Adam-GlickPossible New Solar Installer Regulations – That’s a win!

By Adam Glick, Sr Consultant, NATiVE Solar

I was going to pen a nice longish blog entry about how new potential legislation in the state house may help end the appalling litany of fraud and abuse inflicted in the past by unscrupulous solar installation outfits. But it seems the nice folks over at San Antonio Express News already beat me to the punch in December with a thoughtfully-written article. But here i’ll provide you, my kind reader, with some high-level take-aways and analysis.

But First, Let’s Talk About the Elephant in the Room.
I’m not going to sugarcoat this: Bad actors in a largely unregulated Texas solar industry have been a scourge. They have harmed countless thousands of innocent people using shady and opaque marketing and sales tactics, too-good-to-be-true financing offers, poor designs and/or product quality, shoddy workmanship and corner-cutting, and sometimes even just taking the money and running away. The victims have often been left with little-to-no recourse for seeking justice and financial remuneration except through painfully drawn-out and costly lawsuits. Hundreds of solar installation firms have come and gone in Texas – ultimately either unable or unwilling to dutifully and properly service both the short-term and the long-term interests of their customers. This has left many homeowners holding an empty bag. Frankly, it’s been a shameful mess.

So, yes Texas solar customers need more protections and the industry could and probably should be better-regulated. I agree.

But I also digress. So, here are the high-level takeaways from this (well-written, IMHO) article about the situation leading into ‘25:

Lack of State Regulation: Texas has no statewide licensing for solar salespeople or technicians. This has likely allowed sometimes fraudulent sales practices and poor-quality installations – i.e. solar scams.

Weak Consumer Protection: Many customers face misleading sales pitches, poor-quality systems, and financial losses. In many cases, the feds and/or State of Texas won’t (or can’t) get involved.

Battered Industry Reputation: Many established solar firms and thought leaders are advocating for tighter regulations to rebuild trust.

Resistance to Oversight: Some stakeholders -both in government and business- fear overregulation might stifle industry growth -or otherwise have competing agendas.

Proposed Solutions: Calls for new licensing, standardized training, and stronger consumer protection laws are being increasingly discussed in the Texas State legislature.

Anyway, check out the article -It’s a really good 10 min deep dive on the subject which, if you’re still reading these words, you might likely find insightful. 🙂

**NATiVE Solar are proud to be a member of AMICUS Solar Cooperative – whose membership is reserved for companies that not only meet stringent standards but also embody a purpose to empower the solar industry through collaborative, ethical, and a conscientious approach to the solar business.

Since 2007, NATiVE Solar have worked across the state to build a firm based on ethical personal and business practices, open communication and enduring, earned trust. We don’t always get it perfect 100% of the time. We’re humans, after all. But we do stand behind our word and our work -100% of the time.

Call us to discuss your solar project today.