American Solar Energy Society

In this issue of Solar Today, we interviewed five solar influencers to get their thoughts on the pace, opportunities, and challenges of the solar industry.

Jay Warmke

Jay Warmke

About the Influencer
Jay Warmke is the author of numerous green technology books and has developed renewable energy curricula for numerous colleges and universities across North America as the owner of Solar PV Training LLC.

He has served as vice president of the board of directors of Green Energy Ohio and as president of the International Certification and Accreditation Council. In 2015, he was elected to ETA’s Board of Directors and for the past 11 years has served as Chair of the Renewable Energy Committee. He also hosts a weekly show/podcast called Solar Noon Tuesday, which is syndicated with the Pacifica Network and posted weekly on YouTube.

1. On the question of DIY Solar: how would you compare the good of opening the majority of the population to rooftop solar access vs. the bad of lost installer jobs?

There is, of course, room for DIY in our industry. Balcony Solar is just a first glimmer of the potential within that sector.

Most home and business owners will never tackle a solar project. But those who wish to should be nurtured and supported. I would love to see the expansion of “solar barn raising” projects – where groups of people support each other by helping with installations on each other’s sites and benefiting from volume purchases.

Solar installers can certainly find a market in serving as expert consultants or project overseers on DIY projects – expanding their reach into a customer base which might never otherwise install solar due to high costs.

2. What is your comment on the fact that 70% of the cost of rooftop solar in the U.S. in 2026 is neither labor nor equipment but rather soft costs?

If the solar industry built cars, we would custom design each vehicle, apply for permits and patents on a case-by-case basis, and then wonder why people can’t afford to buy them. We, as an industry, need to move from a “high-margin/low-volume” business model to a “high-volume/low-margin” model.

If we reduced our costs to $1/W (as in Australia), we would not need high customer acquisition costs (they would beat a path to our doors). Full adoption of SolarAPP+ permitting would cut time and costs in permitting.

I think there is also room for pre-designed solar package options that would cut design and installation time and work for a large number (not all of course) of homes and businesses.

3. What does a “mature” solar market look like to you in 10–15 years, and what are we currently getting wrong about that trajectory?

Several trends are converging that will remake the way we view energy. First is the tsunami of load demand that will hit us over the next few years (data centers, electric vehicles, cryptocurrency, electrification of heat, electrification of industry, climate change).

The net result of higher load demand, slow generation expansion, a glacial regulatory process, and resistant/greedy utilities will inevitably result in dramatically higher electric prices and diminishing grid reliability.

Currently, over half of new solar installations include battery backup (as storage prices fall dramatically). 2026 is shaping up to be the year bidirectional EV charging becomes a reality. Soon many will simply view the grid as a backup power system. It is a very short step to disconnect altogether if utilities continue to make it difficult to do business with them.

I think we will see dramatic grid defection over the coming years as customers find they can provide energy for themselves at costs that are lower and reliability that is higher than can be delivered by utilities.

4. How do you see the balance evolving between federal incentives and local control in accelerating deployment?

It is my view that normal government policy can only accelerate or retard the adoption of a technology for a short period of time. Government can tinker around the edges – but it is economics that will ultimately determine winners and losers.

Solar, for the foreseeable future, is simply the lowest-cost form of energy available on the planet. In generating electricity, it is half the cost of methane (natural gas), one third the cost of coal, and a fraction of the cost of nuclear. Its only close competitor is wind energy (which depends on an adequate wind resource).

Governmental incentives, when working as designed, are put in place to allow a nascent technology the breathing space to compete with more entrenched technologies. Solar is now past that phase in our development. We should no longer rely on incentives to compete. We just need to convince all those “free market” politicians to stop subsidizing fossil fuels.

5. What technical breakthrough would actually change the game, versus just incrementally improving it?

I am tempted to say true bidirectional EV charging – which expands storage capacity and affordability dramatically. Imagine a college campus where every parking space is a battery and the campus has a virtual power plant in every parking lot.

But I think a more transformative innovation will be the evolution of energy as a service. One day we shall see energy, not sold in kWhs or gallons of gasoline, but as services that simply incorporate the energy they use as part of that service. When you subscribe to Netflix, you are buying bandwidth – but you don’t pay for the bandwidth; you pay for entertainment.

