Solar remains one of the most popular energy sources across America, and millions of Americans have already made the switch to solar. This surge in demand means even more Americans will consider solar or solar plus storage for the first time in the near future, making this the right time to double down on consumer protection.

While the industry can’t guarantee 100% customer satisfaction, we must aim higher to see continued success as an industry.

Every home solar installation, community solar subscription, and small business that chooses solar gets us one step closer to decarbonizing the grid. These installations represent about 30% of the solar and storage market, and we need each and every one of them to reach our nation’s ambitious clean energy goals.

The influx of new solar businesses and rapid changes to the market means that consumer protection strategies must evolve to keep pace with the industry. As the leading trade association for America’s clean energy businesses, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is advocating on behalf of an industry that’s growing faster than anticipated, and that includes setting a baseline for customer interactions and ethical business practices.

All companies must prioritize conducting business with integrity. Unfair, deceptive, and abusive practices have no place in the solar and storage industry, and it’s important that industry partners adopt new standards.

Over the last decade, SEIA has been creating foundational consumer protection best practices for solar companies and is now developing three national standards to govern the safe installation of solar and bring greater transparency to financial transactions. These standards will provide structure for installer and salesperson training and bring greater uniformity to solar installations, helping to create a positive experience for all customers. As an accredited standards development organization, SEIA is gathering input from industry, government, consumer advocates, and nonprofits to ensure all perspectives are represented in the creation of these standards.

SEIA is also advocating for balanced state and federal policies that protect customers and support companies that are doing their part to promote positive customer interactions. These advocacy efforts include mitigating deceptive advertising practices and implementing model legislation where it makes sense.  

SEIA is also creating resources to protect and empower solar customers. The resources will support solar customers no matter where they are in their solar journey, whether they’re determining if solar is right for their family, wondering how to use the solar Investment Tax Credit, or thinking about selling their home that has solar. While SEIA has a plethora of resources available, they aren’t a replacement for industry action and are designed to supplement SEIA’s proactive efforts.

SEIA is paving a path forward for clean energy companies on consumer protection by raising the profile of these issues and making consumer protection a top priority for the whole industry. 

Every company and partner has a role to play, and we invite you to join us on this journey. Our success as an industry depends on it. 

Learn more about SEIA’s consumer protection work and SEIA’s efforts to develop consumer protection standards for the solar and storage industry.