With 2026 proving to be a milestone year for many in the United States, Solar Power World is proud to present the 15th anniversary release of the solar
The year 2026 has marked an important milestone for many across the United States, and Solar Power World has announced the 15th annual edition of what is widely regarded as the solar industry's leading ranking of solar and energy storage installation businesses. The 2026 Top Solar Contractors List has been published online, highlighting the highest-performing contractors serving every segment of the solar market across all U.S. states as well as multiple American territories.
After the United States exceeded 6 million individual solar installations and solar power consistently remained the largest source of newly installed electricity generation, the industry has firmly established itself as a mature part of the nation's energy sector. That maturity is evident in the 2026 Top Solar Contractors List, where more than 72% of the companies included have accumulated at least a decade of solar experience, while 58% report more than 15 years working in solar, energy storage and broader energy construction.
“Despite policy and supply hurdles, the U.S. solar market shows no signs of slowing down,” said Billy Ludt, managing editor of Solar Power World. “Well-run companies are those that can adapt to a changing industry, and we believe the 2026 Top Solar Contractors List features the strongest names in solar development, construction and installation.”
Although the five leading states for installations in 2026 remained unchanged from the previous year—California, Illinois, Texas, New York and Pennsylvania—the accompanying Top Solar Contractors issue of Solar Power World's magazine also highlighted several lesser-recognized states that posted notable gains in installation activity. Maryland, Ohio and Wisconsin stood out as especially active markets for companies on the Top Solar Contractors List in both the utility-scale and residential segments.
Contractors focused on smaller-scale projects outperformed broader industry expectations by expanding their representation on the Top Solar Contractors List, with a greater number of listed companies performing residential work than in any previous year. The number of businesses categorized under the “installer” service designation increased by 10% compared with last year, reflecting the larger volume of non-utility market installations completed by the 2026 Top Solar Contractors class.
Recognized as the industry's premier annual ranking of U.S. solar contractors, the Top Solar Contractors List organizes participating companies according to their primary service—including developer, electrical subcontractor, EPC, installation subcontractor, installer and sales partner—as well as by market segment, including commercial, community solar, residential and utility. Rankings are based on each company's installed capacity during 2025, measured in kWDC.
The 2026 Top Solar Contractors List can be viewed online.
Readers can also explore the magazine's Top Solar Contractor feature stories.
A dedicated Top Solar Contractors special report is available for download, featuring infographics along with a PDF version of the primary ranking.
Contractor rankings are also organized by market category.
These market-specific rankings include Top Utility-Scale Contractors.
They also include Top Commercial-Scale Contractors.
Additional rankings feature Top Residential-Scale Contractors.
The market-based listings also include Top Community Solar Contractors.
Separate rankings are available according to service category.
These service-specific rankings include Top Solar Developers.
The service lists also feature Top Solar EPCs.
Top Electrical Subcontractors are included as well.
The rankings further identify Top Installation Subcontractors.
They also recognize Top Solar Installers.
Top Sales Partners are also listed.
In addition, the rankings include Top Solar + Storage Installers.
Individual contractor rankings are also available for every one of the 50 states along with two districts or territories.
These state-by-state rankings are presented under the 2026 Top Solar Contractors by State listing.
Companies included in the 2026 Top Solar Contractors class maintain headquarters in every U.S. state except Mississippi.
Members of the Top Solar Contractors List completed solar projects in every state, as well as in Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.
Among contractors participating in the community solar market, 89% reported that ground-mounted systems make up the majority of their work. By comparison, 98% of companies on the 2025 list primarily completed ground-mount installations, indicating that rooftop community solar developments are becoming increasingly common.
Looking at company roles, 51% of Top Solar Contractors primarily identify as non-utility-scale installers, while 27% classify themselves as EPCs. Developers account for 9% of the list, subcontractors represent 12%, and the remaining 1% focus exclusively on sales activities.
According to a survey distributed to all listed companies, half of residential contractors in 2026 mainly install direct-ownership systems. Another 21% primarily provide third-party ownership (TPO) options, while 29% reported completing projects using both financing approaches in roughly equal proportions.
Survey participants also identified the conflict in Iran as the single most significant news event affecting their businesses, ranking it ahead of utility rate increases, tariffs and changes related to OBBBA.
Additional details about the annual Top Solar Contractors List are available in the publication's FAQs.
Originally reported by Solar Power World on Jul 21, 2026.