We are beginning to see the first glimmers of this transformation. In Texas, you can now subscribe to a battery backup for your home. You pay $29 per month (or whatever the cost from whatever vendor you choose), and they install a battery at your home. They make their profit by aggregating the thousands of batteries now connected to the grid as a virtual power plant that can sell power to the grid during moments of peak load demand. This is largely transparent to the homeowner – who has no up-front costs and pays a monthly fee, so they have power in the event that the grid goes down.

The grid will survive not because it is the best way to distribute power. That
is no longer the case. In 2026, solar+storage is cheaper than continuing to buy power from your local utility. It will survive because it has found a way to profitably market energy services that depend on customers being connected together within an energy network.

6. How do you see ownership structures (utility-scale, distributed, cooperative) evolving over the next decade?

I believe that within 15 years the largest provider of electricity in the nation will be a virtual utility. The hyperscalers of the world (Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta, etc) are fast becoming the largest consumers of electricity. They will soon find it profitable to vertically integrate power generation and distribution for their own operations (cutting out developers and utilities). They will quickly become the largest distributors of power to third parties as well, selling excess power at retail (not net-metered wholesale).

Apple, for example, could create the “I-Power” network where they leverage their grid access to facilitate transactions between solar owners (who are tired of getting ripped off by utilities with ever lower net-metering compensation) and potential power customers who can purchase this net-metered power at a fraction of the cost that utilities charge.

In 1996, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) required that the Bell system lease their physical local distribution network to competitors. This led directly to the rapid expansion of the Internet.

A similar ruling for similar reasons might find that the regulated utility power grid gets a much-needed disruption from Silicon Valley – creating a system of connected energy services that fully accommodate virtual utilities, virtual power plants, micro-grids, and data-over-powerline services that transform our electrical system in a way that the Internet and wireless transformed telephony over the past few decades.

The regulated utilities cannot compete with Silicon Valley, but they will not go away. They will simply be relegated to the role of “maintainers of wire.”

7. Most overrated buzzword in clean energy?

“Payback period.“ Power is a forever cost. The price of electricity from solar should be compared with the cost of electricity from other sources – not some theoretical (and generally mythical) date when your electricity
will be free.

Mary Ellen Barker

Mary Ellen Barker

About the Influencer
Mary Ellen Barker is Co-Founder and CEO of Solar Land Agent, LLC, a woman-owned renewable energy firm specializing in solar and BESS site selection. Raised on a Georgia family farm, she brings experience in agriculture, business, and real estate to help developers and landowners create successful projects. She serves on the ASES Board of Directors and advocates for responsible renewable energy development, land stewardship, and meaningful community engagement.

1. On the question of DIY Solar: how would you compare the benefits of opening the majority of the population to rooftop solar access to the drawbacks of lost installer jobs?

I see DIY rooftop solar as an opportunity to make clean energy more affordable and accessible for American families. As electricity demand continues to rise, success should not be based on who does the installation. It should be about expanding solar adoption while maintaining high standards and supporting a skilled workforce. We should look for every responsible way to increase access to rooftop solar. Experienced installers will always be essential because structural integrity, electrical work, permitting, inspections, and utility interconnection require expertise. Innovation and expertise can work hand in hand.

2. What is your comment on the fact that 70% of the cost of rooftop solar in the U.S. in 2026 is neither labor nor equipment but rather soft costs?

Rooftop solar has higher soft costs because of its business model. Every installation is unique, with different structural, electrical engineering, design, permitting, inspection, and local labor requirements. Most homeowners also finance their systems, adding underwriting, lender, and dealer fees. Customer acquisition is expensive, often $3,000 to $5,000, due to door-to-door marketing, digital advertising, outbound sales, and commissions. Residential installers also carry overhead for vehicles, insurance, office space, and operating systems.
By comparison, utility-scale projects benefit from economies of scale, keeping soft costs closer to 15% to 30%.

3. How should the industry rethink land use conflicts especially in agriculture, conservation, and rural economies?

As someone who grew up on a Georgia farm and now helps site renewable energy projects, I believe we need a more balanced conversation about land use. According to SEIA, utility-scale solar currently uses just 0.07% of America’s farmland. By comparison, suburban development uses about six times more prime farmland, and golf courses use nearly three times more than solar. The conversation should not be agriculture versus solar. It should be about giving farm families and landowners choices, respecting property rights, and finding the right use for each piece of land. Agrivoltaics is another opportunity to help keep family farms thriving.

