Celestial Solar Innovations

62 Panel / Complex Installation Went Great

Hi, We used Celestial Solar Innovations for a complex 62 panel / 2 inverter installation. The installation process from planning/permitting/installation went great.

A wonderful experience

Working with Celestial Solar has been a wonderful experience. Jim is super knowledgeable and responsive. We had zero issues throughout the entire experience, and, that's rare. We are very pleased with our system and the output!

Celestial Solar Innovations did great work

Celestial Solar actually does what they say will do. Jim the owner, personally explained all our options, the process, the products available, the expected results etc. He is knowledgeable, prompt, friendly and thorough, and he remains available to happily answer questions before, during and after the install. His team of installers was also excellent. Their work was neat and efficient and they were a happy crew and pleasant to have around. And our system works great. Also, the company's office staff does all the heavy lifting to ensure customers get their rebates without having to do much paperwork themselves.

Excellent All Around

We had a fantastic experience with Jim and Celestial Solar. He explained every step of the process and answered all of our questions promptly. In his estimates, he did not over promise as to the financial benefits, which some other companies did, and I appreciated that. We now have 31 panels on the roof of our house which are covering all of our energy needs. He uses the best quality panels and systems. The walk-throughs, installation, and documentation were all done timely and professionally. Since installation, he has followed up to make sure our system is working and see if we had any questions. All in all, we are extremely happy with our choice to go with Celestial.

Extremely pleased with the solar power system

Jim Reilly of Celestial Solar Innovations in Frederick, MD recently installed a solar energy system for our home. I was impressed by all phases of the project – from his clear and thorough explanations, to his willingness to modify the proposed design to meet our needs, to his responsiveness, to the efficiency and effectiveness of the electricians and installers who worked at our home, through the final product, which, as promised, is providing the vast majority of our current electrical needs. I greatly appreciate everything that Jim and his team did to transition us to solar energy, and I recommend Celestial Solar Innovations unequivocally.

From start to finish our experience was great!

Jim not only took the time to educate us on the differences of our options he never pressured us into a choice. He made sure we had all the facts then gave us time to digest everything. We highly recommended Celestial Solar Innovations and thank Jim for always making himself available.

Excellent small installer with good product range and prices

Celestial Solar has been a wonderful company to work with. Last year we solicited several strong bids, but the owner, Jim, came out on top with both the gear and pricing. Several options were proposed and Jim spent time explaining details and differences until I was ready to settle on one. We went with the sleek black, efficient Panasonics arranged neatly on the front roof. Jim later offered to upgrade us to the newer Enphase microinverters at no additional charge. Once Pepco finished giving us the run-around for several weeks, we scheduled the installation and got the job done very quickly. The appearance of the install is well hidden, feeding cables through the roof and along soffits where we can't hide them. They set us up with online monitoring and SREC accounts to keep tabs on activity and credits. Great overall experience with good products options at a fair price. I can definitely recommend them to friends and family.

The installation crew were superb as was the planning process.

A friend of mine recommended Celestial Solar and I am glad he did. We also looked at plenty of reviews like this one, which reflected my experience with this excellent company.

Very pleased with Celestial Solar and the system they installed.

They provided the us an excellent system at a very reasonable price. They handled all the paperwork to get approvals for the system and later to get it inspected. The installers did a great job and got it all done in one day. They also got us signed up for SREC. I highly recommend Celestial Solar for anyone interested in a solar energy system.

Excellent quality work

Celestial Solar Innovations certainly lived up to their name in our experience during summer and fall 2019 as they provided excellent service in installation of a 12 kW, 36-panel ground mount solar system on our property. Their work met all our expectations including operation by the first of December 2019. We found this solar installer and its president, Jim Reilly, excellent and very easy to work with. We had an especially difficult situation for solar panel ground-mount power with an historic home in the trees in Montgomery County. Roof mounting of solar panels was not permitted by Park and Planning for our property. Furthermore the BGE electrical meter at our home is separated by some 500 ft. from the back field of our property, the only possible location for a solar array. We were faced with a very expensive solar power buried cable installation for electrical power delivery. The key innovation Celestial Solar Innovations provided was a line-tap of the solar power delivery cable into our carport thus making the whole project possible and affordable by shortening the 4/0 cable run and preventing excavation across numerous buried utility lines between the array and our meter. Throughout the planning, permitting, construction, and initial operations of our new array, Jim, his crew, and his subcontractors gave us accurate and effective advice and prompt and excellent quality work. We highly recommend their services.

