Where Photon Brothers Ranks
Position among installers of home solar in each city, by installations in the most recent three years of records, and how Photon Brothers compares with the local market there.
Its strongest market is Santa Barbara, where it accounts for 2% of the home systems with a known installer.
| City | Rank | Installations | Local share | Price vs. local median | Leased (city average) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria, California | #6 | 31 | 2% | 16% higher | 0% (60%) |
| Santa Barbara, California | #10 | 36 | 2% | 27% higher | 0% (20%) |
| Paso Robles, California | #10 | 24 | 2% | — | 0% (39%) |
What Photon Brothers Installs
- Typical system size
- 6.4 kW
- Leased or on a PPA
- 0%
- Installed with a battery
- 77%
Mostly sells systems the homeowner owns, paid in cash or with a loan.
Panel brands
- Hanwha Q CELLS (21%)
- REC Group (21%)
- SEG Solar (16%)
Inverter brands
- Tesla (66%)
- SolarEdge (10%)
- Enphase Energy (9%)
Photon Brothers Prices Compared With the State
Median price per watt of systems the homeowner bought outright, before incentives.
| State | Photon Brothers | State median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| California (2023–2025) | $5.35/W | $4.25/W | 26% higher |
Home Installations per Year
Records for the most recent year can be incomplete while utilities finish reporting.
Where Photon Brothers Installs Most
| City | Installations (2023–2025) |
|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo, CA | 92 |
| Arroyo Grande, CA | 60 |
| Los Osos, CA | 40 |
| Santa Barbara, CA | 36 |
| Atascadero, CA | 34 |
| Pismo Beach, CA | 33 |
| Santa Maria, CA | 31 |
| Nipomo, CA | 27 |
| Paso Robles, CA | 24 |
| Goleta, CA | 21 |
| Morro Bay, CA | 13 |
| Templeton, CA | 12 |
| Cambria, CA | 11 |
| Grover Beach, CA | 10 |
| Lompoc, CA | 10 |
Specialist Rankings
Where Photon Brothers ranks among the companies that install the most systems with a battery or with a given inverter brand.
- Solar Battery Installers in Santa Maria, CA: #4 (25 systems)
- Solar Battery Installers in Santa Barbara, CA: #6 (35 systems)
- Solar Battery Installers in Paso Robles, CA: #7 (17 systems)
Other Top Installers in Santa Maria
The companies ranked next to Photon Brothers in Santa Maria, by home installations in 2023–2025.
| Company | Installations | Median price | Leased / PPA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunrun | 1,014 | $4.57/W | 91% |
| Bright Planet Solar | 83 | $6.74/W | 76% |
| Tesla | 83 | $4.32/W | 1% |
| AM Sun Solar | 35 | $4.90/W | 0% |
| Ilum Energy Solutions | 33 | $4.92/W | 0% |
| Complete Solar | 28 | $4.25/W | 7% |
Photon Brothers: Common Questions
Is Photon Brothers still in business?
Photon Brothers was still installing home solar in 2025, the latest year in the public records we use, and it is not on our list of installers that closed or went bankrupt. Records lag a year or two, so confirm before you sign: recent Google reviews show whether it is still answering customers.
Does Photon Brothers lease solar panels or sell them?
0% of its home systems in 2023–2025 were leased or on a power purchase agreement, and 100% were bought by the homeowner. Mostly sells systems the homeowner owns, paid in cash or with a loan.
What solar panels and inverters does Photon Brothers install?
Panels: Hanwha Q CELLS (21%), REC Group (21%) and SEG Solar (16%). Inverters: Tesla (66%), SolarEdge (10%) and Enphase Energy (9%). Shares of its home systems in 2023–2025 with a known brand.
How much does Photon Brothers charge for solar?
In California (2023–2025), homeowners who bought a system from Photon Brothers paid a median of $5.35/W before incentives — 26% higher than the state median of $4.25/W. For its typical 6.4 kW system, that is about $34,000. By city: 16% higher than the Santa Maria median; 27% higher than the Santa Barbara median.
Does Photon Brothers install solar batteries?
77% of its home systems in 2023–2025 included a battery. It ranks among the top battery installers in Santa Maria, CA, Santa Barbara, CA, Paso Robles, CA.
Where does Photon Brothers install solar?
Most of its recent work is in San Luis Obispo (92), Arroyo Grande (60), Los Osos (40), Santa Barbara (36) and Atascadero (34). It is ranked in 3 cities in California.
Before You Sign With Photon Brothers
- California license: ask for the license number and look it up on the CSLB site; solar work needs a C-46, C-10 or B license.
- Reviews and contact details: call (805) 351-3371 or see Photon Brothers on Google Maps, where recent reviews tell you more than any ranking.
- Quotes: get at least three, and compare price per watt, equipment brands and the workmanship warranty — not just the monthly payment.
Compare Photon Brothers with other installers
The Santa Maria ranking puts Photon Brothers next to the other companies that install the most there, with each one's price and leasing share.
Top solar installers in Santa Maria →Where These Numbers Come From
Source: Tracking the Sun, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (2026 edition), licensed CC BY 4.0. In New York and New Jersey, recent years come from the state programs' own records (NYSERDA and New Jersey's Clean Energy Program). Company names were standardized and closures checked against news reports by Solar Power Fix. More about our methodology.