4. How do you see ownership structures (utility-scale, distributed, cooperative projects) evolving over the next decade?

I don’t believe one owner and model will dominate. As electricity demand continues to grow, utility-scale, distributed and cooperative projects will all play important roles. I believe we’ll see continued growth across every segment as the industry matures. Other countries have already shown what’s possible, and I think the U.S. is still in the early chapters of its solar story. We’ll also likely see more consolidation, with larger companies acquiring smaller ones, but I believe the companies that build trust, innovate, and deliver value will be the ones
that thrive.

5. If you had to explain Solar’s value to a skeptical community in one sentence, what would you say?

“We are not splitting the atom, just harvesting the sun.”

6. How do you see the balance evolving between federal incentives and local control in accelerating deployment?

Federal incentives can help create opportunity, but projects are ultimately built one community at a time. In my experience, what often gets overlooked is that it all starts locally. The energy transition does not begin in Washington. It begins with conversations in local communities, listening to landowners, engaging local leaders early, and earning trust before permits are ever filed. Incentives may encourage investment, but local relationships determine whether projects move forward. If we want to accelerate deployment, we need to invest as much in community partnerships as we do in policy.

7. Most overrated buzzword in clean energy?
“Energy transition.” I think the phrase “energy transition” implies we’re simply replacing one energy source with another. What I’m seeing is an expansion of our energy system. As electricity demand continues to grow, driven by AI, data centers, and advanced manufacturing, we’ll need every reliable electron on the grid. Solar is an important part of that future, but so are transmission, storage, and other generation resources. The conversation shouldn’t be about one technology winning. It should be about working together to build a stronger, more reliable, and more resilient energy future using all of the sources.

8. A project or place that changed how you see solar deployment?

The place that shaped me most wasn’t a solar project. It was the family farm where I grew up in Georgia. Farming taught me that land is deeply personal. It’s where families build their lives, weather hard seasons, and hope to leave something better for the next generation. That perspective has stayed with me throughout my career. Every time I sit down with a landowner, I remember that I’m not just discussing a project. I’m talking about someone’s legacy, and that conversation deserves respect, honesty, and trust.

Brett Little

Brett Little

About the Influencer
Brett Little is the education manager at the GreenHome Institute with over 15 years of experience in residential Green Building Consulting and training. Brett personally helped launch the Michigan Energy Works program over a decade ago. He added Solar and batteries to his own Green Home project in 2020, and then added more during a new roofing project in 2025. Brett is passionate about ensuring people who are excited about Solar also understand energy, efficiency, and electrification, and that health and comfort need to come first.

1. On the question of DIY Solar: how would you compare the good of opening the majority of the population to rooftop solar access vs. the bad of lost installer jobs?

My organization, the GreenHome Institute, seeks to empower people to make the places we live better, not necessarily to ensure solar installer jobs; anything that can lead to greater empowerment is good. But the downside is the risk of poor installations that could, at best, not save energy and, at worst, create safety problems. Therefore, I’m cautiously optimistic about doing it yourself: solar and battery plug-and-play systems, assuming there’s strong legislation and enforcement in place to protect people.

2. Please comment on the fact that 70% of the cost of rooftop solar in the U.S. in 2026 is neither labor nor equipment but rather soft costs.

I’ve heard some of these large numbers going around, but I haven’t seen them personally or anecdotally in my own system costs or in others’, so I’d like to see more evidence for that. Obviously, I agree that, compared to other countries, we have work to do to reduce soft costs by eliminating unnecessary red tape. In addition, we need more value: do the inspectors we pay for via permits actually look at electrical or roof safety? Do they understand utility savings and make sure people aren’t being ripped off?

3. What’s a widely accepted assumption in the solar industry that you think is wrong—or at least incomplete?
People still believe that Solar works less well in the cold, and of course the opposite is true. To be fair, when it’s cold in winter, there are fewer hours of solar output, so that part is true, but it’s usually not highlighted.

4. What technical breakthrough would actually change the game, versus just incrementally improving it?

I think one of the biggest complaints about solar is from people who try to use the excuse about lack of recyclability, so imagine if we made Solar the same way nature does it? 100% bio-based, compostable, locally manufactured, powered by renewable energy, and nontoxic. Just like a leaf!

