

Use this to judge any installer. The right column shows how Wolf River Electric answers each item.

Red flags to watch for

• “Free solar” or “government program” pitches. Solar is not free. An offer that calls panels free usually hides a lease or loan in the paperwork.
• No price per watt or no named equipment. A clear quote shows both.
• Savings that count the federal tax credit on a home you buy. That credit ended for homeowners after 2025.
• Savings that value every kWh at the retail rate. With North Dakota net billing, extra power you send to the grid earns the utility’s much lower avoided cost rate.
• No license you can find. Or a license so new the company has little work to show.
• No plan for service. Ask who comes back for warranty work and how long it takes to get a crew out.
• Reviews that all arrived in a few weeks or never mention the install.

How Wolf River Electric measures up

Here is our side of the checklist, with facts you can check.

• Licensed in all operating states, with our own crews.
• Our own crews serve North Dakota homes, farms and businesses. Call (763) 229-6662.
• In business since 2014, with more than 10,000 projects completed across the Midwest.
• NABCEP-certified company.
• More than 900 Google reviews with a 5.0 average, as of November 2026. Read our reviews.
• A 25-year workmanship warranty on home solar.
• We install Q CELLS, REC, Silfab, Canadian Solar, Enphase, Tesla Powerwall 3 and FranklinWH.
• We also install battery backup, standby generators and ground mounts for farms and acreages, and we service systems from installers that closed.

How much power do Wolf River Electric systems make in North Dakota?

Wolf River Electric systems in North Dakota with a full year of Enphase monitoring made about 407 kWh per panel from October 2025 to September 2026. A typical home system of 20 to 30 panels makes about 8,140 to 12,210 kWh a year. Used at home, that power is worth about $1,014 to $1,521 a year at North Dakota’s average home electricity price. Extra power sent to the grid earns less.

Averages of real production from Wolf River Electric customers’ systems. Value at North Dakota’s average home electricity rate (U.S. EIA, 2026).

What solar costs in North Dakota in 2026

As of November 2026, solar in North Dakota averages about $3.44 per watt before incentives, according to SolarReviews. That is about $34,400 for a 10 kW system. Steep or complex roofs, ground mounts, electrical panel upgrades and batteries add cost.

Xcel Energy, Otter Tail Power and Montana-Dakota Utilities offer net billing for home systems up to 100 kW. Solar offsets the power you buy at the retail rate, and extra power earns a much lower buyback rate. The value solar adds to your home is exempt from property tax for 5 years. North Dakota has no state solar tax credit. For details, see the cost of solar panels in North Dakota and our 2026 Midwest solar incentives guide.

Questions to ask any North Dakota solar installer

• Do you hold a North Dakota contractor license and a state electrical license?
• Will your own employees install my system?
• Which exact panels, inverters and battery will I get?
• What is the price per watt, and what is not included?
• How much power will the system make in year one, and how much of it will I use at home?
• Who handles the permit and the utility interconnection?
• How long is your labor warranty, and who do I call for service?
• When is each payment due?

For the full list, see questions to ask a solar installer before you sign.

North Dakota solar company FAQ

Who is the best solar company in North Dakota?

No single company is best for every home. The best one for you is licensed in North Dakota, installs with its own crews, can send a crew back for service, names your equipment in writing and backs its labor for years. Use the checklist above to judge any installer you talk to, including us.

Does North Dakota have net metering?

Not full net metering. Xcel Energy, Otter Tail Power and Montana-Dakota Utilities offer net billing for home systems up to 100 kW. Within each monthly bill, solar offsets the power you buy at the retail rate. Extra power earns the utility’s avoided cost rate, about 3.6 cents per kWh with Xcel Energy. Co-ops and city utilities set their own rules.

Is a local solar installer better than a national company?

For service, often yes. An installer whose crews work in your area can come back when something needs attention, and it knows Xcel Energy, Otter Tail Power, Montana-Dakota and local permit offices. Some national companies subcontract installs. Ask who will do the work and who will service it.

What should a solar quote include?

The system size, expected yearly production, the panel, inverter and battery brands and models, the total price and price per watt, what is included, the labor warranty and the payment schedule. If any of these are missing, ask for them in writing.

How do I check a solar company’s license in North Dakota?

Search the company in the Secretary of State FirstStop contractor search, and confirm its electrical license with the North Dakota State Electrical Board. Make sure both are active.

Is solar worth it with North Dakota winters?

Our North Dakota systems made about 37.5 kWh per panel in winter and 169 kWh in summer, about 407 kWh for the year. Snow and short days cut winter output, so most of your yearly power comes from spring to fall. Cold itself does not hurt panels; they work more efficiently in cool weather.

Are free solar panel offers real?

No. Solar is paid for with cash, a loan, a lease or a power purchase agreement. An offer that calls the panels free usually has a lease or loan in the paperwork.

Can I still get a solar tax credit in North Dakota?

Not when you buy. North Dakota has no state solar tax credit, and the federal homeowner credit ended after 2025. A solar lease or prepaid lease can still use a federal credit for a limited time, which can lower your price.