Celestial Solar Innovations

Great company!

Jim and his team installed solar panels for us, and everything went smoothly. The team was friendly and professional, and the panels are working as advertised. I was very happy with the service.

Celestial Solar Innovations a great company

After talking with a number of solar panel installers, we decided to go with Celestial Solar Innovations, a local Frederick County family owned company. We are extremely happy with our choice. Jim Reilly, the owner, is knowledgeable, experienced and helpful. He was very communicative about what was involved and carefully guided us through the whole process including getting the solar rebate. His crew was efficient and professional. The project was completed in September. Since then our solar gain has covered our electrical needs plus additional gain adding credit to our bill.

Exceptional “turn-key” experience

We appreciated the very thorough presentation of information, projected costs and savings. Decision to use Celestial Solar was obvious. Installation went as planned, signups for MD and SRECs went smoothly and we are now experiencing savings and great satisfaction with our decision to go Solar.

Holds up under pressure

Celestial Solar Innovation helped me through the entire process while I had my brother questioning the process as a fellow solar engineer and energy engineering teacher. Not only were we looking out for MY best financial interest, but also my brother asked questions about the process and scrutinized every detail, and Celestial continued to provide excellent, well-thought out service!

Experienced in non-traditional situations (like farms)

I have a farm property where the solar panels were installed on a barn, a bit of a distance from the house. Jim and team were great at evaluating and implementing the needed electric and data connections. Other solar installers didn't have the needed skill to work outside of a cookie cutter situation. Jim and his team did.

Professional and Knowledgeable

Jim is terrific to work with and made the entire process easy. He and his team went out of their way to make sure I understood all aspects of the installation and use of solar panels as well as the opportunities to save money. His installation team met with me multiple times to plan the installation and explain what would happen. They spent extra time going over with me what they were doing during each step in the process and provided me with a detailed understanding of how the system works. After the system was installed and in operation, Jim followed up with my several times to make sure I had everything I needed to apply for state and federal solar credits and participate in the SREC market. I highly recommend Celestial Solar Innovations.

Awesome Experience - From Start to PTO!

Jim and his team were great. Professionals all the way through the whole process. I did a lot of upfront research on solar and the various installers, having many quotes generated for our house. Jim was not only the most responsive, but also very fairly priced compared to others. He approached it not as a salesman, but as a discussion of investment. Once we decided to go with Jim and his team, he worked diligently with us to make sure our design maximized our roof area, met our energy goals, and looked aesthetically pleasing. His team handled all of the paperwork and permitting required for the process. Installation took 4 days from beginning to end. You know they are taking their time and doing quality work during that installation, and were courteous to our needs as homeowners in terms of coordinating the interior work. You also know you have a good team working with you when Jim refers to everyone on the installation team by their name. If you went with Tesla or someone else, they subcontract out the installation, and you wouldn’t get that same personal connection and quality between design team and installer. You also have the best warranty out there with Jim and his team being certified Panasonic Installers (All Guard Warranty - 25 yrs on modules and labor). Our system was up and running 3 weeks from beginning of installation. We’re very happy customers and can’t wait to see the production numbers in the future and our investment pay itself off!

Honest, reliable, great solar production, and neat installation.

If you're considering going solar, Celestial Solar Innovations is a solid company. We compared three vendors and Jim's offer was the best value. He's also a down-to-earth guy that doesn't try to pull the wool over your eyes. The installation went smoothly, the cost was as advertised, the solar production is more than we expected, our electrical bills are smaller than we expected, the Montgomery County $1,000 subsidy came through without issue, and we've already sold three SRECs. The panels look great and we're quite pleased.

Jim was professional and communicated clearly through the whole process of putting solar panels on our home. I'd looked at a few different installers and I am really glad we went with Celestial Solar Innovations.

Outstanding Experience with Celestial Solar Innovations

We recently completed a major remodel of our 1950's home with the last step being the design and installation of a solar panel array. We contacted several providers and, based in part on the recommendation of a neighbor, decided to work with Jim Reilly and Celestial. We couldn't be happier with the entire experience. Jim discussed our objectives with us and developed a preliminary design. We have a multi-story roof and had specific ideas on where to place panels for aesthetics. Jim and his engineering team worked with us to maximize our production while staying true to our design objectives. Installation was completed right on schedule and the system has been in production for several months. Our generation has met or exceeded the design specs to date. Jim also helped us to apply for the MD state Clean Energy Rebate, which has already been approved. He also provided the necessary information for setting up our SREC trading account and we have already received our first reimbursement. Our entire experience with Jim and Celestial Solar Innovations has been wonderful and I highly recommend you consider them if you are contemplating the addition of solar to your home or business.

I highly recommend Celestial Solar Innovations. I first learned about them on "Nextdoor". Jim Reilly, the owner, is a really nice guy who is easy to work with. My system has been running flawlessly since being installed 2 months ago. The only problem I'm having is with the utility company, who doesn't appear to be recording my usage data since installing the net meter. However, the app for my panels shows electricity production and net import/export power to the grid. At least I have a way to monitor it, while the utility company get's its act together.