5. How do you see ownership structures (utility-scale, distributed, cooperative) evolving over the next decade?

I think Community Solar will become the most popular way to reduce risk for everyone while still ensuring people receive benefits. Hopefully, it’s done at an even more local neighborhood level to generate microgrids that actually keep people’s power on.

6. What experience most changed how you think about energy—not just professionally, but personally?

I am not a full-time solar pro, but I need to understand it as part of a holistic home system for my work at the GreenHome Institute. However, the best way to experience solar is to own it. I first did it with a portable PV panel and battery, and later managed, financed, and purchased a solar PV whole-home project for my home. Later, I added more by doing a re-roofing project and adding more solar while putting back what had already been there. That has been the greatest experience for me.

Rob Sternthal (left) with friend and XIP colleague Aaron Richardson on the Sydney bridge climb.

Rob Sternthal

About the Influencer
For the last 20+ years, Rob has been a leading investment banking executive and recognized platform builder across the renewable power, energy, ESG and real assets sectors, advising on more than $25 billion of transactions. Prior to founding XIP, Rob was a Managing Director focusing on renewable power at Piper Sandler. Before that, Rob was responsible for building platforms at Rubicon Capital Advisors as well as CohnReznick (now CRC-IB). Rob founded and built CRC into a market-leader over ten years, managing a team of ~30 professionals that completed nearly $18 billion in transactions during his tenure.

Prior to CRC, Rob established and led multiple real estate and asset-backed securities practices for Credit Suisse in the United States as well as internationally. He began his career as an attorney for the US Securities & Exchange Commission as well as in private practice at Milbank. Rob received a bachelor’s degree in economics and French, with honors, from Emory University and a Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from the Temple University School of Law. Rob is a Registered Representative of BA Securities, LLC. Member FINRA, SIPC.

1. On the question of DIY Solar: how would you compare the good of opening the majority of the population to rooftop solar access vs. the bad of lost installer jobs?

I don’t really see this as a loss of installer jobs. Even if panels become easy enough for homeowners to put up themselves, someone still has to install, service, and maintain them—just like any major appliance in your home. If making solar easier to self-install opens rooftop access to the majority of the population, that’s a clear win. The work doesn’t disappear so much as shifts toward maintenance and repair, and the addressable market grows large enough to support plenty of skilled jobs alongside far broader adoption.

2. What is your comment on the fact that 70% of the cost of rooftop solar in the U.S. in 2026 is neither labor nor equipment but rather soft costs?

It’s concerning, and it forces the question of where that money is actually going. When total costs run $3.50–$4.00 per watt, the biggest culprits are usually broker and sales fees and financing costs—not the panels or the crew on the roof. This is where the market has broken down: the companies originating these
assets are overpaying for origination, and that inefficiency passes straight through to the homeowner. Until we squeeze those soft costs out, rooftop solar will stay more expensive than it needs to be.

3. What’s a widely accepted assumption in the solar industry that you think is wrong—or at least incomplete?
For over a decade, the industry assumed that developing assets was itself the prize. Developers were rewarded with rich valuations and platforms sold for large multiples, even when they never held the assets or built recurring revenue that outweighed development spend and Selling, General, and Administrative Expenses (SG&A). That assumption no longer holds. Today there is no
platform value, only asset value, and those assets have to work harder: cash yields that were once 3–5% now need to be 7% or more. The business has shifted from selling a growth story to owning infrastructure that actually generates cash.

4. Which current policy mechanism is most overrated, and which underutilized lever could have outsized impact?

The Investment Tax Credit is the most overrated. It was meant to spur investment, but in practice it complicates financings. Historically, investors that bought ITC did not require or need insurance; with the advent of the transfer credit where the investor is simply buying the ITC, they wanted more protection, e.g., insurance. That insurance is used now on 80-90% of deals. Supporting the fair market value that sets the credit has spawned preferred-equity structures and, increasingly, insurance to protect the ITC—coverage rarely used before that now backs perhaps 80–90% of transferred credits. The underused lever is simplicity: a straightforward cash grant or a cleanly certificated, transferable credit would strip out layers of structuring and insurance cost, get capital to projects faster, and let more of each dollar reach actual deployment. Or we could just remove the ITC altogether if we can lower the cost of the systems themselves.

