Arizona's Solar Access Fee is Gone - Can We Expect to See More Solar Panel Lead Generation

Arizona’s homeowners and solar contractors are celebrating a recent change that will make solar more affordable. The new update will contribute to a positive uptick in solar panel lead generation throughout the state.

No More Exploiting Solar Customers

The Arizona Corporation Commission has just rescinded a grid access fee that was deemed unfair and exploitative. It was originally enforced by the Arizona Public Commission, charging the average solar homeowner $100 per year under the pretense that they were more expensive for grid providers to supply energy to. 

However, this was untrue. Representatives from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) testified that contrary to the claims made by APS, solar customers did not cost more to service, and the grid access charges did not recoup any lost revenues. It was also proved that solar customers did not displace grid expenses to other households. 

A SEIA official praised the charge revocation: 

“We are at a point in our country where we need to focus on deploying more clean energy and unnecessary utility charges and fees can be a major deterrent to potential solar customers. This change will more fairly recognize the benefits of local solar adoption and we hope we can expand solar accessibility to even more Arizonans.”

Bringing More Solar Buyers to the Market

With the grid access charge gone, homeowners can now save hundreds more on utility costs over the years that their solar systems are operational. Over the 25-30 year lifespan of a typical solar system, they can expect to see an average savings of $2500-$3000 just on the grid access fee alone. This means that solar customers can look forward to a much greater and more rapid ROI. 

Such a boost in the financial gains brought by solar is sure to attract more buyers. Contractors can ensure that they connect with those who are serious about installing by sourcing their leads through www.GridFreedom.com. 

This service generates leads in-house, personally screening them for purchase-readiness via live phone calls with agents who are experts in identifying strong solar customers. All leads are scheduled for their first appointment, then delivered only to a single contractor. The process gives installers the best footing to secure a sale. 

Find Sale-Ready Solar Customers at www.GridFreedom.com

Could Solar Tariffs be on Their Way Out

On January 23rd, 2018, the Trump administration placed tariffs on imported solar cells and modules. These tariffs were set to be active for a period of 4 years. Now that the end of that term is drawing near, the solar industry is pushing hard for these tariffs to be phased out.

What Has Been the Impact of the Tariffs?

There was a positive intention behind the creation of the solar tariffs. By increasing the cost of importing solar equipment, the tariffs could incentivize domestic production and help it become more competitive. 

Unfortunately, the tariffs created challenging conditions that only became more painful once the pandemic began. Building up American solar manufacturing takes time, so the immediate effect was merely to raise the prices of solar hardware, and thus, solar installations as a whole. 

This meant that many homeowners who could once afford to go solar were now priced out. Solar sales leads dropped, putting a great deal of contractors in worse financial shape. Supply chain bottlenecks created by the pandemic were exacerbated by the tariff cost pressures, introducing even more strain. 

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) estimates that the tariff imposition has caused the U.S. solar industry to miss out on 62,000+ jobs, $19 billion in private sector investment, and over 10 GW of solar deployment. SEIA’s president, Abigail Hopper, cites that the tariffs have also failed in their goal of jump-starting American solar manufacturing: 

“The U.S. has collected $2.6 billion in Section 201 solar tariffs, but not one cent of that helped the domestic manufacturing industry. In fact, America lost 6,000 solar manufacturing jobs over the last four years when the petitioners promised we’d create more than 45,000 jobs.”

Closing the Chapter on S.201 Tariffs

President Joe Biden is currently assessing whether to renew, revise, or get rid of the tariffs. At a recent USITC hearing on the matter, SEIA testified regarding the failure of the tariff program and imploring the administration to phase it out. 

Biden’s grand clean energy goals have been heavily referenced as reason to discard the tariffs. SEIA argues that they are a major obstacle to achieving the solar-powered energy conversion that has been planned for the coming years. 

Resigning Tariffs Will Boost Solar Sales Leads

For now, solar contractors can only wait and see whether or not the tariffs will continue to drive up the costs of solar. But there is strong optimism that the current pro-climate administration will move to discard them. 

Resulting equipment price drops will go a long way toward facilitating more solar sales. But in the meantime, solar contractors who are struggling to find enough customers can get help from Grid Freedom. As an elite provider of top quality, affordable leads, we’ve helped contractors maintain success even through these tough times.

Find Ready Solar Customers at www.GridFreedom.com

SEIA Just Bumped its Solar Goal for the Decade

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has long set the tone for what developments can be expected in the solar industry. Their goals for the solar market and energy production have been major influences on American policy and even the targets made at the state and city levels. 

Upon the arrival of 2020, they gave the following ten years the name of the “Solar+ decade”. Originally, their official goal for this period was for solar energy to account for 20% of America’s total electricity production. But just recently, they’ve announced a change to this goal. 

Despite the adversity that has befallen the first years of the Solar+ decade, SEIA has grown even more optimistic. They have now announced that their new target for solar electricity production is 30%.

Why Did SEIA Raise the Goalpost?

The solar climate changed dramatically in the past two years. We transitioned from a highly conservative presidential administration to a liberal one that heavily prioritizes clean energy expansion and reforms. America’s new political leadership has brought forth the Green New Deal, which, while still pending approval, would be a significant boost to solar’s growth throughout the country. 

Further contributing to the industry shift was the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid lockdowns, work-from-home transitions, and social distancing, Americans began spending the majority of their time at home, creating a big swing in how energy costs are distributed among sectors. Now with individual households bearing a greater energy burden, the need for cost savings via  solar installations has gone up.

How Can the New 30% Goal be Reached?

While SEIA feels meeting this goal can be accomplished, it won’t be without a serious ramp-up in effort. They have specified that solar installations must increase by 130% above prior forecasts between 2022 – 2030, deploying more than 700 GWdc to reach nearly 850 GWdc. 

SEIA has warned that delaying this capacity expansion would have stark repercussions for both climate stability and the probability of achieving a 30% production rate.

Contractors Need a Solar Marketing Company to Collect Enough Leads

Rooftop solar installations will play a big role in growing America’s solar electricity generation and reducing carbon emissions. But after suffering financial setbacks througout the pandemic, many residents who would like to go solar are hesitant. 

Contractors who want to keep sales high and do their part to make the Solar+ decade a success will need help finding leads. Turning to a solar marketing company for lead generation can prevent any calendar gaps. Working with Grid Freedom specifically offers the best level of security, since contractors are provided with customers that have already been screened and booked for their first meeting. 

Meet Your Rooftop Installation Goals at www.GridFreedom.com