Top notch across the board

We highly recommend Celestial Solar for anyone considering moving to solar energy. From a technical, business, and overall interaction perspective, we were delighted from beginning to end with the honest transparency, quality work and responsiveness of Jim and his entire team. After checking with several suppliers and receiving phone or internet responses and quotes, Jim immediately stood out in wanting to come and meet with us after gathering some preliminary information. Unlike many contractors, Jim spoke to both of us (not just the husband). He was very knowledgeable and, more importantly, able to move from technical details to layman’s language as we needed it. We felt an instant sense of trust, and were not disappointed throughout the project. Whether something was in writing or was verbal, Jim and his team delivered on all of their commitments. With our ground-mounted solar panels, we looked to save some money by doing the trenching ourselves and Jim was very accommodating of this throughout the project. Jim’s entire team were respectful of our home and property. As they went through the project, they were approachable and friendly as we tried to understand each step of the construction. You can tell when people take pride in their work, and Jim’s entire team embodies such pride. We looked forward to each day as the project evolved and came to fruition. Going into this, we had worries and questions about the paperwork side of things: permits, inspections, dealing with the utility company, etc. But, Jim and his team handle all of this and made this painless for us. Also, as we completed the project, Jim’s office manager Becky was fantastic in getting us through the operational business side of things. She really did all of the leg work in getting us set up to apply for the Maryland State energy grant, the on-line monitoring of the solar panel performance, and the Solar Renewal Energy Certificate process. Finally, now that the process is completed and we are up and running, Jim continues to be responsive to any odd-ball questions we have. Unlike other providers we considered, we know that he and his organization are available to us. You should not go solar until you at least have a conversation with Celestial Solar. We highly recommend them.

Great experience with Celestial

Jim and the Celestial team were fantastic to work with throughout the entire process. At the first consultation meeting, Jim came prepared with lots of information and recommendations specific to our home. Jim’s approach to sales is very conversational and low pressure. We were immediately comfortable with the company’s expertise and professionalism. After our decision to go with Celestial for our solar system, the excellent service continued through the installation process. Celestial handled all of the permitting and communication with PEPCO and the county. Once it was time for installation, the crew was very punctual, professional, and communicated well. They completed the work per the expected timelines and cleaned up all of the construction waste/debris afterwards. When the county inspector wanted a minor change in the system installation, they fixed it the next day. After installation, when Jim discovered an issue with one of the solar panels during his routine monitoring, he brought it to our attention and scheduled the Celestial crew to come back and fix the issue within a week. Once our system was ‘live’, Jim also walked us through the process of filing for the state grant and the solar energy credits. Our system has been live for a few months and even in winter, our solar system electricity generation has more than offset our electricity usage. We highly recommend the Celestial team for excellent customer service, and high quality equipment and work.

Excellent

We used EnergySage to find an installer and Jim Reilly's estimate stood out for it's professionalism right from the start. Jim visited us on-site several times, provided us with several configuration options and thoroughly answered all of our questions, and then made tweaks to the options based on our preferences. Jim was very patient and never gave us the high-pressure sales treatment like some companies do. Once the ball was rolling, everything happened on schedule and like clockwork. Five months later, everything is still humming along. I love seeing that meter count backwards on sunny days.

Solar installation

When we decided to install solar panels on our roof and started interviewing installers, it quickly became apparent that Jim and Celestial Solar would become our first choice. We appreciated the breadth of his knowledge on the subject, willingness to answer all of our questions, and no pressure salesmanship. We first spoke with him back in February of 2019, had the panels installed in early summer and have been producing electricity ever since. Jim's crew were professional, friendly, flexible, and very easy to work with. The office was great to work with during permitting and the rebate process and always followed up as needed. Jim was extremely responsive throughout the process and his attention to customer service really helped convince us we made the right choice. Through no fault of Celestial Solar, we had a few complications during the process, so I can say without hesitation, that this company really stood behind their work and went the extra mile to assure our satisfaction with the finished job. I would not hesitate to recommend Celestial Solar to friends or neighbors. If you're considering solar installation, you really owe it to yourself to put Celestial on your list of contractors to interview.