5. What experience most changed how you think about energy—not just professionally, but personally?

Buying solar for my own home. My summer bills dropped to nearly zero, then crept back up over time—especially once I added an electric car and my consumption grew. Watching my own electricity costs keep rising, even with panels on the roof, made the value of what we do tangible in a way no spreadsheet could. It’s one thing to model the economics for clients; it’s another to live them. That experience is a constant reminder of how meaningful this industry is to ordinary homeowners and businesses as we shift toward renewable resources.

6. If you had to explain solar’s value to a skeptical community in one sentence, what would you say?

It’s just math: look honestly at the cost of solar today, factor in where power prices are heading, and the simple economics make the case for using solar wherever you can.

7. Most overrated buzzword in clean energy?

“Platform Value.” Sellers still expect that they should be paid “platform value” or additional value for a renewable development platform. Buyers are generally not willing to pay this any longer, but may be willing to pay a premium for a company if they can justify it through other means (e.g., pipeline, synergies, necessity, etc.)

Not long ago, DIY solar occupied a fringe part of the renewable energy industry.

The typical self-installer was often portrayed as an off-grid enthusiast building a remote cabin, a prepper seeking energy independence, or a hobbyist piecing together equipment from online forums. Installing solar yourself was viewed as an alternative lifestyle rather than a mainstream option.

That stereotype no longer reflects today’s reality.

The modern DIY solar customer is increasingly a suburban homeowner looking to lower electricity costs, a rural property owner preparing for outages, or a family planning for future electric vehicles, heat pumps, or battery storage. Many are connected to the utility grid and have no interest in disconnecting from it. Instead, they want greater control over one of the largest infrastructure investments they’ll make in their home.

This evolution has transformed DIY solar from a niche market into one of the industry’s fastest-growing customer segments.

But as self-installation has become easier physically, it has also become more complicated technically. Today’s homeowners have access to more equipment, more online advice, and more purchasing options than ever before. At the same time, choosing safe, compatible, code-compliant equipment—and navigating permitting, inspections, and utility interconnection—has become increasingly complex. The future of DIY solar isn’t simply doing everything yourself. It’s knowing which parts you should do yourself—and which parts still require professional expertise.

Bob Frank with his completed ground-mounted solar array. © Bob Frank, Unbound Solar

Three DIY Customers, Three Very Different Goals

One of the biggest misconceptions about DIY solar is that every self-installer looks the same.

In reality, today’s market consists of three distinct customer types, each requiring different levels of support.

The Full Self-Installer
These full self-installers typically have extensive hands-on experience as electricians, engineers, contractors, mechanics, builders, or skilled tradespeople. They’re comfortable reading plans, troubleshooting electrical systems, using specialized tools, and taking responsibility for complex construction projects.

A full self-installer may complete nearly every aspect of a solar installation, including mounting racking, installing panels, running conduit, pulling wire, configuring inverters, coordinating inspections, and completing utility interconnection paperwork. Even then, local regulations may still require a licensed electrician for certain portions of the work.

Alex Kuhlmann, in Nevada, exemplifies this group.

Although Alex has a mechanical engineering background and works in electrical software, he credits his success less to formal education than to a lifetime of working with his hands. He describes himself as someone who grew up turning wrenches, taking things apart, and figuring out how systems work. After installing his own 10.5 kW grid-tied PV system with two 15-panel arrays, he found that the physical installation was only part of the challenge.

The more difficult obstacle was navigating county engineering requirements and utility documentation, particularly after adding an EV charging load to his home. Professional system design, permit-ready plans, and engineering support helped move the project through approval.

Alex estimates that completing the installation himself saved a substantial amount compared to turnkey contractor quotes. Just as valuable, however, was gaining a deep understanding of how his system operates and how to maintain it over time.

His experience illustrates an important reality: capable DIYers still benefit from professional design and technical support.

The Hybrid DIY Installer
If one customer segment defines the future of DIY solar, it’s the hybrid installer. Rather than doing everything alone, hybrid installers divide the project strategically. They tackle work they’re comfortable performing—such as installing racking, mounting modules, trenching conduit, coordinating materials, and managing the schedule— while hiring licensed professionals for wiring, final connections, service work, or other code-sensitive tasks.