Awesome Experience with Celestial Solar Innovations

I met with 4 solar companies for pricing. Celestial Solar won my business hands down. I knew from the minute I met Jim that he was the one. As a senior citizen, I felt very comfortable with him. It is clear he knows the solar business. Others I met with were quite scary and clearly had no idea how to set up solar on my property. I found Jim to be very honest. In fact, we talked about additional panels but after the site visit Jim didn’t think the return on investment for the additional panels was worth the added cost. The installation crew was awesome. Extremely respectful of both my property and me and they greeted me with smiles and encouraged questions each time I came out of the house to check on them. They were very well organized, great teamwork and knew their stuff. It’s been about a month since go-live and everything is working according to plan. I love that they do the paperwork, and the app which is part of the deal, is easy to use and tells you a lot about how your system is working. Great, great experience and I have nothing but awesome things to say about Celestial Solar. Jim is honest and all about customer service. I know I picked the right guy!

Excellent process and result

Prior positive reviews of Celestial Solar Innovations are, in our opinion, absolutely accurate and correct. To add on our experience: We purchased our house as a new build in part to specifically have a roof-top solar system installed. After 1 and a half years, we knew our average electricity usage so could have a system designed and installed to cover the needs, as well as do due diligence in preparation. We spoke with several local solar installers to outright purchase the system. To be fair, we felt that the companies we spoke with were all helpful, not high pressure and willing to listen and educate. Jim and Celestial Solar Innovations were set apart for being completely honest, absolutely accommodating, and full service. As evidence of honesty, we considered a battery storage system but as stated on the Celestial Solare Innovations website and in person, they do not yet find the technology supportive of the current costs. We agreed. Such may be added later. Jim listened carefully to our thoughts and needs, giving an estimate for the panels we wanted (REC Alpha 370W), along with the Enphase microinverters to offset our estimated electricity use. For esthetic reasons, we added two panels to make a rectangular rooftop display. Of the three bids we received, Celestial Solar Innovation was the highest by a relatively small margin even though the same materials were used. When questioned, Jim simply stated that he pays the good installers good money, a philosophy we support for local businesses in general. In fact, that statement was borne out in that the entire team was prompt, courteous, and professional. Installation went without issues, even with a difficult interior placement of electrical conduits, and the system works perfectly. Also, as promised, Celestial Solar Innovations handled all the necessary paperwork and bureaucracy including providing information for our HOA, county permits, interactions with Potomac Edison-FirstEnergy, the Maryland renewable energy grant, and setting up the Enphase monitoring process and SRECTrade account. Everything went smoothly, with Jim and Celestial Solar Innovations always available to answer questions. Our bottom line, since installation at the end of 2021, out electric bills have been less than $10/month, and we have already sold 2 SREC for $110. We are exceptionally pleased with the process and results and recommend Celestial Solar Innovations with the highest possible enthusiasm.

This is the first time we write a public/private review. We decided to do this because our experience with Celestial Solar Innovation and Jim was just exceptional. From the first meeting with Jim, in our house, he explained everything, checked the roof and made sure everything is clear. After that, we had no second thought and decided to go with him. Jim and his team took care of everything, and he was available to meet and answer questions whenever needed. The professional team was really exceptional. Once the permit arrived, they completed the job in three days! And we have a tough roof (synthetic slate). They started Monday morning. Thursday morning the inspector came. Thursday afternoon the system was on. We cannot imagine a better, more professional, more polite, and a better team. Our experience was wonderful. Naturally, with this level of praise, we recommend Celestial Solar for anyone who is planning on going Solar.

Great Customer Service

Everything went perfectly. The cost was very reasonable, and final billing was exactly the amount in the original contract. The installation team stayed on schedule, were careful to minimize were and tear on the lawn, and cleaned up thoroughly when finished. No leaks were created in the roof. The Reilly's managed all the permits and other paperwork with minimal need for my input. Net metering was installed about 2 weeks after the county inspection, which seems reasonable. The online monitoring of the system is working and is very nice to have. Power production so far seems reasonable for the season and location (middle of winter in mid-Atlantic).

Jim and his team were extremely easy to work with; the process unfolded exactly as he described. We considered several different options before working with Jim. Alternative installers clearly cut costs through subcontracting labor to the lowest bidder, buying lower quality panels at scale, and using older technology. No other company had the transparency and level of customer service Jim provided.

Thank You Celestial Solar Innovations!

We were referred to Celestial Solar Innovations through a friend. Jim took the time to answer all of our questions in a prompt and friendly manner. We are extremely happy with our solar panels and will recommend Jim and his team to anyone who asks! Anytime I had a question, Jim responded right away to help with anything we needed. Jim took time to talk us through the process, explaining the different types of solar panels and costs. 5 STARS!!!

Should have done this long ago!

