8MSolar vs NC Solar Now: Which NC Solar Installer Is Right for You?

Choosing a solar installer in North Carolina is one of the bigger decisions you will make as a homeowner. The panels going on your roof today will be there for 25 to 40 years, and the company you hire will be your partner for every service call, warranty claim, and system upgrade during that entire period. Get it right, and solar pays for itself many times over. Get it wrong, and you could be dealing with an underperforming system and a company that is hard to reach.

Two names often come up for North Carolina homeowners: 8MSolar and NC Solar Now. Both have been in the state for years, both serve residential and commercial customers, and both claim to prioritize your energy independence. But there are differences between them that matter when you are making a decision of this size.

This article breaks down both companies side by side so you can choose with confidence.

Key Points

• 8MSolar is the #1 residential solar installer in NC for both 2024 and 2025, and the #1 commercial and government solar installer in the state.
• 8MSolar holds a licensed Chapter 87 Engineering Firm designation, the only local solar installer in North Carolina with this license. Every project plan carries the stamp of an in-house licensed professional engineer.
• 8MSolar offers a Lifetime Workmanship and Roof Penetrations Warranty, a 5-year annual production guarantee, and a free 1-year post-installation performance report.
• Both companies are NABCEP certified and Tesla Powerwall certified installers based in Raleigh, NC.
• 8MSolar is fully licensed in NC, VA, and SC; NC Solar Now operates in North Carolina only.
• 8MSolar is hardware agnostic, giving customers real choice across multiple premium panel, inverter, and battery brands.
• 8MSolar won the NCSEA Sustainable Business of the Year award in 2024 and the EnergySage Local Installer of the Year in NC award for both 2024 and 2025.

Which Company Is Better for North Carolina Homeowners?

The direct answer: 8MSolar is the stronger choice for most North Carolina homeowners, and the gap is large.

8MSolar installed more residential solar projects in the state than any other company, earning the #1 residential installer designation in 2024 and 2025. It is also the top commercial and government solar installer in NC, with clients that include RDU Airport, the City of Raleigh, the City of Durham, the Town of Apex, Caterpillar, Honda of NC, and bioMerieux, among many others across the Research Triangle. That level of commercial experience benefits residential customers, because the engineering rigor and quality control that major government contracts demand don’t disappear when the same team installs your home system.

NC Solar Now is a legitimate, certified company with genuine roots in the North Carolina market since 2009. Their educational approach and community involvement are real strengths. But when you compare the two companies across credentials, warranty coverage, engineering expertise, product selection, and track record, 8MSolar is operating at a different level.

Company Backgrounds

8MSolar

8MSolar is headquartered in Raleigh, NC, with additional offices in Cary, Wake Forest, and Wilmington, NC, as well as Rock Hill, SC, and Virginia Beach, VA. The company is locally owned and operated, with all employees and installation teams based in the Carolinas and Virginia. Owners, certified solar designers, and engineers are directly involved in every project installed.

What distinguishes 8MSolar from virtually every other local installer is its Chapter 87 Engineering Firm license, which makes it the only local solar installer in North Carolina to hold this designation. It means every solar plan your system requires carries the review and stamped approval of an 8MSolar licensed professional engineer (PE). That is not a marketing claim. It is a legal and professional standard that carries real engineering accountability on every project.

8MSolar’s external recognition reinforces this commitment to quality. The company was named NCSEA Sustainable Business of the Year in 2024 and won the EnergySage Local Installer of the Year in NC award for both 2024 and 2025. With over 500 Google reviews and a 5-star rating, the customer satisfaction data backs up the accolades. As a Tesla Premier Certified Installer, 8MSolar customers have access to the full Tesla Powerwall ecosystem and the Duke Energy PowerPair incentive program while it remains available.

NC Solar Now

NC Solar Now was founded in 2009 and operates exclusively within North Carolina from its Raleigh office. The company is locally owned, NABCEP certified, BBB accredited, and holds a Tesla Powerwall certification. Their service menu has expanded beyond solar to include roofing, EV charging stations, Generac generator installation, and critter guard.

NC Solar Now’s identity centers on education and accessibility. They invest in free homeowner resources, virtual consultations, and a one-on-one sales process designed to help people new to solar understand their options before committing. Their community affiliations include the NC Sustainable Energy Association, the NC Clean Energy Technology Center, the Eno River Association, and One Million Lights, to which they donate solar lights for every system installed.

