LightWave Solar Review

Solar and battery installerBased in Nashville, TennesseeProfile updated October 13, 2026

Is LightWave Solar a good choice?

LightWave Solar fits Tennessee homeowners who want solar paired with battery backup from an established, brand-agnostic installer. It says it has operated since 2006 and employs nine NABCEP-certified PV professionals. Its FAQ spells out panel, output, inverter and battery terms, and its starter packages carry a 5-year workmanship warranty. It recommends a home equity loan and lists no lease or PPA, so plan to own the system.

Price
Quote required for custom systems; the FAQ gives only a broad range. Costs
Coverage
TN: the Tennessee Valley and nearby Southeast region. Service area
Warranty
Panels and output 25 years; inverters 10 to 12; workmanship 5 (starter packages). Warranty
Request a solar estimate Check the warranty
On this page
  1. Why choose it, or not
  2. LightWave Solar reviews
  3. Cost and ways to pay
  4. Warranty
  5. Service area and licenses
  6. Compare installers
  7. Before choosing
  8. How we researched

Why choose LightWave Solar, and why you might not

What LightWave does well, and where to be careful, compared with the installers it competes with most.

Reasons to choose LightWave

  • It spells out its warrantiesLightWave’s FAQ lists the warranty on panels, inverters and batteries, and how much power the panels should still make after 25 years. Green Wave and Solar Energy Solutions give no length for the warranty on their own work.

  • You can choose your brandsLightWave puts in panels from Silfab, Qcells, REC, Solaria and Mission, and inverters from SolarEdge and Enphase. For batteries it names the Tesla Powerwall 3, Franklin aPower and Savant.

  • It has been around since 2006LightWave says it has worked since 2006. It lists nine staff who hold a national solar installer certification (NABCEP).

  • Owners praise its battery backupIts head-office Google listing shows 4.7 from 74 reviews. One owner says the battery kept the home powered for a week after an ice storm.

Reasons to look at others

  • Its warranty on its own work is 5 yearsLightWave lists 5 years on its own work for starter packages. It does not say what custom systems get. It lists no warranty for leaks where the panels are bolted to the roof. Ask for both in writing.

  • You pay or borrow on your ownLightWave lists buying and a home equity loan from your own bank. It offers no rent or PPA plan. Solar Energy Solutions and Solar Alternatives both offer a prepaid rental plan.

  • It shows no license numberLightWave prints no Tennessee license number. Ask for the number and check it with the state before you sign.

  • Some reviews describe unfinished repairsIts negative reviews describe repairs not done before a warranty ran out, and a quote that never came. Ask how fast LightWave schedules service visits.

LightWave Solar reviews: what customers say

Each review site shows its own score; we read them on October 12 and 13, 2026 and do not combine them or add our own rating.

  • Google4.7 / 574 reviews · Antioch, TN office listing only, not company-wideRead reviews

The five positive reviews below praise helpful, professional staff, clear walk-throughs, and a battery system one reviewer says kept the home powered for a week after an ice storm. The three negative reviews describe a business system with falling output and repairs reportedly unfinished when the warranty ran out, a quote that never arrived after months, and a 2016 install that differed from what was requested. These are issues to ask about, not a measure of how often they happen. Ask Lightwave how quickly it schedules service visits.

5 recent 5-star reviews
  • 5 of 5 · May 16, 2026

    “The LW staff, from the installers to the electricians to the front office are wonderful.”

    Marc O. · Read on Google

  • 5 of 5 · Mar 14, 2026

    “I love the reduced electric bills!”

    Irene L. · Read on Google

  • 5 of 5 · Feb 24, 2026

    “From planning, to engineering, install and then walk through teaching how the system works has been amazing.”

    Justin C. · Read on Google

  • 5 of 5 · Feb 6, 2026

    “The team at LightWave Solar is helpful, communicates well, very professional.”

    Phil O. · Read on Google

  • 5 of 5 · Feb 2, 2026

    “Our system in 2025 resulted in us being 58% self powered which is amazing!”

    Chris M. · Read on Google

3 recent 1- and 2-star reviews
  • 1 of 5 · Oct 17, 2025

    “We began to have issues with it not producing the same power output after about 2 years of being installed and it began to produce less and less each year.”

    Becky H. · Read on Google

  • 1 of 5 · Sep 8, 2025

    “Then, the company had me hanging on for months for a quote they never intended to provide.”

    Michael B. · Read on Google

  • 1 of 5 · Dec 6, 2016

    “Overall very frustrating experience.”

    Vance S. · Read on Google

How we picked these: the five newest 5-star and the five newest 1- or 2-star reviews with written text on Google and Trustpilot, as of October 2026 (74 reviews read, back to Apr 4, 2016). We found no Trustpilot page for LightWave Solar on October 12, 2026. Each quote is one sentence, word for word. Picking the highest and lowest ratings shows the range of experiences; it is not a representative sample, and we did not verify what reviewers describe.

How much does LightWave Solar cost?

LightWave does not publish a fixed price for custom systems; its FAQ gives a broad typical range for solar plus battery, and its starter packages page lists two fixed-size packages. Ask for an itemized quote showing the turnkey price, system size, panel, inverter and battery models, and any extra costs for ground mounts or trenching. For state price ranges, see our solar panel cost guide; for how the plans compare, see loans, leases and PPAs.

Purchase

You own it

LightWave quotes a turnkey price for a fully installed system.

Home equity loan

You own it

The FAQ recommends a home equity loan through your mortgage lender. LightWave does not name a lending partner.

Plans as described in LightWave’s residential FAQ, read October 13, 2026. No lease or PPA is listed.

