The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is releasing two new industry standards for public comment to promote consumer protection in the U.S. solar and storage industry.
The new standards are meant to ensure transparent, ethical solar sales practices and to raise the bar for safety and durability of rooftop solar and storage installations, SEIA said.
Standard 401 will outline training requirements for solar salespeople, in an effort to establish ethical sales practices and ensure solar customers have a thorough understanding of their investment before committing, including disclosure of costs, key contract terms, and technology information.
The second standard, Standard 201, aims to enhance the safety and quality of residential solar and storage installations, helping to minimize risks to homes and businesses and enhance grid reliability.
“These groundbreaking standards reflect the solar and storage industry’s commitment to ensuring every customer has a great experience going solar,” said SEIA president and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper. “We’ve heard customers loud and clear about what they want to see from the solar industry. Going solar with a SEIA-certified installer will give customers the confidence they need to make the best decision for their family.”
Standard 401 is intended to add transparency to the solar sales process and equip solar installers and salespeople with the knowledge to ethically sell solar and energy storage. The standard includes answers to common customer questions and provides direction on how solar salespeople can provide personalized savings estimates, which SEIA said is one of the most persuasive selling points for many solar customers. Once published, a certified third-party will evaluate whether a company or individual has met the requirements of the standard.
Standard 201 creates a new baseline for how residential and small commercial solar and storage systems are installed and covers electrical and fire safety, distribution grid connections, and various weather and environmental conditions. Companies will also receive a third-party audit of their written practices and field installations.
Over five million American homes have a solar system installed, SEIA said, and the vast majority of these customers say they are happy with their decision. At least five million more households will choose solar by 2030.
However, the surge in demand for rooftop solar panels in the U.S. has exposed a concerning trend — unregulated “solar sales bros” exploiting the situation. Lacking licensing requirements, these individuals use misleading tactics, promising free panels and exaggerated savings.
Last year, TIME reported that the solar sales industry has been “hijacked” by people with little to no knowledge of renewable energy or the products they’re selling who often lie to potential customers to make a sale. Salespeople, or “solar bros,” have ignored “No Soliciting” signs, exaggerated how much rooftop solar will save customers on their energy bills, and lied about “low” interest rates for loans.
These salespeople, usually paid solely on commission, are incentivized to make sales by whatever means necessary, and often work in groups targeting specific areas in a “sales blitz,” TIME reported. Social media influencers and sales course sellers target young, college-aged salespeople with their tales of six figure paychecks through solar sales.
Few states offer consumer protection against aggressive solar sales tactics. While Nevada has taken steps to regulate, opposition from industry players suggests a broader issue. Calls for increased oversight are growing as the solar industry faces challenges in maintaining ethical standards amid rapid growth.