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In 2010, the market value of all residential solar installed in the U.S. was just shy of $ 1.8 billion. Once tallied, the 2011 dollar amount will be substantially larger. According to data collected by GTM Research, there are well over 2,000 experienced residential installers fighting for a piece of this $ 2-billion-plus pie. This highlights the question, who gets the biggest slice? With the explosion of third-party-owned systems in many of the larger state markets, the results are actually quite unsurprising.

Source: GTM Research 

Throughout the first three quarters of 2011, SolarCity reigned supreme with an immense 15% of national market share. This is nearly a full 10% higher than its next closest competitor, Real Goods Solar. This is especially impressive considering that at the end of 2010, SolarCity was virtually even with REC Solar as the largest residential installer, with both firms taking around 5.5% of the market. Much of SolarCity’s capacity comes from its operations in Western states, primarily California and Arizona. Over the last year and a half, though, the company has pushed aggressively into new states, including established markets such as Colorado, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as promising growth markets such as Hawaii, Maryland and Massachusetts. Like nearly all of its top competitors, SolarCity offers residential solar systems with zero money down and an easy-to-understand residential lease structure. What sets the company apart is aggressive marketing and advertising. To Americans not in the solar industry, SolarCity is likely one of the most recognizable names in the business, in addition to SunPower and the late Solyndra. 

Source: GTM Research

Real Goods Solar, a long-established installer, has also focused on the bread-and-butter markets of California, Colorado (also the company’s headquarters), and New Jersey. Through a recent acquisition of the residential division of Alteris Renewables, Real Goods will gain visibility in all of the New England states. Real Goods also acquires a sizable piece of market share, as Alteris Renewables was the 18th largest residential installer by market share for the first three quarters of 2011. Like SolarCity, Real Goods also offers a no-upfront-fee system lease, but only in certain state markets.

Slotting into third, and the only company to have bested SolarCity with regard to installed capacity in any quarter, is REC Solar. Of the top five residential installers, REC Solar is the only company that has lost market share from 2010 to 2011. This may be due to the fact that it has not expanded beyond the AZ, CA, CO and NJ markets. By not pushing into states with small but growing markets, REC was surely hurt by cuts in utility rebates in Colorado and is more exposed than others to the looming incentive changes in Arizona. REC is also the highest-ranked installer on the list that finances systems through SunRun.

Rounding out the top five are PetersenDean and Verengo, the first being a long-established roofing company and the second a relative newcomer with impressive growth in the past two years. PetersenDean’s business largely stems from where it already had roofing-related operations. While the geographic territory does not match that of its competitors, it has managed to maintain a relatively steady market share for the past seven quarters. Verengo was founded in Los Angeles and recently set up operations in New Jersey. Despite offering services in only two states, the company has consistently grown and continues to gain market share with creative, SolarCity-esque marketing. Both outfits have partnered with SunRun to finance installations. Ranking after these companies are a slew of well-known residential installers: Trinity Solar, HelioPower, Sungevity, Mercury Solar Systems, and others. Trinity Solar, the highest ranked company from New Jersey, slots into sixth place overall, and the rest fall throughout the top 20.

As mentioned, there are over 2,000 residential installers doing business in the U.S. As of Q3 2011, companies outside the top 20 commanded 56% of the national market. Though down from 66% in 2010, this is still a significant figure. Similar to the upstream half of the industry, consolidation is occurring amongst residential installers as well, despite the more favorable market conditions in that space. Many of these smaller outfits live and die by the utility and state rebates upon which they thrive. If an installer cannot diversify geographically or operate at low margins, or if a company like SolarCity enters its territory, the sun can quickly and quietly set on its business.

Reviewing the residential installer market shares, it’s safe to say that SolarCity reigns supreme. In an industry with many options, direct-to-consumer marketing has played a major role in SolarCity’s rise to the top, and the company continues to gain momentum. A consistently large pipeline of projects lets SolarCity negotiate better pricing on modules and components. It also attracts large investors such as Google, which invested $ 280 million in a residential solar fund in mid-2011. While other companies have begun to adopt these strategies, SolarCity is already far ahead of the pack and well on its way to conquering the small-commercial market, as well.

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GTM Research now maintains a proprietary database of the top residential and non-residential installers by state and national market share. For purchase information, please email Justin Freedman.

This article was featured in the February 2012 issue of PVNews. To download the complete July 2011 edition of PVNews, which includes the ranking of top-10 developers in U.S. utility-scale PV, please click here.

