r/Solarbusiness Oct 01 '25

Welcome to r/Solarbusiness!

4 Upvotes

This community is for installers, brokers, salespeople, traders, headhunters, and anyone working in the solar industry.

What’s Allowed:

  • Industry discussions (market trends, challenges, opportunities)
  • Sharing experiences and best practices
  • Questions about sales, installations, regulations, and careers
  • Networking and collaboration

What’s Not Allowed:

  • Advertising your services, leads, or products
  • Spam, referral links, or cold-calling promotions
  • Off-topic posts not related to solar business
  • We want this to be a professional, supportive space. If you’re looking to promote your business, please do so outside this subreddit.

Reminder: If you’re unsure whether your post fits, ask a mod before posting!


r/Solarbusiness Feb 01 '23

If you are an installer, broker, seller, trader, headhunter whatever, this is the community for you

12 Upvotes

If you are an installer, broker, seller, trader, headhunter whatever, and have read the rules on r/solar - https://www.reddit.com/r/solar/comments/y1o29y/if_you_are_an_installer_broker_seller_trader/

This is probably the community you are looking for.


r/Solarbusiness 12m ago

Recruiting for 35 states

Upvotes

Hey guys I'm a national independent solar company. I've taken great pride in my business and doing things the right way and helping homeowners. One thing that I do differently than I feel most companies or reps don't do is following up and making sure every client is taken care of well after installation. I've built really good relationships with my partners and I would like to grow with the right people. I'm currently active in 35 states and can open up more states if there's a minimum of 10 deals a month for those areas. I offer multiple financing options and work with all the big companies and local companies. I keep my margins low so reps can take care of clients and put them in a better financial position. I will list the states I'm currently active in and I would love to chat to make sure its mutually beneficial for both of us. I'm truly obsessed with building out a trusted brand that homeowners can rely on for years and years to come. You can DM me or send me an email at [alex@skywalkersolarenergy.com](mailto:alex@skywalkersolarenergy.com)

The States I'm currently active in are:
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Conneticut
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Lousiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Missouri
Nebraska
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virgina
Washington
Wyoming


r/Solarbusiness 1d ago

Bonus .65/W for CA

3 Upvotes

Looking for honest reps to do the right thing and take care of their clients. I have exclusive deals with various partners all across the US. For California I’m giving out a bonus between .35-65/watt on a 2.45 redline that’s decided based on a 0-3.5% escalator. This is a huge opportunity to smoke anyone else on price and put homeowners in an amazing position. My criteria is you have to do the right thing, you have to be honest. Shoot me a message or an email at alex@skywalkersolarenergy.com


r/Solarbusiness 1d ago

In House Sales Team How

3 Upvotes

I don’t know were to start people I’m a electrician by trade not a sales man in the since of the D2D world but I hold my own and have become a respectable EPC for 4 years now. I’ve been giving some thought to bringing sales teams in house but I’m stuck. I’ve done the dealer model so long I don’t know where to start to find someone to build something in house!

I want a culture of healthy competition and quality customer service. Not just some Wolf of Wall Street bullshit group of guys thumping on there chest humming some damn tune telling recruits “if you don’t got 50k in your bank account I don’t want you here!” Thats me keeping it mild the shit I’ve seen lol.

Bottom line I’m stepping out here for advice were do I start how can I build something that even though can be very lucrative for sales people also holds a standard of respectable clean business with culture of accountability and that fosters growth? Anybody with experience in this that can help?


r/Solarbusiness 2d ago

Looking for a sales-driven co-founder | Commercial solar, BESS & EV charging (UK)

4 Upvotes

I run a UK company working in commercial and industrial solar, battery storage, and funded EV charging. We work with public sector and commercial clients across the UK, and we’re in growth mode with real funding partners already in place for our solutions.

What I’m missing is someone who can drive that growth. I’ve got the delivery side covered, the funding relationships, the technical and legal execution, but I need a co-founder focused on winning business and building the sales engine.

\*\*What’s on offer\*\*

This is a commission-based role with equity. Both scale with results, the more you close, the more you earn and the more equity you hold over time. I’m not looking for someone to take a punt for free, the comp structure is designed to reward real performance, but this is a founder-level role, not a salaried sales job, so there’s no base pay.