This group of hybrid DIY installers needs to know what they can safely do, what should be hired out, how to communicate with an electrician, and how to keep the project aligned with the design and permit documents. This approach combines meaningful labor savings with professional oversight and support where it’s needed most.

The main support this group needs includes: a clear system design, permit-ready plans, defined scope of work, equipment compatibility guidance, utility paperwork support, and enough technical documentation that both the homeowner and the electrician understand how the system is supposed to come together.

Eric and Lori Lynn Todd of Napa County, California, demonstrate how successful this model can be.

Wanting to be deeply involved in the project because they cared about quality, resilience, and understanding how their system worked, they managed much of the project themselves. They built the ground-mounted structure, coordinated documentation, completed trenching, and organized hundreds of individual project tasks.

Lori maintained a detailed project plan tracking every stage of construction. That was the right division of labor for their project: they handled much of the heavy work and project management, while receiving professional system design support as part of project planning and also hiring a qualified electrician to handle the code-sensitive electrical work.

Their greatest challenge wasn’t installing equipment—it was navigating Napa County’s rigorous permitting process, engineering requirements, battery regulations, and fire marshal reviews. Without professional design, documentation, and guidance, that process could have been extremely difficult.

Today, their solar-plus-storage system provides seamless backup power during outages, giving them greater resilience alongside long-term energy savings. They now power through outages without even knowing the grid went down.

Their project reflects a growing trend throughout the industry: homeowners want to stay involved without assuming unnecessary risk.

Sunni Schoepe (left) with helpers during a rooftop solar installation. Many guided DIY projects are collaborative, with homeowners taking an active role in the work while relying on professional design, plans, and technical guidance. © Sunni Schoepe, Unbound Solar

The Owner-Builder
The third category views solar differently altogether.

For owner-builders, solar isn’t a standalone purchase. It’s one component of a much larger property development project. Owner-builders want to understand what is being installed, why the system is designed the way it is, what their future expansion options are, and how to manage and maintain the system over time. For a major home energy upgrade, that knowledge and control can be just as important as the labor savings.

This group often includes rural property owners, off-grid homeowners, people building or renovating a home, customers adding power to a shop, barn, accessory dwelling unit, cabin, greenhouse, well system, or outbuilding, and homeowners who are already acting as their own general contractor on other parts of the property.

While owner-builders need professional design support, they also need flexible guidance as the project evolves; they are often responsible for completing system planning, site preparation, trenching, ground-mount work, equipment placement, racking, panel installation, coordinating contractors, managing scheduling, sourcing materials, and working through permits or inspections.

In addition, they also benefit from professional load analysis, system architecture, equipment selection, battery and backup design, ground-mount or rooftop planning, permit-ready documentation, utility or AHJ requirements where applicable, and clear guidance on what work should involve a licensed electrician or other qualified professional.

Mike O’Dell and his wife Rose install panels on a ground-mounted solar array at their off-grid property. Their project reflects the owner-builder side of the DIY solar market: customers taking an active role in building their own power infrastructure while relying on professional design and support. © Mike O’Dell, Unbound Solar

Mike and Rose O’Dell’s off-grid property illustrates this mindset.

They were not simply adding panels to an existing home. They were building the energy infrastructure for a property that includes a home, a well system, battery storage, backup power, and a dedicated “solar house” for equipment.

Mike was very hands-on, but what makes his story a strong owner-builder example is the larger project context. Solar had to fit into the way the whole property worked. Decisions about equipment location, cable sizing, pumps, batteries, loads, and future use all mattered because the system was part of making the property livable.

Throughout construction, design decisions evolved. Inverter locations changed. Cable runs extended. They worked through ground-mount decisions, off-grid power needs, and troubleshooting. Mike emphasized that equipment can be purchased from many places, but the real value was information, design guidance, and support after the sale.

His experience highlights why owner-builders value ongoing technical guidance long after equipment has been delivered.

Why Guided DIY is Replacing Equipment-Only Sales

There is a fundamental shift in how DIY solar is delivered. It’s no longer just about selling equipment; it is about providing professional support.

A successful DIY solar project starts before anything goes on the roof. It starts with a professionally designed system, safe and compatible equipment, a clear plan for permitting and interconnection, and an honest understanding of which parts the homeowner will do themselves and where they will bring in expert help. At a minimum, every DIYer should get expert support with system design and equipment selection.

