Will Florida's New Legislation Bomb Rooftop Solar Sales Leads?

Florida’s sunny weather makes the state ripe with opportunities for solar. But the local industry is under threat from the forces employed by fossil fuels and big utilities.

 

Like in many states where solar is gaining traction, Florida has recently introduced legislation that is intended to thwart the industry’s growth. The latest move has been to propose a cut of net-metering rates, which are currently one of the greatest incentives for residential installations.

 

Also included in the bill are additional charges that claim to collect a “fair-share” owed by solar households, despite the fact that the “fair-share” theory has been debunked many times over.

Who’sBehind This Legislation?

The Environment Florida Research & Policy Center (EFRPC), has reported which special interests are behind the new legislation. These include Edison Electric Institute EEI, Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA), The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), and Koch Industries. Each group has ties to investor-owned utilities and major fossil fuel corporations.

 

According to the EFRPC, Florida’s top investor-owned utilities (Florida Power & Light (FPL), Duke Energy, & Tampa Electric Company) have had a history of working with these groups to suppress solar throughout the state.

 

“These tactics include donating to the campaigns of state political figures and parties, employing an army of lobbyists, funding a deceptive 2016 anti-solar ballot initiative (rejected by voters) that would have inserted language imposing barriers to rooftop solar into the state constitution, and unsuccessfully pressuring the state Public Service Commission (PSC) in September 2020 to roll back net metering rules.”

What Happens to Solar Sales Leads if Florida Axes Net Metering?

SaveSolar.org cites that 93% of Floridians support net metering. Their website is enabling residents to write directly to the state legislature, urging them to vote against this bill. But even knowing that the people want solar benefits, there is no guarantee that the legislature will vote in their favor. Special interest lobbying is powerful, and there is a great incentive for lawmakers to disregard public demand.

 

If this anti-solar bill is passed, Florida’s installers can expect to see a major dip in solar sales leads. The financial incentive for residents will be dramatically reduced, and they can expect a much slower ROI on their installations.

 

Contractors will likely have a much harder time generating the leads they need to maintain a profitable business. Fortunately, they can prepare for a market slump by partnering with a lead agency early.

 

Solar marketing companies like Grid Freedom can supply contractors with a consistent stream of customers who are fully prepared to buy solar. Such an arrangement can provide the security that contractors need when organic leads are scarce.

Find Florida Solar Customers at www.GridFreedom.com

The Ethics of Running A Solar Lead Company

With solar ever-growing in popularity, helping contractors connect with customers can be a thriving business opportunity. However, in order for a solar lead company to become a name that contractors can-trust, it must adhere to a strict code of ethics. 

Contractors who are looking for a trustworthy source for leads should always check that the company follows the guidelines below.

The Goal Must Always be to Earn the Most Money - for the Contractors

An ethical business is one that strives to help its customers do better. But there are plenty of solar lead companies that take advantage of solar contractors, using their need for sales to push unfavorable terms. They will often try to force contractors to pay membership fees or buy leads in bulk. With this setup, they can earn even when contractors aren’t getting anything in return, and they can throw in bad leads that weren’t worth paying for at all.

Profit-prioritizing terms puts contractors in a position where they lose money, and lose trust in the lead company. Even though they can generate more earnings early on, they won’t build long-lasting customer relationships.

Some Leads Shouldn’t be Sold

As already touched upon above, a good solar lead company recognizes that not every lead is fit for sale. In fact, the best agencies know that most leads aren’t. They understand that contractors are coming to them for value. When a contractor doesn’t get the value they expected, that isn’t an acceptable result.

Contractors can quickly feel like it’s not worth buying leads when so many don’t work out. This is why selling anything but the best leads available is not a good business strategy for agencies.

Exclusivity is a Must

Speaking of lead quality, exclusivity is an integral feature of ethically-sold leads. An agency may try to get the most money out of a single lead by selling it to several contractors. Then, those contractors have to compete to ultimately win the customer.

Again, this situation results in contractors throwing money at many leads that just don’t turn into sales. It’s discouraging, to say the least.

What Solar Lead Company Follows These Rules of Ethics?