LightWave’s residential page says it is brand-agnostic and will install Tier 1 panels such as Silfab, Qcells, REC, Solaria and Mission, and that it typically installs SolarEdge and Enphase inverters. Its battery page lists the Tesla Powerwall 3, Franklin aPower and Savant Power System 20. Your written proposal should list the exact panel, inverter and battery models, the system size in kilowatts (kW) and the forecast yearly production in kilowatt-hours (kWh).

What does LightWave Solar’s warranty cover?

Warranty terms LightWave publishes, by type of coverage
Coverage
What LightWave publishes
What to confirm
Solar panels
25-year product warranty (manufacturer)
The panel maker and model, and who files a claim.
Panel output
25 years; at least 80% of labeled output at year 25 (manufacturer)
The exact output guarantee in the panel maker’s warranty.
Inverter
Most are 10 or 12 years (manufacturer); extended terms available from many brands
The inverter model, its term and who pays labor to replace it.
Battery
10 years for Tesla Powerwall 3 and Savant; 15 years for Franklin aPower (manufacturer)
The battery model you get and who handles warranty service.
Labor and workmanship
5 years (stated for starter packages)
Whether the same 5-year term applies to custom systems.
Roof penetrations
Not published
Confirm in your proposal: who repairs and pays if a leak starts at a panel mount.

Company-published terms from LightWave’s residential FAQ, battery page and starter packages page, read October 13, 2026. Your signed agreement decides what applies.

Where does LightWave Solar operate, and which licenses were checked?

LightWave’s about page says it serves the Tennessee Valley and surrounding regions, and its homepage mentions the Southeast region (read October 13, 2026). It names no other states or counties. A listed area does not mean every address qualifies or that EcoGen can connect you with LightWave there.

Showing Nashville, TN (headquarters)

Office address (1)

Address from LightWave’s website, read October 13, 2026.

Licenses

We found 1 active license record in state registries (October 13, 2026). Check the license yourself under the exact business name on your contract. A license check confirms registration, not workmanship quality.

Tennessee1 recordActive, checked Oct 13, 2026
  • License
    Contractor license
    Number
    Not published
    Registry check
    Not checked by us
    Note
    No Tennessee contractor or electrical license number appears on the pages we read (October 13, 2026). Ask for it before you sign.
  • License
    Contractor
    Number
    71602
    Registry check
    Active, Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance, Board for Licensing Contractors (Verify), checked October 13, 2026
    Note
    Registry lists LIGHTWAVE SOLAR, LLC; expires 2027-07-31. The registry record shows the alert “Has Been Disciplined.” An older license expired in 2018.

LightWave’s about page lists nine NABCEP-certified PV professionals with their certification numbers and says it is a founding member of the Amicus Solar Cooperative. These are company statements; we did not verify them.

LightWave Solar compared with three other installers

Every alternative shares only Tennessee with LightWave. Like LightWave, all three put in batteries, and Green Wave and Solar Energy Solutions also name many equipment brands. Every fact comes from the company profiles linked below.

LightWave Solar compared with three installers that serve the same states
LightWave SolarThis pageGreen Wave SolarSolar Energy SolutionsSolar Alternatives
Best forSolar with battery backup, your choice of brandsA local installer that fixes systems others leftDesign, electrical work and service done in-houseSolar and Tesla batteries on the Gulf Coast
Head officeNashville, TNMurfreesboro, TNLexington, KYNew Orleans, LA
States shared with LightWaveIts only state1: TN1: TN1: TN
RoofingNot listedNot listedNot listedYes (Tesla Solar Roof)
Ways to payBuy, home equity loanFinancingHome equity loan, loan, prepaid rental, rentBuy, financing, prepaid rental
Labor warranty5 years on starter packagesNot listedOffered, length not listed25 years with prepaid rental
Roof leak warrantyNot listedNot listedNot listedNot listed
Brands namedSilfab, Qcells, REC, SolarEdge, Enphase, Tesla, FranklinQcells, SolarEdge, Enphase, FranklinWH, GeneracTesla, Qcells, Silfab, SolarEdge, Enphase, FranklinWHEnphase, Tesla
Google score*4.7 (74 reviews)5 (41 reviews)4.8 (73 reviews)4.5 (116 reviews)

*Each Google score is for the company’s head-office listing only, read October 12 and 13, 2026.

Full profiles: Green Wave Solar · Solar Energy Solutions · Solar Alternatives

Before choosing LightWave Solar

Ask for these in writing:

  1. An itemized quote with the cash price and the financed total, including the APR and all fees.
  2. The exact panel, inverter and battery models, the system size in kW and the forecast yearly production in kWh.
  3. The warranty documents for your payment plan: panels, inverter, labor and roof penetrations.
  4. Your local service contact, and who handles utility approval and warranty claims.
  5. The exact company on the contract, such as LightWave Solar, and its license for your state.

Before you sign, read the quote line by line and bring our questions to ask a solar installer.

Ready to compare proposals?

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How we researched this profile

We read LightWave Solar’s own pages on October 13, 2026: homepage, about, history, contact, residential solar, battery storage, starter packages, residential FAQ and service resources. We did not check licenses in a state registry. On October 14, 2026 we also checked its Google Business listing, which shows the same Owen Drive address (listed as Antioch, a Nashville area) under the name LightWave Solar, LLC; its own site was behind a bot check that day, and the Tennessee business registry was too. We did not buy a system, request a quote, visit an office or interview customers. LightWave Solar did not review this page.

Our installer methodology explains what we check.

Sources (9)