From policy whiplash to economic curveballs and supply chain hiccups, residential solar installers face a much different market compared to the years of explosive growth from 2020 to 2023. As we progress through 2025, the most successful residential solar professionals are reassessing their business models, optimizing budgets, and recalibrating both short-term and long-term growth strategies.

The current solar market challenges have devastated certain participants. Some major industry players have filed for bankruptcy or paused operations, leaving thousands of customers in limbo and creating service backlogs for the surviving installers to pick up. While these disruptions have eroded consumer confidence and left customers in need of service stranded, they have also created opportunities by reducing competition and opening pathways to capture market share gains in the residential solar sector.

Let’s explore some strategic adaptations installers can consider to balance delivering customer value and staying afloat in turbulent times.

Adaption #1: Efficiency-Driven Rooftop Solar PV System Design

Advanced PV technology offers an immediate avenue for installers to enhance project economics through improved efficiency and performance.

The higher efficiency of Trinasolar’s n-type TOPCon Vertex S+ panels allows installers to design smaller systems that require fewer panels and balance-of-system (BOS) components compared to previous-generation technology, all while delivering the same energy production. For instance, a typical 7 kW system that once required 20 panels may now only need 15 or 16. This enhanced efficiency directly translates to improved project economics by streamlining installations, reducing labor needs, and minimizing the physical and logistical footprint of rooftop solar projects.

Beyond just reducing panel count, Vertex S+ exhibits excellent performance, with a low degradation rate of approximately 1% in the first year, followed by an annual degradation of just 0.4%. The modules also excel in high-temperature environments, displaying power temperature coefficients as low as -0.30%/°C. For installers, this means systems that generate more power over their lifetime while requiring fewer maintenance interventions, leading to more satisfied customers and long-term profitability.

As the winner of the prestigious 2025 Red Dot Design Award, the Vertex S+ module’s sleek, all-black design provides homeowners with a more appealing and less obtrusive rooftop solar solution, while freeing up resources to complete more projects in less time. These benefits directly impact the bottom line, enabling solar businesses to reallocate labor and capital for business development or buffer against market fluctuations.

Adaption #2: Sourcing Domestically Assembled Solar Panels

The next key adaptation involves sourcing modules assembled domestically to avoid tariffs and enhance supply chain resilience. Modules assembled in the U.S. mitigate the risks of overseas shipping delays, customs detainment, and the unpredictability of new tariff changes, all of which affect project timelines and profitability. The reliability of domestically sourced modules could become even more important under the compressed timeline created by the proposed residential tax credit expiration, where delays may result in customers either qualifying for incentives or facing the full cost of installation.

Adaption #3: Solar Panel Durability as a Differentiator

A caveat to the previous section is that buyers must beware. Solar’s growing popularity has opened the door to a rise in Tier 2 manufacturers. Although these companies may claim to produce Made in America solar panels, many lack a proven track record of third-party recognition for mechanical testing and enhanced durability. The flood of Tier 2 modules on the market becomes even more pronounced as extreme weather events increase in frequency and customers become more sophisticated about long-term system performance and payback periods.

According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the International Energy Agency (IEA), modules that consistently perform well in third-party mechanical stress testing and have a proven track record of reliability can significantly reduce the risk of costly post-installation service calls. Companies that consistently earn “Top Performer” awards in the annual Kiwa PVEL PV Module Reliability Scorecard, like Trinasolar’s 11 consecutive awards, are shown to have lower rates of field failures and degradation. The PVEL 2025 Scorecard provides critical guidance for installers seeking to specify modules with superior reliability in thermal cycling, damp heat, mechanical stress, and hail resistance. For installers, this means fewer truck rolls for repairs or replacements, freeing up time and resources for new installations and customer acquisition.

The durability of Vertex S+, combined with the TrinaProtect 25/25-year warranty, lets installers provide their solar customers with more than just a high-performing PV system and fixed energy costs; they can also offer long-term peace of mind. Subsequently, since referrals play a significant role in generating residential solar sales, quality assurance becomes even more crucial during challenging periods, as customer satisfaction becomes a key factor to drive new sales in a constrained market. 

Adaptation #4: Lean into Customer Service and Maintenance Offerings

With customer satisfaction as such an invaluable source of referrals, installers must ensure they have robust service and maintenance offerings, with systematic quality control processes, detailed inspection checklists, and proper technician training. The cost of poor quality systems, estimated to impact 30-50% of installations, presents an opportunity for differentiation through superior execution.

Not only does a robust service and maintenance offering reduce callbacks and improve customer satisfaction, but installers can also leverage this solution to attract homeowners with abandoned solar systems who now need service providers. Leaning into post-installation service and maintenance can expand the customer base, generate new revenue streams, and facilitate the development of new customer relationships.

The most resilient residential solar businesses will be those that continuously adapt to market and policy changes. In the current market, that means embracing high-efficiency modules, prioritizing domestic sourcing, and focusing on durability and customer service. 

Interested in not only weathering the current challenges but also positioning your solar business for sustained growth in the years ahead? Click here to find out where to buy Vertex S+ modules. 

Leverage the Trinahub Partner Portal

Continued training and skill development are major assets for solar crews. Registering with the Trinahub Partner Portal grants you access to a robust library of technical and educational training materials, videos, and assets. Plus, stay current with our attendance at industry trade shows, exhibitions, and webinars. Our team is always excited to share insights with other industry professionals, meet new people, and discuss the latest solar PV and innovative energy solutions.

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