Great solar panel system company

Celestial Solar is a great business to get your solar panel system setup with no hassle and a transparent process. We interviewed and received quotes from 5 companies, most of which were more interested in selling us what they wanted to sell rather than what we were requesting. Celestial Solar made sure to not only get us the product we wanted at a reasonable price, but they did a great job of estimating our needs and the time frame for each step while communicating throughout the entire process. Their customer service and sales teams are very friendly and not pushy at all and allowed us the time to review proposals and make our decision. They were very transparent when it came to pricing and how they determine cost benefits. I had done a lot of calculations prior to our search for a company to purchase and install our system and it was very refreshing to see their numbers were very similar to mine. At this point we have had the system turned on for about 7 months, generating 12.31 MWh out of the 17.2 MWh that we aimed to generate in per year saving , us $1850 so far. We have not had to pay an electric bill since the first full month of our system being operational, which Celestial Solar made sure to help us meet our timeline of going live before the summer for maximum output on our first year. Excellent company and I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a high quality system with easy to work with people.

The best

Celestial was highly rated on Angie’s List, and by Internet searches. Jim Reilly was fantastic - professional, diligent, and explained everything clearly. Jim had to figure out a way to put the panels on our roof, and he did so with an efficient and aesthetically appealing configuration. Plus his crew worked hard and expertly.

1st rate service, installation & performance

We researched several companies for installation of a solar panel system at our new home. Jim Reilly at Celestial Solar Innovations is extremely knowledgeable and designed a comprehensive system using Panasonic HIT 340 Watt Solar panels that went operational in Aug 2019. Jim directly coordinated with our builder for the installation. Jim continues to stay in contact to ensure system performance and our satisfaction To date (in the last 3 months) we have produced enough energy to cover monthly usage plus "banking" extra KWH. Additionally, Jim provided information to ensure we received the appropriate MD refund and can submit for federal tax credits.

Jim and his team of installers delivered on everything.

Jim and his team of installers delivered on everything they said they would, and we couldn’t be happier with the output of the system. Getting a zero bill in July, instead of the usual $260+, when your AC is at 68 degrees is better than I had anticipated. We had been thinking about going solar for about 5 years, but wanted to wait until we replaced our roof. We looked at two other larger companies, but decided to go with Jim because his price was competitive, his reviews were amazing, and we liked the idea that Jim could tell us everyone that was going to be involved in ever facet of our project. As appose to the larger companies that just said that qualified professionals were going to take care of us. Jim and his team took care of everything, all we had to do was sign up for a Pepco account to electronically sign documents on the interconnect, sign a form from MD to get $1,000 check from them, sign up to trade our SREC credits, and or course write some checks to Celestial. Jim and Becky did all the rest. It was truly effortless on our part. As far as the system is concerned, our Panasonic HIT 325 panels have actually outperformed Jim’s estimates. Not by a lot, but it is certainly better than underperforming. We had to upgrade our electric panel to meet code, which entailed some drywall work, and everything looks just like it did before. This is my first online review I have ever done, but I think Celestial definitely earned our business and I would recommend them to anyone.

Terrific design and implementation

My wife and I started thinking about solar early in 2019 after receiving a mailer from a solar energy vendor. We talked to 5 vendors about adding solar panels to our house and did a lot of internet research - we learned a lot. Our initial thought was to lease solar panels but were quickly convinced that a purchase was a far superior investment. We quickly shortlisted 2 of the vendors and visited several reference installations of both. Our decision to go with Celestial Solar was based on our comfort with Jim Reilly (the owner), the breadth of his experience, his responsiveness, the flexibility and creativity he demonstrated in designing our implementation, his very happy reference installations, and the high quality solar panels offered in his proposal. The installation took 2 days and went very smoothly. The installation crew was very professional and they clearly knew what they were doing. No mess was left behind. The result is a very visually appealing implementation with creative incorporation of the dormers of our house to maximize the efficiency of the design. The all black LG panels look great. We have received many compliments on how nicely they blend in with the roof. The only issue we have had was with Pepco. The initial netmeter they installed was defective and did not register the production we put back on the grid. After several phone calls and email exchanges, the issue was resolved and a credit issued for missed production. The result is we have a credit balance and have not had to make a payment to Pepco for 4 months. Increased value of the house, very significant electric power savings, and the feeling we are making a small but positive contribution to reducing the global carbon footprint - what is there not to like. We are very delighted with the experience we have had with Celestial Solar and the results we have gotten from this investment.