Contractors want to feel confident that the agency they buy from is giving them the best possible terms and opportunities. This is why so many rely on Grid Freedom as their main source of solar leads.

Grid Freedom thoroughly vets every lead with personal phone calls, then hand-picks those that are ready to make a purchase. These leads are then offered exclusively and individually, giving contractors the most favorable terms in the industry. Best yet, all Grid Freedom memberships are completely free. Contractors never pay more than the value of the leads they receive.

Find Honest Solar Lead Sales at www.Gridfreedom.com

How to Convince Hesitant Solar Panel Leads

 

Times are thought right now, for both contractors and the homeowners they sell to. Many residents are currently reluctant to buy a solar system because they are experiencing a great deal of financial uncertainty. But fortunately, there are still a number of ways contractors can win over cautious solar panel leads.

Now May be the Perfect Time for Financing

In order to attract more customers during the economic fallout of the coronavirus, lenders are offering very low interest rates. Even if homeowners can’t afford to buy a solar system outright, they can now get extremely favorable deals on financing.

This option can allow homeowners to take advantage of the federal solar tax credit now, while giving them a chance to get into a better financial position before paying off their installation.

Solar Tax Credits are Drying Up

The solar ITC is currently being phased out, meaning that homeowners won’t be able to write off a big chunk of their solar installation costs for long. The credit percentage has already dropped this year, and is scheduled to drop to 22% at the end of this year. Once 2022 arrives, it will be totally unavailable for residential installations.

If people want to save more than a quarter (26%) of their expense on solar, then they need to get their installation done within the next few months.

An Installation can Increase Home Resale Value

Real estate research has found that solar installations typically increase home values by over $4,000 per kW. That means that even small systems can raise a home’s sale price by $20,000+. This can be especially welcome news to people who are selling their homes in response to the economic pressures created by the pandemic.

Solar panels don’t just raise home values, they’ve also been found to lower a home’s time on the market, and thanks to the energy savings, are seen as highly desirable features by homebuyers. Getting a solar installation can be a quick turnaround investment that allows homeowners to cash out with complete ROI.

Solar can Prevent Budget Uncertainty

With the high-AC demands of summer and the constant heating needed in winter, homeowners can experience some big fluctuations in their energy bills throughout the year. This can be tough for many households to accommodate, since they usually have the same amount of income each month.

Getting a solar installation can not only help these customers avoid hefty seasonal bills, it can also free up money by cutting out a significant portion of their energy costs altogether.

Connect with Solar Panel Leads Who are Ready to Go Solar

Of course, the best case scenario for your sales team is to only talk with customers who don’t need convincing. This is possible when you have a solar marketing company filtering out all but the most enthusiastic prospects.

When you partner with Grid Freedom, we’ll deliver customers who are ready to get the ball rolling on their solar installation. They’re already sold on the benefits of solar, they just need a contractor to help them get it done.

Get Quality Solar Leads at www.Gridfreedom.com

 

The State of Solar in New Jersey 2019

New Jersey has long been a leader in the nationwide push for more solar energy. The state has installed more than Gigawatts of solar capacity, and has been increasingly rolling out new policies to support solar owners and contractors alike.

So what’s the most current lineup of solar incentives and actions in the Garden State? Below, we take a look at what New Jersey’s solar status is in 2019.

Generous Solar Tax Exemptions
The expense of solar panel systems is far less of a worry for NJ homeowners. With the state’s solar sales tax exemption, residents are free from paying any sales tax on their solar equipment. This results in a total price decrease of 7%.

Additionally, NJ offers homeowners a hefty property tax exemption. The amount eligible for exemption is equal to the amount of value a new solar system adds to the home. It’s yet another way that NJ makes solar more affordable, as property taxes would normally go up after a solar installation because the system would increase the property’s value.

Net Metering
NJ’s net metering policy allows homeowners to get paid for the amount of extra energy their solar panels produce. This energy is sent back to the state’s electrical grid, and in exchange, proportional credits are added to the homeowner’s monthly electric bill.

Solar Renewable Energy Credit Program
The SREC program is yet another way that NJ homeowners can earn through their solar panels. For every megawatt of energy created, residents earn one SREC. These SRECs can be sold to utility companies for around $220-$280. That amounts to an average of $1,100-$1,400 per year for owners of a system that produces 5 megawatts annually.

