The residential solar market has changed, which means residential solar business models need to change too. Over the next few episodes of Power Forward! we’ll discuss some actionable strategies for restructuring your approach so that your solar installation business can be more resilient in the years ahead. To kick things off we’re zooming in on the concept of “repowering,” and how you can turn that into a profit center, with Travis Walker, our Director of Business Development at BayWa r.e, and Corey Garrison, CEO of SouthFace Solar & Electric in Arizona.

0:52 – What services should be offered by solar installer’s “service department”

3:32 – How to start pursuing solar repowering jobs

5:54 – How to sort a list of past customers for repowering potential

8:08 – The value of customer service agreements

9:01 – The economics of solar repowering: What’s my margin?

13:39 – Working with new (unhappy) customers with stranded systems

15:33 – Challenges or downsides to repowering jobs?

18:13 – Three ways to approach repowering as a line of business

22:16 – Hardware considerations when repowering.

BayWa r.e. https://us.baywa-re.com/en/ SouthFace Solar & Electric https://southfacesolar.com/ Subscribe to Solar Builder: https://subscribe.solarbuildermag.com/subscribe

A quality solar installation starts with respecting your customer’s roof. Today on the Pitch, Rick Gentry and Ben Hedrick from QuickBOLT discuss common issues on the roof and advancements in solar mounting designs over the years. Then, they explain QuickBOLT's latest roof protection product: QuickPATCH.

0:21 - Overview of common problems seen on the roof 1:06 - How rooftop solar mounting has evolved 3:01 - Avoiding (and dealing with) missed pilot holes 4:26 - Explanation of butyl as a sealant 5:29 - QuickPATCH installation demo 7:33 - Why QuickPATCH over the flash card and sealant? 10:17 - Direct-to-deck mounting trend 11:31 - Where to order QuickPATCH

QuickBOLT: https://quickbolt.com/

Subscribe to Solar Builder (free): https://solarbuildermag.com/subscribe/

Solar Builder's 2024 Project of the Year, Under 100 kW, is the Adventure Science Center in Nashville, Tennessee. The center partnered with Everybody Solar to install a 72.32 kW rooftop solar array. In addition to reducing the museum's electricity bills by approximately $10,956 annually, the project also provides hands-on education and community impact.

• Developer: Everybody Solar, ReNew Solar Solutions
• EPC/Installer: ReNew Solar Solutions
• Modules: SunPower
• Inverters: CPS

Full story: https://projects.solarbuildermag.com/adventure-science-center-2024-project-of-the-year-under-100kw/

All Project of the Year Winners: https://projects.solarbuildermag.com/

Subscribe to Solar Builder: https://solarbuildermag.com/subscribe/

Generac is now selling its next generation home energy storage system, the PWRcell 2 Series. On The Pitch, Beto Fonts, product manager at Generac, explains what's new with PWRcell 2, key features of the installation, the differences between the PWRcell 2 and PWRcell 2 MAX, and how they fit in the broader Generac home energy ecosystem.

0:27 - Comparing PWRcell 2 Series with PWRcell 1

1:54 - Step by step PWRcell 2 installation

3:00 - Introducing the Smart Disconnect Switch (SDS)

5:13 - PWRcell 2 MAX explained

6:31 - PWRcell 2 Series vs. competitive systems

7:26 - How the ecobee smart thermostat integration works

9:42 - Integrating a standby generator

Learn more about installing Generac in this webinar: https://goto.webcasts.com/starthere.j...

Jeff Spies, president of Planet Plan Sets, is increasingly concerned that the solar and storage industry is facing the biggest safety challenge of its 50-year history. Solar Builder published the article The Lithium Battery MESS in our Q3 2024 magazine, explaining why. This episode of The Buzz is digs deeper into differentiating safe and legal home batteries, and how decisions by California regulators have helped set the market conditions giving rise to this Lithium Battery MESS.

0:10 - Overview of the lithium battery MESS in California

2:15 - How safe are UL 9540 listed batteries?

4:56 – Influx of unlisted batteries & deceptive marketing

9:08 – The Catch-22 of California battery policy and permitting

13:25 – LFP vs. NMC. Is one better than the other?

17:46 – Did the CPUC create this MESS?

19:36 – What are regulators doing to ensure safe battery installations?

21:30 – Can you blame California homeowners for buying unpermitted batteries?

