Artificial intelligence is showing up in every corner of the solar industry—from proposal software to microinverters—and it’s reshaping how installers work. In this Solar Builder interview, Editor-in-Chief Chris Crowell talks with Jason Higginson, Head of Marketing for North America at APsystems, about how AI tools are improving design, sales, customer service, and long-term system performance.

We cover:

- Why AI is no longer optional for solar businesses

- The top AI tools installers should start using right now

- How APsystems is building AI into its microinverters, storage, and APdesigner software

- Real-world impacts on efficiency, customer satisfaction, and profitability

If you’re a solar installer looking to stay competitive in 2025 and beyond, this conversation breaks down what you need to know.

0:19 Why AI matters for solar installers now

1:35 Where AI is embedded in today’s solar tools

2:35 Boosting customer satisfaction and reducing errors

3:22 No-brainer AI tools for solar companies

4:49 Example of AI-driven design with APdesigner

8:15 Is AI good enough to help avoid change orders?

9:31 Operational AI in the field: commissioning & troubleshooting

11:25 APsystems and AI optimization

13:02 AI-powered battery management and time-of-use savings

13:46 Manufacturing & background AI applications

15:15 Looking ahead: proactive AI tools for solar businesses

17:18 AI for O&M, customer follow-ups, and repowering

Solar energy compensation programs continue to change across the country, as states move away from retail net metering. A great resource for following these trends is the NC Clean Energy Technology Center.

The Center is home to the Database of States Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE), a public good that provides information on policies and programs related to clean energy at the federal, state, local, and utility level across the United States.

Its quarterly 50 States of Solar. series provides insights on state regulatory and legislative discussions and actions on distributed solar policy, with a focus on net metering, distributed solar valuation, interconnection rules, community solar, residential fixed charges, residential demand and solar charges, and third-party ownership.

Joining The Buzz to sum up the latest actions, and chat about the future of net metering is Rebekah de la Mora, a Senior Policy Analyst at the NC Clean Energy Technology Center at NC State University.

• 1:08 - Top line trends in changes being made to net metering
• 4:49 - Are there more actions happening now than previously?
• 7:37 - So, is it fair to say "net metering is dead" ?
• 9:09 - Impact of interval data & time of use rates on distributed generation compensation
• 13:35 - Will moving to TOU billing hurt nascent solar markets?
• 17:46 - What states have "friendlier" solar compensation rates?
• 19:15 - Boosting incentives for commercial solar customers
• 23:02 - Emerging markets for commercial solar + storage

Solar panels make a great pair with metal rooftops – as long as you have the right attachment system and support team that understands the nuances of the application. Today on the Pitch we’re talking all about solar mounting on metal roofs with Jesse Winternitz, application engineer with S-5!

• 0:34 - Background of S-5! and metal roof attachment
• 2:31 - Role of the S-5! Support Team
• 4:12 - Misconceptions of solar projects on metal roofs
• 4:53 - Overview of PVKIT system & installation
• 6:29 - How PVKIT helps overcome common project challenges
• 8:13 - How the Support Team helps overcome challenges
• 9:17 - Advice for installers considering metal roof jobs
• 10:11 - How else S-5! is innovating in solar

The Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) is signed, as is the death warrant for the residential solar tax credit. On Power Forward, Solar Builder Editor-in-Chief Chris Crowell discusses what solar installers should do next with David Dunlap, VP of product strategy with BayWa r.e.

0:36 - How to handle the Dec. 31, 2025, deadline for end of ITC

3:08 - What qualifies as a "project" to qualify for tax credit by Dec. 31.

5:40 - What should solar installers do now to prepare for life after ITC?

9:04 - Ways to change my sales approach (and pricing) with no tax credit.

13:26 - Is "diversification" strategy still viable without EV and other tax credits?

16:52 - The case for getting into commercial solar projects

21:07 - Final thoughts: Any silver linings to losing the tax credit?

About BayWa r.e.https://solar-distribution-us.baywa-re.com/

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The residential solar market has changed, which means residential solar business models need to change too. Over the next few episodes of Power Forward! we’ll discuss some actionable strategies for restructuring your approach so that your solar installation business can be more resilient in the years ahead. To kick things off we’re zooming in on the concept of “repowering,” and how you can turn that into a profit center, with Travis Walker, our Director of Business Development at BayWa r.e, and Corey Garrison, CEO of SouthFace Solar & Electric in Arizona.

