Zach I am an Electrical Contractor that installs Solar. The only reason I see Solar contractors going out of business is because they are JUST solar contractors. What that means is they thought they were going to make a bunch of money so they got a solar contracting license but they really arent business contractors. They have rediculous sales scheme and commonly there are two three or even 4 hands in the cookie jar, everyone trying to make way too much money.
90% of all solar installs do not have batteries at this point. They are grid tie only. The main push in the industry has been this setup not battery systems. It is changing due to elon musk and the fact that power companies want to use everyone as their battery and distributed grid system.
Small mom and pop Solar companies are going broke because the general population will not spend the money to buy solar. An offgrid house to run like a normal house would cost 40,000.00 and no one wants to pay that, period. And they just dont buy in large enough qty to get good prices.
And 100% people are lazy and they do not want to learn how to actually own solar. I have done offgrid systems for people gave the the walk through when it was done, handed them the paper work told them they HAVE TO READ IT. and when something went weird, they called me, my first question, did you read the manuals. That stammer and claim they did but the next two questions tells me they didnt, and not to be a jerk, but I tell them the answer is in there, and they have a choice, pay me to go out there which will cost a lot because well they are off grid. Or they can learn their system and take care of it. The next response is pretty typical, but its under warranty right. Yes the manufacturers warrant their products, and I have a warranty on workmanship, but I do not guaranty production, and even if a part fails the warranty does not cover my labor, it covers the part, you still have to pay me to do the work. Too often they started pushing buttons because they ran the batteries dead and they messed it up.
If your Lazy, NO Solar for YOU! its sad how lazy people are, #1 thing I hear, "I dont wantto think about it" people spend huge amounts of money and time to avoid thinking.
Manufacturers in the US are dropping off because they were never really Solar companies, they were slush funds to filter government money out of the system. Now that is coming to an end so they just BK and all the individuals take their huge paychecks home. That and the fact that the EPA makes it nearly impossible to build cells here.
Hit me up if your needing stuff, Alt E does not have good prices, I can point you to who does at that time, lithium based batteries are actually to a point where they are making sense if you put some effort in.
Great comment you posted. I'm still getting up to speed on the battery side of solar, as it's not very cost effective here in much of the east coast and the demand isn't there. (until another Superstorm Sandy comes thru). After Sandy companies in NJ / NY were selling a TON of generators. Now that market has gone quiet.
I expect when the next storm hits up here it will push for more battery backups. Hopefully, Tesla, Sonnen and others will make it much more practical and cost-effective enough to go with that.
GREAT comment. I didn't get a chance to read it until now. I may even make a video just on your comment. Because you are in the industry, you have a better handle on the manufacturing side of things. But judging from your comment, I was right on the retail side of things for the most part. People are lazy.