Correct design is the foundation of the project. The system needs to be designed around the customer’s actual goals, home, utility requirements, site conditions, electrical infrastructure, and future plans. A customer who wants to reduce their power bill may need a very different system than a customer who wants to protect critical loads during outages. While a customer planning for EV charging, a heat pump, or future expansion may need a different design than someone simply offsetting current usage.

Equipment selection is just as important. The components need to be safe, certified, compatible, and appropriate for the installation. Solar should be designed as a complete and carefully constructed system, not assembled from a random pile of parts.

Permitting support is equally valuable.

Many experienced homeowners discover that the paperwork proves more challenging than the installation itself. Engineering documentation, utility applications, inspection requirements, equipment certifications, and local code interpretations vary significantly between jurisdictions.

Missing engineering documentation, equipment certifications or labeling, inspection requirements, incorrect assumptions, or unclear plan sets can delay a project – so they should not be treated as afterthoughts. Because the permitting process depends so heavily on the system design, it is much easier when the design, plans, and paperwork are coordinated from the beginning.

Success often depends less on installing panels, and more on correctly preparing documentation before construction even begins.

Kim Bloxom’s completed rooftop solar array. The project reflects the guided DIY model: capable homeowners taking an active role in their solar installation while relying on professional design, plans, and technical support. © Kim Bloxom, Unbound Solar

Customization Improves Safety—and Success

Customizing the experience matters because solar has to match both the customer’s capabilities and the project’s complexity. A simple grid-tied roof mount may require one level of guidance. A battery backup system, ground mount, off-grid property, service upgrade, or project with future EV charging may require much more design, documentation, and technical support.

Customization is also important for safety. Customers should be encouraged to take on the work they can reasonably and safely handle, while bringing in qualified professionals for the parts that require licensing, code expertise, or specialized experience. A good DIY model should not pressure everyone into doing everything themselves. It should help each customer make smart decisions about where to save money and where to get help.

Dan Fontaine’s rooftop solar array installed on a metal-roof outbuilding. Many guided DIY customers use solar not only for the main home, but also for shops, barns, garages, and other property infrastructure. © Dan Fontaine, Unbound Solar

The best outcome is a system that fits the homeowner, not just the house. Customization lets customers stay involved, control costs, and learn the system, while still getting the professional support needed for design, permitting, equipment compatibility, battery integration, and inspection. That is what makes guided DIY scalable: it meets people where they actually are.

The Danger of “Frankenstein” Systems

Unfortunately, one troubling trend has accompanied the growth of online equipment sales.

Some homeowners attempt to assemble systems from unrelated components sourced from multiple vendors based primarily on price.

Ian Denchasy’s rooftop solar installation in progress. The project shows how guided DIY customers can take an active role in installing their system while relying on professional design, equipment selection, and technical support. © Ian Denchasy, Unbound Solar

This “Frankenstein” approach often ignores one of solar’s most important realities: a solar installation is an integrated energy system—not simply a collection of individual products.

Panels, inverters, batteries, rapid shutdown devices, monitoring platforms, and electrical equipment must communicate correctly, comply with applicable safety standards, satisfy utility requirements, and remain serviceable for decades.

This concern becomes even greater with battery storage.

The rapid expansion of battery manufacturers has created more consumer choice—but also more confusion. Not every battery marketed online carries the certifications, compatibility, or long-term support necessary for residential installations.

Selecting equipment based solely on price can create inspection problems, warranty issues, performance limitations, and, in some cases, significant safety risks.

Ashton Grandy’s completed residential rooftop solar installation. The project shows how guided DIY solar can help homeowners use available roof space to build a system designed around their home and energy goals. © Ashton Grandy, Unbound Solar

Looking Ahead: DIY is All About Support

DIY solar’s next chapter extends well beyond rooftop panels.

Increasingly, homeowners are investing in complete energy ecosystems that combine solar, batteries, EV charging, backup power, intelligent load management, and software that coordinates everything automatically.

As these systems become more sophisticated, professional guidance and support become even more valuable.

Ironically, DIY solar has become easier physically, but harder informationally. There are more options, more online advice, more equipment brands, and more noise.