New Community Solar Pilot Program
Just this April it was announced that NJ’s Board of Public Utilities is now accepting applications for its community solar pilot program. This program will allow neighborhoods to set up their own solar systems that distribute the produced energy throughout the community. Such an arrangement enables low and middle income residents to have access to solar power, even if they aren’t able to afford solar panels of their own.

A Solar Marketing Company can Help You get More Solar Sales in New Jersey
With so many strong incentives to go solar in 2019, solar contractors who operate in New Jersey have the opportunity to bring in far more customers. Teaming up with a solar marketing company like Grid Freedom can help you connect with many promising new clients directly.

Learn More about our Lucrative Solar Leads at GridFreedom.com

Why Tax Season is great for Solar

Tax season is in full swing. This may not seem like anything noteworthy when it comes to making solar sales, but it is actually a period ripe with opportunity.

If solar contractors are aware of all the ways that this time of year affects consumers, they can successfully drive more interest and strike more deals.

Money on Their Mind
As homeowners are filling out their tax forms, they are taking a thorough look at their finances. This includes tallying up their annual income and comparing that to their expenses.

Doing so can be a sobering experience. Many find that their expenses are far higher than they would like, and this gets them immediately thinking about how they can lower their yearly costs.

For these homeowners, solar installations can be an attractive money-saving solution. Those that are spending thousands per year on powering their homes stand to save some or even all of that money just by switching to solar.

Tax Credits and Refunds
Going through the process of filing taxes can open people’s eyes to a number of tax credits they didn’t know were available. Federal and state solar tax credits are among them. Homeowners who learn about these credits may be keen on getting a solar installation so that they can lighten their tax burden the following year.

Another perk of tax season is that homeowners are soon receiving their refunds. Getting this money back puts many in the mind to plan new upgrades in their homes. This can lead them to consider solar as their next investment.

Leverage Tax Season to Your Advantage
Now that you know all the ways tax season can make homeowners more receptive to the idea of going solar, you have the opportunity to make more successful sales pitches.

If you’re looking for a wealth of exclusive solar leads to take this new approach with, get in touch with our team. We specialize in curating only the most promising leads on the market.

Get Your Exclusive Solar Leads at GridFreedom.com

How to Find the Best Solar Lead Generation Companies_ One Tell-Tale Sign

Every solar contractor wants to find a steady source of great leads. However, that can be difficult to accomplish when there are so many solar lead generation companies that use underhanded business practices.

So what can solar contractors do to identify which companies should be avoided, and which deserve a second look? They can check for one of the biggest signs of a standout lead company.

Look for Companies that Educate Their Customers
 
The best solar marketing agencies have contractors’ best interests in mind. This means that they care about helping contractors’ businesses do better, even when it doesn’t directly benefit the lead agency themselves.

Lesser lead companies are focused on themselves. Educating customers isn’t important to them because they want to keep contractors dependent on buying their leads. So long as a contractor doesn’t learn how to attract leads on their own, they will need to pay an agency to provide them with a stable supply.

Good companies work to provide their customers with educational resources aimed at improving solar businesses. These include informative blog posts, helpful presentations, and other media that gives contractors the knowledge and strategies they need to succeed. They help contractors prepare for industry changes, figure out how to market more effectively, and improve their sales tactics.

Here are some prime examples of content made to help solar contractors succeed:

●    Need To Know: The Solar Policy Changes That Happened In 2018
●    3 Methods For Pulling In More Solar Installation Leads
●    How To Spot Homeowners Who Are Ready To Go Solar

Agencies that educate understand that they’re creating a win-win scenario. When contractors do better, so do they. These companies become more popular and respected as go-to resources for solar contractors, earning them more business. Additionally, their customers are able to afford more leads as they grow in size and profits.

If a solar lead company doesn’t put any effort into keeping solar contractors well-informed, then it could be a sign that they don’t hold themselves to high standards. Looking for educational materials while scoping out prospective lead generators will help contractors find those who will make great business partners.

Find Your Best Source of Quality Information and Leads at GridFreedom.com