25:39 – Legal cheap batteries vs. illegal cheap batteries

30:39 – Advice for solar installers navigating all of this

35:03 – How to ensure you’re installing a safe and legal energy storage system

Subscribe to Solar Builder: https://solarbuildermag.com/subscribe/

Contact Jeff: https://www.planetplansets.com/

OneEthos is the fintech affiliate of Climate First Bank, which bills itself as the world’s first FDIC-insured digital community bank founded to combat the climate crisis. On the Pitch, Chris Cucci, EVP at Climate First Bank and OneEthos, discusses how they set their solar loan business apart for installers and homeowners with 30 year fixed rate, no dealer fees, and 100% financing for resi and C&I loans.

OneEthos: https://www.oneethos.com

Climate First Bank: https://www.climatefirstbank.com

Solar Builder: https://solarbuildermag.com/subscribe/

0:41 - How does Climate First Bank operate?

1:58 - Solar loan outlook

2:47 - Advantages of OneEthos solar financing for homeowners

3:43 - Advantages for installers (no dealer fees, steady demand)

4:58 - What will they finance? What won't they finance?

5:35 - Solar installer approval process explained 5:58 - Products on AVL?

7:20 - How they can lower payments for low-income customers

9:50 - Climate First emissions reduction & B Corp goals

Solar Builder Editor-in-Chief Chris Crowell gets a crash course in third-party ownership (TPO) solar programs from BayWa r.e. Finance Program Manager Joshua Tinaglia.

Questions asked:

0:35 - Why should I consider offering solar systems via leases – aka third-party ownership?

1:48 - Questions to ask of my business before offering TPO?

4:06 - Fundamental differences in leases vs loans, as a business model?

5:49 - Is there more work on the front end?

7:08 - How do I evaluate TPO providers? Fine print to watch for?

11:01 - How does TPO change my cashflow?

12:58 - How does a lease deal change my O&M strategy?

14:24 - What if a TPO customer wants to add a battery?

16:47 - Examples of how financing can sink or save a business?

Links

Learn more about BayWa r.e.'s financing options

Subscribe to Solar Builder (it's free!): 

Relive this New Product Showcase session, live from the Hub stage at Intersolar & Energy Storage North America in San Diego! Solar Builder Editor-in-Chief Chris Crowell interviews three entrants in the New Product Showcase: 

- Dave Dong, Director Vertical Growth NAM, nVent, 

- Stephanie Choi Brookes, CMO, Emtel Energy USA 

- Cody Sellers, Business Development-Enterprise Solutions, GME Supply

nVent showcased the ERIFLEX FleXbus, an innovative solution for connecting large electrical installations, such as transformers, switchboards, and generators. This unique concept is an attractive alternative for connections up to 25 meters, and up to 50% quicker to install than busduct or wireway.  The highly flexible nVent ERIFLEX FleXbus utilizes single conductors per phase, eliminating the need for multiple cables and cable trays, consuming significantly less space. With no bending radius requirement and adaptability to various layouts, nVent ERIFLEX FleXbus streamlines installation in tight areas and enables connections to be made above ground that would otherwise require trenching. https://www.nvent.com/en-us/

Emtel Energy USA is pioneering electrostatic supercapacitor-based energy storage solutions that deliver high efficiency, long-duration performance, and enhanced safety—without relying on lithium. Their proprietary technology ensures stable energy retention and controlled release, making it an ideal alternative for a range of applications from a residential product that can hang on the wall inside (no thermal runaway risk) to utility-scale containers. https://emtelenergyusa.com/

GME Supply introduced their new Enterprise Solutions Platform, a private company website that allows your team to easily order Workwear, fall protection, safety footwear and PPE and more; plus an administrative dashboard that puts your company in control. https://www.gmesupply.com/

Domestic content is one of the most important topics in the solar industry, but what do solar contractors need to know about it right now? We go in-depth on the topic with David Dunlap, VP of product strategy at BayWa r.e.

0:48 - Has the Trump Administration changed the domestic content outlook? 3:02 - Available U.S. solar manufacturing (modules, inverters, racking, batteries) 7:12 - Overview of changes to Safe Harbor Tables 9:38 - Is there value in sourcing a module with domestic wafers? 13:23 - MLPE vs. string cost percentage comparison 17:26 - How long can I use the May 2024 Safe Harbor Table? 19:24 - Changes to Energy Storage domestic content rules 22:29 - Does the DC percentage step up 5% each year for the ITC or no? 25:16 - What is the residential demand for domestic content solar products? 27:58 - Demand for domestic content in commercial solar? 29:06 - Is it just better to not pursue the domestic content tax credit?

BayWa r.e. https://us.baywa-re.com/en/

Subscribe to Solar Builder: https://solarbuildermag.com/subscribe/

Time is money, but so are the errors that result from working too fast. Today on The Pitch we’re chatting with Kamal Shah, CEO of SiteCapture, about how solar contractors can leverage technology to achieve efficient field operations without sacrificing quality.