Personalized and High Quality Service

Jim and his team were superb throughout the entire process. This was our first time to "go solar" and Jim has walked us through the process step by step. We also have a VERY steep roof and the team installed it in the middle of the summer on a couple very hot days. They were cautious, took their time to be safe, and did a great job. We've now had the panels for 3+ months and are exceeding the estimated output. Our Pepco bills have plummeted. For personalized, high quality service I recommend Celestial Solar.

Exceptional service and product at a great price

It has been a great experience working with Celestial Solar Innovations. Jim has been very professional and addressed all of my concerns regarding the look of the panels, the solar panel roof layout, visibility of conduit and the ability to monitor my solar system. The Celestial Solar also installed the consumption monitoring feature, which allows me to monitor my home’s electrical energy consumption. Since my initial install, I’ve had zero issues and 100% uptime.

Superior service during design, installation, and follow-up

It’s been 4 months since Celestial Solar Innovations installed our solar panels and we are very happy with the result. I highly recommend Jim and his crew. If you are trying to choose a solar panel installer, you should look no further. See below for details. We chose to work with Celestial after reading all the 5-star reviews, which highlighted Jim Reilly’s personal and exceptional service. When I reached out, Jim (Celestial’s owner) promptly responded and we talked on the phone soon thereafter. Jim answered all my questions and politely suggested a follow-up discussion at our home so that all questions and concerns could be surfaced. In all our interactions, Jim was not in the least bit pushy. In fact, Jim is a delightful person. He was patient, respectful, and considerate of our time. He obviously takes great pride in providing superior service and ensuring his customers are 100% satisfied. On our first call and during all our meetings, Jim provided detailed and thoughtful answers to our questions. I was impressed with his depth of knowledge not just about the technical specifications, but also about the Maryland grant ($1,000) and federal tax credit (30% through 2019). During that first meeting, Jim was able to show us that with 18-21 panels we would likely be able to generate about 6,000 KWh (enough to offset our consumption). He also explained the pros and cons of the solar panel options (aesthetic considerations, power generation potential, efficiency, durability, etc.). Finally, because we asked, Jim walked us through the installation process starting with permitting and ending with PEPCO giving the green light to switch on the system. Having read reviews of other companies in which customers expressed frustration with how long the last step (turning the ‘on’ switch) could take, Jim took care to explain that he has had 100% success meeting the timeline he outlined. He did not mislead or disappoint. Our first meeting with Jim was in early December. His crew had the panels and inverter installed in March, and because of his careful oversight PEPCO approved the whole project before end of March. This timeline could have been faster but we needed to replace our roof first. Jim connected us with a fantastic roofing company (PJ’s), which gave us a competitive quote and completed the job in late February. During this period, Jim’s crew was busy obtaining all the necessary permits and approvals. In the end, we elected to go with 18 panels (Panasonic). We are still obsessed with them. They look great and so far they’ve generated nearly 3 MWh. Because Maryland allows net metering, our total bill for the past 3 months has been $5. Once the panels were ‘on’, Jim followed up to ensure that we were satisfied. He also helped us apply for the Maryland grant. We received the grant check about 2 weeks ago. Jim is a man of his word and I am happy to offer him my recommendation and sincere thanks for gold star service.

Exceptional Design and Delivery, Professional with great price

Jim was amazing---informative, professional, and knowledgeable. We had bids from several solar providers and none of them came close to the personal attention we got from Jim. And Celestial Solar Innovations was clearly the best. He worked with us to get the size and look of the panels. He helped us with timing since our new house build had several delays. He helped answer my questions throughout the process. He helped ensure that the Tesla battery installation would work seamlessly. Working with him was a dream. He also made sure that we got a great deal on the panels so that we bought them before a price increase. His installation crew was also really good----the panels and equipment were installed efficiently and neatly---and they also answered many questions, making sure I understood how it worked. Prior to installation, our bill was $150 just to run the HVAC and some electrical outlets since the house is under construction. For the past 4 months, our bill has been $8 a month. In addition, Becky was very helpful in following up on making sure I understood about applying for Tax Credits. I would highly recommend him and Celestial Solar Innovations to anyone considering Solar. You will get a great deal and great service.

Celestial Solar Review

Celestial Solar Innovations installed our solar system the end of March 2019. The entire project went smoothly without any surprises. Celestial was the third company to come out to our home and we also received 5 other quotes. Pricing was in the middle of the seven quotes received. I would recommend Celestial as they are the type of contractor one hopes to deal with.

World class service from start to finish.

Extremely knowledgeable, built an amazing custom setup at a great price. Installation was fast and easy. Highly recommend.