Tyler Hartline’s residential rooftop solar installation. Rooftop projects like this show how guided DIY solar can fit into a conventional home setting when the system is professionally designed and installed according to the project plan. © Tyler Hartline, Unbound Solar

As an example, YouTube, online forums, and social media have undoubtedly helped expand the market by showing homeowners that self-installation is achievable. But influencers should never replace experts – especially if affiliate marketing is involved. Solar is highly site-specific. Every home has unique electrical infrastructure, different loads and roof conditions, future energy needs, permitting requirements, and long-term goals that cannot be solved through a generic online tutorial.

The future of DIY is guided. Homeowners remain actively involved, but professionals provide engineering and technical expertise, and every system is custom designed to operate safely, efficiently, and reliably for decades.

This guidance also extends to post-install support. Many DIY companies are built around the transaction: sell the equipment and move on. But solar and storage systems are long-term infrastructure. Customers need monitoring, troubleshooting, firmware updates, warranty support, performance optimization, and a path for future expansion. That becomes even more important as systems include batteries, EV charging, smart load management, and backup power.

This model delivers something the original DIY movement often couldn’t: confidence that the system will perform exactly as intended long after the final panel is installed.

About the Author
Deep Patel is the founder and CEO of Gigawatt Inc., the parent company of Unbound Solar and Real Goods. Unbound Solar has provided DIY solar kits and expert support for over 19 years, serving homeowners, contractors, and professionals. Real Goods, established in 1978, is a legacy brand in the solar industry known for reliable solar and energy storage products. Through these brands, Deep is focused on expanding access to clean energy by combining education, high-quality components, and a customer-first approach.

The affordability of solar has still never been properly tested.

Solar’s competitiveness with conventional power becomes obvious when on-site energy systems supplant not merely the grid, but also heating and vehicles.

In recent years, electric technologies have hit the market that enable modular, interoperable power, heating, hot water, and vehicle systems to be energy independent.

Solar panels are dirt cheap, having dropped from over a hundred dollars per watt to pennies. EV manufacturers are making cars with bidirectional chargers, turning their batteries into energy storage, with the potential to minimize their impact on, and actually relieve, a congested power grid, while also maximizing on-site solar power that stays on in blackouts, eliminating fossil fuels.

How do we go from 5% of U.S. households with solar to 95%? Utilities should get out of the way. States must remove the obstacles they themselves created. Municipalities must actively promote measures to reduce solar soft costs, add value, and minimize fees and taxes.

Net metering is under attack, but solar is now so inexpensive that it no longer requires a corporate welfare system paid by taxpayers and ratepayers to beat fossil fuels.

The problem is no longer technology or even labor costs; it is middlemen. A codependency exists between government, “public” utilities, and industry: 70-80% of the average cost of U.S. rooftop solar today comes from “soft costs”: neither equipment nor labor but marketing, permits, and fees.

Read that again, and if you aren’t outraged, once again. Middleman-ism has become the big obstacle to solar normalization. Soft costs are excluding 95% of US buildings.

For decades we have been told that the energy transition is replacing fossil fuels with renewable sources. To succeed, the energy transition requires changing the energy user’s relationship to energy. DIY isn’t just about avoiding soft costs, professional installers, and financiers, but mastering energy technologies in the same way we’ve mastered computers and smartphones. Users should be able to use their own energy systems to capture benefits.

For many able-bodied Americans, DIY can avoid unnecessary labor costs and lower solar setup prices, especially for lower-income households that often cannot afford systems priced at three times the cost of equipment.

DIY is not just for off-grid systems. It is needed to normalize solar as an affordable presence in urban areas where nearly all energy is consumed. This dream has been in many ways supplanted by massive rural utility scale solar and grid-battery projects that feed the urban maw.

Because DIY can open up dense urban areas, it is the key to saving rural zones from wasteful investments in mega-infrastructure projects. Utility corporations love gigantic centralized projects because they ensure multi-decade revenue streams. Others hate them for industrializing the countryside and raising delivery charges.

Energy consumers and governments alike should learn from the DIY innovators in this issue who have entered the regulatory gray zone of semi-forbidden solar savoir-faire.

Governments should legalize, encourage, and actively facilitate DIY solar in place of punitive prohibitions and funding disqualifications. Regulators should require utilities to remove interconnection barriers and costly protocols for DIY solar systems. Solar permitting should be redesigned to actively support DIY permit applicants.

This first issue of Solar Today under our editorship is an effort to bring focus to perhaps the final frontier for the fulfillment of solar’s potential: systemic change.