16 solar installers ranked by CR ScoreUpdated 0 paid placements in this rankingHow we rank →
Best overall in Gardiner: Solarize NE, CR Score 85/100; 5.0★ from 51 Google reviews.
Best for emergencies (open 24/7): Bright Choice, posts 24/7 hours; ranked #3 of 16.
Most-reviewed: Freedom Forever, 235 Google reviews at 4.9★, the most of 16 ranked; ranked #5.
Rankings can't be bought. Contractors can't pay to change their rank or score. How we rank
16 Gardiner solar installers are ranked here by CR Score, from 8 published factors. 2 are open 24/7, 5 open Saturdays and 4 open Sundays, based on posted hours. The median Google rating is 5.0★ across 16 rated businesses.
| Rank | Business | CR Score | Google rating | Based in | Hours | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Solarize NE | 85 | 5.0★ (51) | Ashburnham, 26 mi away | — | Overall |
| 2 | Green Lightning Energy | 84 | 5.0★ (25) | Franklin, 22 mi away | Sat · Sun · Evenings | — |
| 3 | Bright Choice | 83 | 5.0★ (5) | Hudson, 26 mi away | 24/7 | Emergencies |
| 4 | My Local Pro | 82 | 4.9★ (67) | Charlton, 26 mi away | Sat · Evenings | — |
| 5 | Freedom Forever | 82 | 4.9★ (235) | Lewiston, 24 mi away | — | Most reviews |
| 6 | Affordable Electric | 81 | 5.0★ (18) | Auburn, 13 mi away | 24/7 | — |
| 7 | SunFlower | 81 | 5.0★ (8) | Northfield, 22 mi away | Sat · Sun · Evenings | — |
| 8 | Sheepscot Solar Savers | 80 | 5.0★ (4) | Auburn, 15 mi away | — | — |
| 9 | Maine Solar Solutions | 80 | 4.9★ (192) | Gorham, 32 mi away | — | — |
| 10 | First Light Energy | 76 | 4.9★ (29) | Brunswick, 24 mi away | — | — |
Ordered by CR Score, a 0–100 score from 8 published factors. Paid placement never changes the order.
Ranked #1 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 51 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based on 5 of 8 factors; credentials, recency and availability not yet collected.
Based in Franklin, 22 mi away
Ranked #2 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 25 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Hudson, 26 mi away
Ranked #3 because of its Google rating and availability: 5.0★ from 5 Google reviews, open 24/7.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Charlton, 26 mi away
Ranked #4 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.9★ from 67 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Lewiston, 24 mi away
Ranked #5 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.9★ from 235 Google reviews, the most Google reviews on this list (235).
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Auburn, 13 mi away
Ranked #6 because of its Google rating and availability: 5.0★ from 18 Google reviews, open 24/7.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Northfield, 22 mi away
Ranked #7 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 8 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Auburn, 15 mi away
Ranked #8 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 4 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based on 5 of 8 factors; credentials, recency and availability not yet collected.
Based in Gorham, 32 mi away
Ranked #9 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.9★ from 192 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Brunswick, 24 mi away
Ranked #10 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.9★ from 29 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Gorham, 34 mi away
Ranked #11 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.8★ from 41 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Auburn, 36 mi away
Ranked #12 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 19 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Rockingham, 26 mi away
Ranked #13 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 9 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Augusta, 10 mi away
Ranked #14 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.6★ from 36 Google reviews, 36 Google reviews.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Topsham, 22 mi away
Ranked #15 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 3.0★ from 20 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy system service”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Lewiston, 23 mi away
Ranked #16 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.1★ from 27 Google reviews, 27 Google reviews.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
20 more solar installers within 40 mi that we can't rank yet: too few reviews, or a trade we couldn't confirm. Listed A to Z.
| Business | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| 207 Solar & Heat Pumps | 5.0★ (1) | 18 mi |
| Breiter Planet Construction | 26 mi | |
| Cold Climate Home | 21 mi | |
| Futurenergy Corporation | 22 mi | |
| IRC Solar Roof Systems | 5.0★ (1) | 23 mi |
| Let's Go Sun | 22 mi | |
| Manchester Solar Installers | 22 mi | |
| Mass Energy Program | 26 mi | |
| NESolarPro | 26 mi | |
| New England Power Associates | 26 mi | |
| NH Energy Solutions | 5.0★ (1) | 22 mi |
| Reliable Renewables | 5.0★ (2) | 22 mi |
| Renewable Energy | 26 mi | |
| Senergy Solar Development | 22 mi | |
| Silveira Photovoltaic Company | 5.0★ (1) | 26 mi |
| Solar Hot Water | 29 mi | |
| Solar RECs NH | 26 mi | |
| SolNe | 26 mi | |
| sunshine farmer | 22 mi | |
| The Solar Community | 24 mi |
Typical prices in USD, adjusted for Maine with a published regional index. Each row names its basis and month.
| Job | Low | Typical | High | Basis | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar panel installation | $28,990 | $32,790 | $35,670 | Per system: about 12 kW at about $2.60 per watt, before incentives. US national range × 1.05 New England factor (2025 Cost vs. Value Report) | October 2026 |
We scored 16 Gardiner solar installers on 8 factors, weighted as shown. A business is ranked when its trade is confirmed and it has 3 or more Google reviews or a claimed profile. Unknown factors are left out of the score, not counted as zero. Scores last refreshed October 22, 2026.
Paid placement never changes a rank or score. Featured businesses are paid, labelled, limited to 3 and shown above the ranking, outside it.
| Factor | Weight | Computed from | In Gardiner data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reputation | 35% | Bayesian-adjusted Google star rating | Measured |
| Credentials | 15% | Active state license 0.6, bond 0.2, workers’ comp 0.2 | Not yet collected |
| Review volume | 10% | log10(reviews + 1) against the list maximum | Measured |
| Recency | 10% | Share of reviews from the last 12 months | Not yet collected |
| Availability | 10% | Weekly open hours, Saturday, Sunday, 24/7 or same-day | Measured |
| Trade focus | 10% | Google main category 1.0, business name 0.7, additional category 0.5 | Measured |
| Proximity | 5% | 1.0 when based in the city, falling to 0 at the trade’s radius | Measured |
| Completeness | 5% | Website, photos, description, hours, claimed profile (0.2 each) | Measured |