Start your free trial of SiteCapture here: https://sitecapture.com/solar/?utm_campaign=5460234-Solar%20Builder%20Product%20of%20the%20Week%20-%20Jan%2025&utm_source=Solar%20Builder%20Magazine

Subscribe to Solar Builder: https://solarbuildermag.com/subscribe/

0:25 - Overview of SiteCapture

1:20 - How solar companies use the SiteCapture platform

3:50 - How can solar operations be "inefficient" in the field?

4:57 - Improving site photo documentation and review

6:40 - Solving TPO finance process headaches

8:48 - Quantifying efficiency improvements

9:43 - Three other handy features of SiteCapture

12:10 - How is SiteCapture using Artificial Intelligence?

We close out 2024 and look ahead to solar business in 2025 the way we always do with David Dunlap, VP of product strategy with BayWa r.e.

0:37 - Look back at key solar storylines from 2024

4:43 - Lasting takeaways from bankruptcies and financing shift?

7:17 - Expectations for residential solar market in 2025

16:31 - Product oversupply still an issue in 2025?

19:30 - How can/will the Trump administration change the IRA or ITC?

22:49 - Other tangible impacts on DG solar due to a change in administration?

24:07 - Final thoughts for solar installers in 2025

BayWa r.e. https://solar-distribution-us.baywa-re.com/

Subscribe to Solar Builder: https://solarbuildermag.com/subscribe/

This is an Audio Article from the Q4 2024 issue of Solar Builder Magazine. Editor-in-Chief Chris Crowell reads "Domestic Influence: Calculating the Unintended Consequences of the Domestic Content Tax Credit Adder in Small-Scale Solar."

0:01 - How Trump could influence this even more

0:58 - Explanation of the domestic content adder calculation

3:44 - Lopsided MLPE vs String calculations

7:21 - Overview of U.S. inverter & racking manufacturing

9:56 - Impact on residential solar / TPO financing

Read the Q4 issue of Solar Builder: https://digital.solarbuildermag.com/q4-2024/page-1

The Q4 Digital Magazine is sponsored by Generac: https://www.generac.com/dealers-installers/generac-installer-programs/pwrcell-installer/#form 

Subscribe to Solar Builder magazine (it's free!): https://solarbuildermag.com/subscribe/

Solar Builder's 2024 Project of the Year 101 kW to 1 MW is the Camino Real Mobile Estates in Lathrop, Calif.

Property owner Sansome Skyline Development tapped developer and EPC Solar Gain to install a 419 kW ground-mount solar system for the Camino Real Mobile Estates in Lathrop, California. Mobile homes don’t have enough rooftop space to make the economics of solar work, so the only feasible option was using a narrow but steep retention basin located next to the park.

Developer/EPC: Solar Gain Installer: Solar Gain, Terrasmart Modules: ZNShine Inverters: CPS Mounting/Racking: Terrasmart

Full story: https://projects.solarbuildermag.com/camino-real-mobile-estates-2024-project-of-the-year-101kw-to-1mw/

All Projects of the Year: https://projects.solarbuildermag.com/

Subscribe: https://solarbuildermag.com/subscribe/

Solar Builder's 2024 Project of the Year Over 10 MW is the Escalante Solar Project in Prewitt, N.M.

Escalante Solar was built by Gridworks across 1,714 acres on the site of the former 253 MW coal-fired Escalante Station in Prewitt, New Mexico, which was retired in 2020, as Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association continues to pursue its landmark Responsible Energy Plan.

Developer: Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Origis Energy

EPC/Installer: Gridworks Inc., Sacramento Drilling

Modules: Boviet

Inverters: Sungrow

Mounting/Racking: Array Technologies, Unimacts

Full story: https://projects.solarbuildermag.com/escalante-solar-2024-project-of-the-year-over-10mw/

All Projects of the Year: https://projects.solarbuildermag.com/

Subscribe: https://solarbuildermag.com/subscribe/

Developer: Cincinnati Zoo

EPC/Installer: Melink, Terrasmart

Modules: VSUN

Inverters: CPS

Mounting/Racking: Terrasmart

Solar Builder's 2024 Project of the Year 1 MW to 10 MW is the the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.

The zoo completed a 2.8 MW solar parking canopy in August 2024. This was the zoo's third solar system, having installed its first solar system in 2006 with a ground-mount system and then its second in 2011 with a solar carport. Overall, the zoo now has about 4.5 MW of solar capacity on its property.

Full story: https://projects.solarbuildermag.com/cincinnati-zoo-solar-carport-2024-project-of-the-year-1mw-to-10mw/

All Project of the Year Winners: https://projects.solarbuildermag.com/

Subscribe: https://solarbuildermag.com/subscribe/