Warranties: Where 8MSolar Pulls Far Ahead

Warranties are one of the most important factors in any solar decision, and this is where the difference between these two companies becomes most visible.

8MSolar Warranty Package

Most solar companies offer a 10-year workmanship warranty. 8MSolar’s is lifetime. Every roof penetration made during installation is covered for the life of the system, not just a decade. That alone should get your attention, but the full package goes further:

• Lifetime Workmanship and Roof Penetrations Warranty
• 5-year annual production guarantee. If your system doesn’t produce the energy it was designed to produce in the first five years, 8MSolar stands behind it.
• Free 1-year post-installation performance report. 8MSolar’s internal service team reviews your system’s annual production at the one-year mark, verifies everything is working properly, and sends you a written production analysis at no cost.
• 90%+ output guarantee at 25 to 30 years on panels
• 30-year panel power output warranty from manufacturers
• 25-year mounting system warranty
• 10 to 15-year battery warranties

NC Solar Now Warranty Package

NC Solar Now offers standard manufacturer warranties, which usually include 25 years on panel power output and 10 years on workmanship. The company does not publicly advertise a lifetime workmanship warranty, a production guarantee, or a complimentary annual performance review comparable to 8MSolar’s offering.

For homeowners who want the most comprehensive long-term protection available, 8MSolar’s warranty package has no peer in this market.

Service Area

8MSolar serves North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina. For homeowners who live near state lines, own investment or vacation properties in multiple states, or operate businesses across the Southeast, having one trusted engineering-grade installer with established utility relationships in all three states is a real advantage.

NC Solar Now serves North Carolina only. Their Raleigh base and in-state relationships are genuine strengths for NC homeowners, but if your needs ever extend beyond the state, you start over with someone new.

Panel Selection and Hardware

8MSolar is hardware agnostic. The company is not tied to any single manufacturer, which means the recommendation you receive is based on what is genuinely best for your roof, your energy usage, and your budget, not on a preferred vendor agreement. Their current equipment offerings include:

• Qcells (QTron series, 420 to 440W, U.S.-manufactured, 25-year product and output warranty guaranteeing 90.58% power at year 25)
• REC Solar Panels (REC Pure RX, 460W, guaranteeing 92% of year-one output at year 25; 8MSolar holds REC ProTrust Installer status)
• Enphase (microinverters and battery systems with industry-leading monitoring and reliability)
• Tesla Powerwall (battery storage, with 8MSolar as a Premier Certified Installer)
• Franklin aPower2 (battery storage alternative for homeowners wanting options beyond Tesla)

That final point deserves emphasis. Most solar installers are certified for one battery brand and push it on every customer. 8MSolar offers genuine choice between Tesla Powerwall and Franklin aPower2 storage systems. That means you get the solution that fits your situation rather than the one that fits your installer’s preferred vendor relationship.

NC Solar Now works primarily with REC panels and SolarEdge inverters. These are quality products, and REC is one of the best panel manufacturers in the world. But a narrower hardware menu means less flexibility to optimize your system for your home and goals.

The Chapter 87 Engineering Difference

This credential deserves its own section because it is rare and genuinely important.

A Chapter 87 Engineering Firm license is issued by the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors. Holding this license means 8MSolar’s project plans are reviewed and stamped by a licensed professional engineer on staff. 8MSolar is the only local solar installer in North Carolina with this designation.

In practice, this means your system design is an engineering document, not just a sales proposal. The roof load analysis, electrical design, interconnection plan, and mounting specifications are all reviewed by a PE who carries professional and legal accountability for the work. That leads to fewer permit delays because the plans are prepared to a higher standard. It leads to better long-term system performance because design decisions are made with engineering precision. And it provides stronger long-term protection because a PE-stamped document carries more legal weight than a standard contractor proposal if anything ever needs to be disputed.

NC Solar Now employs NABCEP certified technicians, which is a meaningful credential and the standard for solar professional certification. But NABCEP certification for an individual technician is not the same as having a licensed professional engineer on staff whose stamp appears on your project plans.

Post-Installation Support

8MSolar maintains an in-house service team that handles equipment warranty replacements, remote monitoring, diagnostics, and response to service requests after installation. The company offers industry-leading response times and remote monitoring capabilities as part of its standard service model.

