When it comes to any kind of business, it’s important to use money wisely. What this means is that entrepreneurs should be able to invest much money into their products and services without having to waste a lot of money in the end. Solar installers are not exempt from this situation. In this kind of business, solar installers should be prepared to know quite the number of solar panel suppliers. But how do solar installers exactly prepare a lot of solar panels without having to lose so much money? Simple: they have to buy wholesale solar panels in bulk.
Simply put, wholesale solar panels are those products that are purchased by an individual or a company that isn’t the end consumer. That is why wholesale solar panels are usually purchased by distributors (those people who have a closer relationship to manufacturers) or resellers (those who can sell to installers but also can sell directly to consumers). And since wholesale solar panels come in bulk with a discounted price, buying them is definitely going to save money. As a result, it is a perfect thing to do for any solar installation business.
So, the question right now is: where can you buy wholesale solar panels? Luckily, there are a ton of websites out there where you can do that. Here are ten of the marketplace websites where you can buy wholesale solar panels in bulk.
SolarFeeds.com
Website: https://www.solarfeeds.com/
To reduce a major pain point in the solar equipment procurement process for suppliers and buyers and to help push the transition to clean, renewable energy forward.
We’re well into the 21st century with powerful digital tools at our fingertips, yet the solar equipment procurement process remains antiquated. Most solar contractors and developers still have to visit multiple suppliers’ websites and/or call them—one by one. They have to spend valuable time submitting multiple RFQ forms and have to request quotes via email to find the equipment they need.. Some may turn to sites like Alibaba, which aren’t tailored to the solar industry’s needs.
SF Market is tailor-made for the solar industry to connect distributors and manufacturers with buyers. It simplifies the process of submitting and responding to RFQs, allows buyers to see multiple prices from different potential suppliers, and allows suppliers to submit multiple bids. Easing the procurement process for both sides.
Let’s Go Solar
Website: https://www.letsgosolar.com/
Let’s Go Solar is another popular solar panel detail supplier in America. What makes them popular is the fact that they really provide you with step-by-step solar instructions. Aside from that, they pride themselves on their transparency. A lot of the energy economy runs on keeping the conversation vague and complex but Let’s Go Solar has no intention of doing the same. Instead, they won’t shy away from answering FAQs about anything solar-related, particularly the underlying costs and state policies. They will give their customers clear answers that are undeniably helpful in the long run.
Energy Matters
Website: https://www.energymatters.com.au/
Energy Matters is one of Australia’s largest companies solely dedicated to residential, commercial, and wholesale solar energy and solar solutions. Founded in 2005, the company has since installed more than 23,000 solar panel systems on homes, schools, and commercial buildings.
Moreover, their wholesale solar energy supply service provides its customers with the best in the world of renewable energy equipment manufacturing. Energy Matters has made sure that all of their solar power and battery storage have gone through trial and testing to ensure that they’ll be efficient in Australian conditions.
Some of the trusted brands that they work with are REC, JA Solar, Flex, SunPower, and Tesla. There are other reputable brands out there that they work with.
Alibaba
Website: https://www.alibabagroup.com/en/global/home
Alibaba is a leading global drop shipping wholesaler from China. Their customers come from all over the world in more than 200 countries. Alibaba is slightly different from the other websites mentioned in this list. The first six mentioned are websites that are solely dedicated to solar products, but Alibaba has a wide variety of products. The website sells cheap clothes, bags, shoes, jewelry, and more. But beyond that, Alibaba is also a good source for buying wholesale solar panels.
As a wholesaler marketplace, Alibaba has maintained a good reputation among its customers. They’re known to dispatch within 24 hours, and they also have highly trained, professional QC technicians who will rigorously control, execute, and monitor every aspect of the company’s internal quality control processes and systems.
ENF Solar
Website: https://www.enfsolar.com/
ENF Solar is one of the most established marketplaces in the solar niche. Its site has two comprehensive catalogues of suppliers and solar products. With more than 16 years of experience researching the solar industry, their strong focus on data quality offers unparalleled depth. Their site provides scale, features and quality that connects more than 3,000,000 users each year.
Energy Bin
Website: https://energybin.com/
Over 1,000 solar companies, including solar panel manufacturers and makers of solar equipment, distributors and suppliers, developers, EPCs, installers and O&M companies, are members of EnergyBin. Their members oversee projects in the residential, commercial, agricultural, industrial, and small-scale utility markets.
Greenside Energy
Website: https://www.greensideenergy.com/
Greenside Energy is a solar marketplace startup founded by a solar installer. They have reimagined a whole new solar shopping experience with curated components, technology to guide their customers and to provide you with top-notch solar suppliers and manufacturers offering the highest-quality panels, inverters, and other solar products.