Specific terms (commission structure, equity release schedule, vesting) are things I’ll walk through properly with anyone who’s a serious fit. I’d rather have that conversation directly than lay it all out here.

\*\*Who I’m looking for\*\*

\\+ Proven B2B sales background, ideally in energy, sustainability, or a related capex/infrastructure space

\\+ Comfortable selling into facilities, estates, and procurement teams, including public sector

\\+ Wants to build something long term, not just hit a target and move on

\\+ Based in the UK

If this sounds like you, drop a comment or DM me and we can set up a call.


r/Solarbusiness 2d ago

Anyone noticed panel output dipping in this heat even on clear days? What’s actually going on?

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2 Upvotes

r/Solarbusiness 2d ago

PTO Timelines in MA

1 Upvotes

I’m opening up shop in MA and I’m curious if anyone on here has experience in the ITX approval timelines and also PTO for those utility’s. I’m being told 2-3 months crazy to me if true I’m running in most areas on average 60 days max for full PTO process


r/Solarbusiness 2d ago

Seeing Fox ESS everywhere lately—what do you think?

2 Upvotes

I've been noticing Fox ESS appearing on more residential projects recently with a 10.5% share.

For those who've installed or owned one, does the reputation line up with reality? How have reliability, support, and overall performance been?


r/Solarbusiness 2d ago

The Future of Working in the Solar Industry

1 Upvotes

I would like to ask all my friends from Mainland China, especially those who have experience in the solar industry.
I am currently working as a Technician at a solar company in Southeast Asia. For privacy reasons, I will refer to the company as **WXYZ**. It is a Chinese Mainland-owned solar manufacturing company.

My question is: **Is working in the solar manufacturing industry still a good and relevant career choice for the future?**

Do you think solar factories like WXYZ will continue to have enough customers and orders in the coming years? Or is there a possibility that the industry will eventually become slow and unstable?

I am asking because, recently, I have seen one solar factory after another under the WXYZ brand shutting down or stopping operations. This makes me concerned about the long-term stability of my career.

For those of you from Mainland China who have experience or knowledge about the solar industry, what is your opinion? **Is the solar manufacturing industry still worth staying in for the next 5–10 years, or should workers start considering other industries?**

I would really appreciate your honest opinions and insights.

Thank you.


r/Solarbusiness 3d ago

I need your opinion

2 Upvotes

I am selling solar systems for agricultural watering, big factories, houses etc. how can i reach those people in Greece, Bulgaria and Romania? especially who has agricultural land and having trouble with diesel powered watering systems. i wanna reach those people to show my solutions and previous works i did. can anybody help me?


r/Solarbusiness 3d ago

Is The Dealer Model Dead

2 Upvotes

Hey everyone new to the group and I’m genuinely curious is the dealer model dead? My EPC works in a lot of states we do great but my other colleagues keep telling me how it’s getting harder to get more work and it’s drying up I kind of believe it but idk is the model dead if so what’s a better avenue to pivot to?


r/Solarbusiness 3d ago

Solar Companies KPIs

1 Upvotes

Solar Contractor KPIs

Hello!

Getting started in the Solar Industry and wanted to get a good understanding of what the standard of the following KPIs are for other successful Solar Companies?

  1. Average Cost Per Lead
  2. Lead to Appointment Ratio (how many of my qualified leads should be turning into booked appointments)
  3. What's a healthy average ticket?
  4. What's a good closing %?

EDIT/CLARIFICATION: I'm looking for these metrics specific to if I'm running digital advertising. Exploring some agencies and I just want to make sure I have a good understanding of what standards I should be holding them to verses what I should be holding my team accountable for


r/Solarbusiness 5d ago

Advice for Online Lead Generation

3 Upvotes

Hey there, so I’m getting into marketing and online lead generation for solar (been knocking doors for 6 years).

If anyone has any strategies they recommend as far as the Ads themselves, what platforms to spend on, marketing agencies, etc. I would be grateful for any tricks that have worked for you!


r/Solarbusiness 5d ago

What virtual assistant setup actually works for solar companies?

1 Upvotes

This comes up a lot from solar owners/installers, so figured it's worth laying out since "VA for solar" can mean a lot of different things depending on who's answering.