0:52 – What services should be offered by solar installer’s “service department”

3:32 – How to start pursuing solar repowering jobs

5:54 – How to sort a list of past customers for repowering potential

8:08 – The value of customer service agreements

9:01 – The economics of solar repowering: What’s my margin?

13:39 – Working with new (unhappy) customers with stranded systems

15:33 – Challenges or downsides to repowering jobs?

18:13 – Three ways to approach repowering as a line of business

22:16 – Hardware considerations when repowering.

BayWa r.e. https://us.baywa-re.com/en/ SouthFace Solar & Electric https://southfacesolar.com/ Subscribe to Solar Builder: https://subscribe.solarbuildermag.com/subscribe

A quality solar installation starts with respecting your customer’s roof. Today on the Pitch, Rick Gentry and Ben Hedrick from QuickBOLT discuss common issues on the roof and advancements in solar mounting designs over the years. Then, they explain QuickBOLT's latest roof protection product: QuickPATCH.

0:21 - Overview of common problems seen on the roof 1:06 - How rooftop solar mounting has evolved 3:01 - Avoiding (and dealing with) missed pilot holes 4:26 - Explanation of butyl as a sealant 5:29 - QuickPATCH installation demo 7:33 - Why QuickPATCH over the flash card and sealant? 10:17 - Direct-to-deck mounting trend 11:31 - Where to order QuickPATCH

QuickBOLT: https://quickbolt.com/

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Relive this New Product Showcase session, live from the Hub stage at Intersolar & Energy Storage North America in San Diego! Solar Builder Editor-in-Chief Chris Crowell interviews three entrants in the New Product Showcase:

- Dave Dong, Director Vertical Growth NAM, nVent,

- Stephanie Choi Brookes, CMO, Emtel Energy USA

- Cody Sellers, Business Development-Enterprise Solutions, GME Supply

nVent showcased the ERIFLEX FleXbus, an innovative solution for connecting large electrical installations, such as transformers, switchboards, and generators. This unique concept is an attractive alternative for connections up to 25 meters, and up to 50% quicker to install than busduct or wireway. The highly flexible nVent ERIFLEX FleXbus utilizes single conductors per phase, eliminating the need for multiple cables and cable trays, consuming significantly less space. With no bending radius requirement and adaptability to various layouts, nVent ERIFLEX FleXbus streamlines installation in tight areas and enables connections to be made above ground that would otherwise require trenching. https://www.nvent.com/en-us/

Emtel Energy USA is pioneering electrostatic supercapacitor-based energy storage solutions that deliver high efficiency, long-duration performance, and enhanced safety—without relying on lithium. Their proprietary technology ensures stable energy retention and controlled release, making it an ideal alternative for a range of applications from a residential product that can hang on the wall inside (no thermal runaway risk) to utility-scale containers. https://emtelenergyusa.com/

GME Supply introduced their new Enterprise Solutions Platform, a private company website that allows your team to easily order Workwear, fall protection, safety footwear and PPE and more; plus an administrative dashboard that puts your company in control. https://www.gmesupply.com/

Domestic content is one of the most important topics in the solar industry, but what do solar contractors need to know about it right now? We go in-depth on the topic with David Dunlap, VP of product strategy at BayWa r.e.

0:48 - Has the Trump Administration changed the domestic content outlook? 3:02 - Available U.S. solar manufacturing (modules, inverters, racking, batteries) 7:12 - Overview of changes to Safe Harbor Tables 9:38 - Is there value in sourcing a module with domestic wafers? 13:23 - MLPE vs. string cost percentage comparison 17:26 - How long can I use the May 2024 Safe Harbor Table? 19:24 - Changes to Energy Storage domestic content rules 22:29 - Does the DC percentage step up 5% each year for the ITC or no? 25:16 - What is the residential demand for domestic content solar products? 27:58 - Demand for domestic content in commercial solar? 29:06 - Is it just better to not pursue the domestic content tax credit?

BayWa r.e. https://us.baywa-re.com/en/

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