The free annual performance report is a particularly strong differentiator. Most solar companies consider the job done once your system is turned on. 8MSolar’s service team proactively checks in on your system at the one-year mark, reviews the production data, verifies components are functioning properly, and delivers a written analysis to you at no charge. For homeowners who are not monitoring their app daily, that review catches problems before they become expensive.

NC Solar Now also emphasizes ongoing customer support and transparency about tax credits and rebate programs after installation. Customer testimonials reflect genuine post-sale responsiveness. But their post-installation support is not as formally structured as 8MSolar’s dedicated service team and annual review program.

Honesty and Transparency

Both companies emphasize transparency with customers, and both appear to follow through based on publicly available reviews. The structural differences are worth noting, though.

8MSolar’s guaranteed best price commitment, no hidden fees model, and PE-stamped project plans create a documented paper trail of what your system is designed to do and what you agreed to pay. Multiple customer reviews specifically mention that the quoted price matched the final price exactly, with no surprises. The company also offers a veterans discount.

NC Solar Now’s educational approach and detailed pre-sale consultations help customers understand what they are buying before they sign. Their testimonials reflect genuine openness about tax credits, rebate programs, and what to expect after installation.

For homeowners who want the highest level of technical transparency, including engineering documentation, production guarantees, and a formal one-year review, 8MSolar’s process provides a higher standard of accountability than any other local installer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes 8MSolar the #1 installer in North Carolina? 8MSolar installed more residential solar projects in North Carolina than any other company in both 2024 and 2025. The company is also the top commercial and government solar installer in the state, with clients that include RDU Airport, the City of Raleigh, Caterpillar, and Honda of NC. External organizations including EnergySage and the NCSEA have recognized 8MSolar’s quality with top installer and sustainable business awards.

What is the Chapter 87 Engineering Firm license and why does it matter? A Chapter 87 license is issued by the NC Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors and requires a licensed professional engineer (PE) to review and stamp project plans. 8MSolar is the only local solar installer in North Carolina with this designation. It means your system is designed to an engineering standard, not just a sales proposal, with a credentialed professional carrying accountability for the work.

Does 8MSolar serve Virginia and South Carolina? Yes. 8MSolar is fully licensed and operates in North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina. NC Solar Now serves North Carolina only.

What does 8MSolar’s Lifetime Warranty actually cover? The Lifetime Workmanship and Roof Penetrations Warranty covers the quality of the installation work and every roof penetration made during the process for the life of the system. Most competitors offer 10-year workmanship warranties. 8MSolar’s is lifetime.

What is the free 1-year performance report? One year after installation, 8MSolar’s internal service team proactively reviews your system’s production data, verifies all components are working properly, and sends you a written production analysis at no charge. This is not standard in the industry and reflects 8MSolar’s commitment to long-term customer support rather than just completing the sale.

Can I choose between different battery brands with 8MSolar? Yes. 8MSolar installs both Tesla Powerwall and Franklin aPower2 battery systems. Most installers push a single brand because that is what they are certified for. 8MSolar’s hardware-agnostic model gives you real options based on your energy needs and budget.

Does 8MSolar offer a production guarantee? Yes. 8MSolar backs the first five years of system performance with an annual production guarantee. If your system does not produce the energy it was designed to produce, 8MSolar stands behind it. NC Solar Now does not publicly advertise an equivalent guarantee.

How do I get started with 8MSolar? The easiest first step is to schedule a free virtual consultation at 8msolar.com or call (919) 948-6474. 8MSolar’s team will evaluate your home, walk you through hardware options, and provide a detailed system design with engineering-grade accuracy and a guaranteed price.

Take the Next Step Toward Energy Independence

NC Solar Now is a solid North Carolina solar company with real community roots and a commitment to customer education. They are not a bad choice.

But 8MSolar is the best choice. The #1 residential and commercial installer in NC. The only local installer in the state with a Chapter 87 PE Engineering Firm license. A lifetime workmanship warranty. A 5-year production guarantee. A free annual performance review. Two consecutive EnergySage Installer of the Year awards. Government clients including RDU Airport and the City of Raleigh. Real hardware choice across multiple premium panels and two battery systems. Honesty and transparency at every step of the way.

If you are ready to stop paying rising electricity rates and start generating your own clean energy, 8MSolar is where that journey begins. Contact 8MSolar today for a free consultation.