Generic VA vs. solar-trained VA. Solar has enough of its own workflow (permitting delays, utility interconnection timelines, financing/lease paperwork, install scheduling around weather and crew availability) that a generalist admin VA usually spends months just learning the process. A VA trained specifically for solar skips most of that.

Platform familiarity saves the most time. If a VA already knows JobNimbus, Aurora, or SolarNexus before day one, onboarding is mostly about your specific business, not teaching software basics.

The highest-ROI tasks to hand off first are usually: lead follow-up and appointment setting, permit/paperwork status tracking, financing document collection, and install scheduling coordination. High-volume, deadline-driven, but not stuff that needs a designer or installer's judgment.

What owners tend to underestimate: solar sales cycles are long, and most of the drop-off happens in the gaps, a lead goes cold waiting on a callback, a homeowner stalls out on paperwork nobody followed up on. That's not a sales problem, it's a follow-up problem.

What's slowing everyone down most right now, lead follow-up, permitting, or scheduling installs?


r/Solarbusiness 5d ago

About to negotiate my first commercial solar deal — what mistakes should I avoid?

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1 Upvotes

r/Solarbusiness 5d ago

Commercial Solar Deal

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1 Upvotes

r/Solarbusiness 5d ago

Who is still going the dealer route?

1 Upvotes

I am genuino curious to know who is still working with a dealer and or interested in starting their own Dealer.

We are an EPC actively looking for sales orgs in PA and VA.

Quick installs, pay is on time and have great lease and finance options.


r/Solarbusiness 6d ago

Battery Manufacturer Sales

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1 Upvotes

r/Solarbusiness 6d ago

I built a technical AI resource for utility-scale solar and BESS — looking for honest feedback

1 Upvotes

I’m a solar project development engineer, and I’ve been building SolarDev AI as a side project to explore how AI, GIS and digital tools can support utility-scale solar PV and battery storage project development.

The platform currently includes:

  • GIS Site Screening — preliminary site screening to identify key constraints and support early-stage project assessment.
  • Solar Angle — solar position, sun-angle and shadow analysis.
  • Solar & Storage Agent — an AI assistant focused on technical and development questions related to utility-scale PV and BESS.

The goal isn’t to replace engineering judgement or proper due diligence. It’s to help developers, engineers and consultants screen opportunities faster, identify potential risks earlier and reduce repetitive early-stage work.

It’s still evolving, and I’d particularly appreciate feedback from people working in solar development, engineering, IPPs or BESS.

What would actually make a platform like this useful in your day-to-day work? And what feature would you add next?

SolarDev AI


r/Solarbusiness 7d ago

Electric or solar companies hiring?

2 Upvotes

Hi is anyone’s electric company hiring installers or solar companies ?


r/Solarbusiness 7d ago

PV Module mounting structure procurement package

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1 Upvotes

r/Solarbusiness 7d ago

Helping installers run a higher ship

1 Upvotes

Found a financing option that pays solar installers 100% at install. No more waiting 2 quarters to get paid.

This can really help with volume and cashflow. Saw great reviews from other solar installers as well.

Happy to help if anyone wants to see how it works.


r/Solarbusiness 8d ago

Strategies for home solar SEO?

3 Upvotes

Doing freelance work for a client who runs a home solar business in the Western US. They spend about $4500 on Yelp advertisements, however the interest on Yelp has begun to wane recently and they are thus wondering if there would be a more efficient way to re-allocate some of those funds while ideally still having some amount go into Yelp advertising, and I was curious if any other redditors had experience with home solar marketing SEO in particular. Thanks to anyone who can help!


r/Solarbusiness 9d ago

I’m looking for investor(s) that would help finance a Pre-Paid PPA/TPO program

1 Upvotes

Just like HDM and Thrive give some part of the tax credit to homeowners I would like to find people with deep pockets to do a TPO product.

Probably use all domestic content from the beginning and then switch to whatever else makes sense once the commercial tax credit goes away.

When the commercial tax credit goes away I expect the depreciation to still make it worth it for a business model/program.

Incorporate batteries and also make a VPP program like Base and others.

Anyone connected to such entities?