I cannot say enough good things about Jim and his crew at Celestial Solar. This type of project can be daunting to say the least. Jim took the time to answer all my many questions and (unlike others) was never pushy. My only complaint is that I should have done this years ago! My first month’s figures show that I produced almost the same as I consumed… and this was in the dead of winter! I cannot wait until the long summer days. Going “green” while making some “green”. What else could one ask for?

We are VERY HAPPY CUSTOMERS. Working with Jim and his entire Celestial Solar team was an incredibly positive experience. We can be really challenging customers to work with - endless calls and emails, requests for multiple quotes in different configurations, technical questions about how things work and why one technology is better than another - but Jim was unbelievably patient and accommodating, answering all of our questions, guiding us step by step through the entire process. In several cases, Jim offered suggestions that saved us money and improved our system. His team of installers were consummate professionals who did an impeccable job on our installation. And after the sale, after the installation was essentially complete, Jim still continued to be incredibly helpful and patient. He diligently followed up to make sure that we were getting all of the various credits, grants, and incentives that we were available to us, making certain that we got the best overall value from our system.

Aesthetics are as important as efficiency in a solar design

Working with Jim Reilly (Owner) at Celestial Solar Innovations was a great experience. I designed my pole barn specifically to add solar panels to my property. I wanted it to work well and look great unlike so many projects that I’ve seen that look a spaceship crashed on the roof or a set of middle school bleachers in someone’s yard. Aesthetics are important when you are making an addition to your property that will be seen by others. Jim was very patient with me through the design process as I learned about the various components and made numerous design updates to maximize the efficiency of the system while considering the various cost implications for the entire project. Jim’s crew of installers were also very pleasant to work with and always took the time necessary to answer my questions and work with me to achieve an installation that looks as great as it works! The picture I posted only shows the panels on the front of the building. There are more on the other side for a total of 60. Celestial Solar also installed a subpanel and code compliant outlets and switches and lights with this project. Celestial Solar is a one stop shop for design, installation, and service. They take care of all the permits, work with the utility company, and set you up for the revenue you will receive in the years to come. The return on this investment will pay for the solar panels and the entire barn project. I could not have hoped for a better outcome, and I highly recommend working with Celestial Solar.

Most professional company . Well designed, low pressure sales.

I met with 4 different companies before deciding on Celestial Solar Innovations. All the others were hard core salespeople that only cared about getting me to sign and take their financing options. My property is large. 4 acres and electric is our only utility so the bills are quite high. Jim from Celestial took a lot of time to design the perfect system for my needs and he also explained the pro’s and con’s of the finance companies those other guys use. Jim, as the owner of the company, once I signed the paperwork is when he really went to work for me. They handled all the permits with the county which included working around my septic system and the structural integrity of my roof. All the paperwork from A-Z with Pepco was done perfectly. We needed a 410 foot trench dug from our barn back to the main house electric box and they used top notch guys that put everything back like it was before they started trenching. The original design was a little too large for Pepco to handle so Jim quickly retooled his original design to bring the number of panels down but figured out how to still keep me around 95+% of my electric needs per month. I am super pleased with these guys and I would recommend them to anyone looking for solar. If you have anything beyond a simple cookie cutter design, you need to call Celestial (I am sure they can do the cookie cutter too). Once again, the guys on Jim’s team which included electrician’s, installers, landscapers and more were all top-notch professionals!

Celestial Solar - Best and Most Honest PV Installer in Maryland

I did a fair amount of research on PV installers in the area and went through a handful of quotes before finding Celestial Solar, and I'm glad I did. Jim provided an extremely honest sales pitch - he understands current PV and battery technology (and its limits), local laws/regulations and construction. Jim also provided the most competitive bid and warranty out of all the companies I quoted. From quote to install to "going live", the whole process was extremely smooth. Thank you Celestial Solar!

From initial contact right through to installation and beyond Jim and his staff were professional and great to work with. Took time to explain and answer any questions. Couldn't have been happier with the way it went and delighted with how the system is performing. And probably, most important of all, Celestial's price was the best.

All around great experience

This was a great experience from initial research through installation and follow-ups to ensure our overall happiness with the system. Jim provided a nice walkthrough of the systems, how they operate, how the rebates and financing work and was responsive to our questions. Installation went smoothly and the crew was very professional. Overall we are very happy with the entire process and look forward to years of service from the system.

Delivers on all points

We could not be more pleased with any company doing any work than we were with Celestial Solar. Over the planning stages of our install Jim was incredibly patient, clearly heard our concerns, thought outside of the box, and then moved heaven and lots of earth to make this complicated installation work well and look good. All employees were pleasant, helpful, available, and the utmost in professional demeanor. Communication was outstanding. We needed a new roof and Jim put us in contact with PJ’s roofing, who also did a fantastic job. All paperwork was filed with the state and county in a timely manner. I cannot think of any detail that they could have done better. Celestial Solar did what they said they were going to do, for the price they said they would do it, in the time they said they would. What more can you ask for? Actually, a lot. Excellent communication, professional employees, and subcontractors that uphold the same high standards. Celestial Solar delivers on every point.