Other marketplaces
Takeaway
Money is of the essence when it comes to business. For a lot of entrepreneurs out there, they have to figure out a way how to offer high-quality products without having to lose a lot of money. Solar installers are not exempt from this. Luckily, for solar installers, one thing they can do to save money is to purchase wholesale solar products in bulk.
It’s even better news that there are literally hundreds of marketplace websites on the internet where you can buy wholesale solar products. In other words, buying wholesale solar products should be easy for you because the websites are easily accessible to you.
Of course, there’s always a worry about which websites to trust. After all, with the number of websites out there, there’s bound to be at least one of them that is sketchy. To help you decide on which websites to trust when it comes to buying wholesale solar products, ten suggestions are listed in this post. All the websites mentioned are reputable, both in the quality of their products as well as their customer support. So, whichever you’ll end up choosing from the list, you’re guaranteed to be in safe hands.
Buying solar panels to power your home can be an all-around good money decision. It can increase your home's resale value, deliver a large tax credit and save you money on energy for decades. Solar panels can produce energy for a long time (many warranties are for 25 years), so they should produce energy well after you pay them off. Even with these potential benefits, the initial cost can be intimidating. And, with new technologies (like GAF's Energy's Timberline Solar shingle), it can be difficult to know where to shop.
Buying residential solar panels should not be one-stop shopping. It's always a good idea to get quotes from multiple installers. And, you should go in with a solid understanding of your energy needs, your national and local tax incentives and your options for buying or financing in some other way. There are more tips in our solar panel buying guide.
When you're ready to shop, you have plenty of options. It's important to note that we haven't tested panels or gone through the purchasing process at any of these outlets. This guide will help you know where to look, not which solar array is best for your needs.
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Perhaps the first place people turn when shopping for solar panels are the companies that do that one thing. Major companies like Palmetto, Sunrun, SunPower, Trinity Solar and Tesla have large service areas and operate in a highly competitive industry. Not all these solar companies offer the same products, prices or warranties and it pays to shop around. Often, solar companies will have online tools that allow you to estimate the cost of solar panels at your house and your long term savings. These are estimates and almost certain to change with an actual visit to your house.
Read more: Best Solar Companies of 2024
When getting quotes from installers, you should also check with smaller local installers. These companies can sometimes offer lower prices because they don't have to put as much money into sales and marketing.
There are solar marketplaces that do some of the legwork of getting multiple quotes. Marketplaces like EnergySage will gather multiple quotes based on basic information like an estimated energy bill and your address.
National solar installers have partnered with box stores to increase their sales reach, and sometimes offer discounts. The national company Sunrun works with Costco. The purchase and design process is largely the same as buying directly from the company, except Costco offers a few additional incentives.
Qualifying purchases can receive back 10% of the equipment cost (not labor or permitting) in a Costco gift card and some extended warranties. Executive members at Costco will also get 2% cash back. Not all products or perks are available in all places, so you'll need to check.
These types of partnerships are likely to become more common. SunPower announced a partnership with Ikea starting in parts of California in fall of 2022. Details are currently scarce, but Ikea sells home solar panels in other countries and will likely try to expand their business in the U.S.
Your big-box retailers such as The Home Depot sell solar panels, mounting hardware, inverters and charge controllers. Home Depot makes buying solar panels simple through its website or your local store. If you want professional installation, it'll pair you with licensed, insured installation professionals for both large and small projects. Lowe's offers a one to two-year guarantee on labor.
And if you are a do-it-yourselfer, these stores sell everything you need to install the system, saving you money relative to professional installation options. Rooftop solar panels should always be installed by a knowledgeable installer.
If you're looking for portable solar panels or a a solar powered device charger, you can look a few more places than those listed above. Home improvement stores like Home Depot, Lowes and Menards carry portable solar panels that don't require expert installation. They'll often sell compatible batteries so that you can bottle that solar energy and take it with you.
For solar device chargers, you can check in on manufacturers' webpages or dive in to the plethora of options available on Amazon.
When considering solar options, research the companies you're considering. Examine their warranty offerings, prices, installation costs and timeframes, customer reviews, panel recycling methods and reputations through third-party resources such as the Better Business Bureau. Also, check to see if a company will assist you with permitting (if applicable). Doing the homework helps you find a reputable provider.
Moreover, consider all the financial aspects of the project. Do not forget to include costs for permits, installation and roof upgrades or replacement. Alternatively, make sure to take advantage of tax incentives like the Investment Tax Credit, which reduce your federal tax liability by 30% of the total costs of the solar panel system. States also have programs that can lower your initial investment.
Make sure you understand your own energy needs and how you'll be compensated for any excess energy you produce. Learn the best direction and angle for solar panels and when going with a less common option (like ground-mounted or bifacial panels) makes sense. Above all, make sure you get multiple quotes from reputable installers. One stop shopping isn't for solar panels.
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