Now in its 30th year of publication, PVNews continues its tradition as the solar industry's premier periodical. Focusing exclusively on the global PV industry and drawing on the expertise of the GTM Research solar analyst team, at only $ 395/year, PVNews is undoubtedly the industry's best value for in-depth market research. This renowned newsletter includes the following key components in each issue:

• A hand-picked news digest from the solar and related industries, following key developments that are shaping the future of PV
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• Exclusive market trackers: Monthly North American and European Feed-In Tariffs, Monthly U.S. Utility Pipeline, Annual Cell and Module Capacity and Production, Module Supply Agreements, SREC Price Tracker and Monthly Large-Scale Project Announcements
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Going Eco Green

LEAP-VA (Local Energy Alliance Program)/Charlottesville, VA (Position is in Northern Virginia)

The Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP) is the new sponsor for the Northern Virginia Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program (HPwES), and we are looking for someone to work directly with contractors and stakeholder partners to manage our HPwES program in NOVA. This is an exciting opportunity to work with an established nonprofit organization to build the HPwES brand, support local job creation, and grow the energy efficiency community in this area of the state.

The NOVA Residential Energy Services Manager will work in an interdisciplinary, mutually supportive manner with LEAP staff, local government, and other Alliance partners, to maximize effective delivery of services and resources to the residential building sector through the management of the NOVA Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program. This person will be responsible for recruiting contractors for HPwES, Quality Assurance, and the reporting required by the DOE and our State Energy Program (SEP) grant, which funds the position. Reports to the Executive Director.

Position will be located at LEAP's new offices in northern Virginia. To download the full job announcement, please visit our website: www.leap-va.org/about/staff.

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You could say Abdimalik Abu is a lucky man. A series of fortunate circumstances placed him and his family in a solar-powered, air-conditioned home just in time for the hottest summer in Houston history.

Mr. Abu’s father already owned a house built by the Houston branch of Habitat for Humanity, and urged his son to apply for the program. At about the same time, the organization was looking for opportunities to make further advancements in their commitment to green living.

Abu and his wife had been living with their two young sons in a cramped apartment, when one son developed asthma. It became more important than ever to move his family to a healthier environment. Finally, the Abu’s learned they had been accepted for the Milby Park neighborhood project – just as they discovered they were pregnant with twins.

Their good luck didn’t stop there. The home built for the Abu family would be the first Houston Habitat for Humanity home to go solar. With help from GE and Green Mountain Energy, solar panels were installed, for electricity as well as a solar-powered hot water system.

To see how much you could save with a solar installation, click here.

In addition to the 10-panel system, the home also features non-VOC paint and cabinetry made from woods approved by the Forest Stewardship Council.

Houston Solar On the Rise

Habitat’s Stephen Sye said that by the end of the year, 11 to 13 homes in the Milby Park Sub-Division will have been built with solar panels on their roofs, with another 15 homes to be completed next year. This is exciting news for the state of Texas, which recently exploded with home solar installations.

The families moving into the Milby neighborhood aren’t just benefiting from solar power, says Sye, “they’re also having an opportunity to be a contributor to social responsibility.”

Houston residents accepted into the Habitat program agree to a no-interest mortgage. In lieu of a down payment, they contribute 300 hours of “sweat equity,” helping volunteers and Habitat staff to build their homes. Since 1987, 840 homes in Houston have been built through the Habitat for Humanity program.

Abu and his family are just happy to be able to run their air-conditioner to beat the heat. “I’m enjoying it,” Abu said. “Making my life easier. ”

Making Residential Solar Affordable

The solar panel system cost ,000, about the average price for a 10-panel array. The solar water heater cost an additional ,000.

Those suffering through the heat may be glad to learn that many solar contractors now provide leasing options as well, making it possible to go solar with little or no money down. Monthly payments are usually less than homeowners were paying for regular utility bills. There are also a host of solar rebates in Texas that make installation affordable for most homeowners.

The Abu’s are enjoying substantial savings, too. Since the family moved into their new 4-bedroom home in January, their average utility bill has been reduced to .

“Oh, it’s really nice and saves me a lot of money. Putting money in my pocket, ” Abu said. With twins about to arrive, it’s likely that money will come in handy.

Residential Solar Power Blog

This morning’s post is courtesy of rock star solar blogger Lorna Li. You can check out her blog at GreenMarketingTV, or get help with your solar installation by clicking here.

Do you dream of powering your home with clean, renewable solar energy, but find the cost of solar panels intimidating? Given that solar systems can easily cost K, unless you are a DIY solar guru, it’s hard for most people to go off the grid without breaking the bank. However, solar leasing has become a hot topic these days. I’ve been researching the pros and cons of buying versus leasing my own solar panels.

Residential solar leasing is a relatively new concept, but one that is gaining quickly in popularity. Typically, homeowners sign a contract with a solar leasing company for 10, 15, or 20 years. The company installs solar panels on the home and also takes care of any maintenance or repairs that may be required during the term of the lease.

In exchange, the homeowner plays a fixed monthly fee (solar lease) or agrees to purchase the power produced by the system for a set price per kilowatt-hour (solar power purchase agreement, or PPA). When a solar lease ends, homeowners typically have the options of upgrading the equipment (if necessary) and renewing the lease, or ending the lease and having the solar panels removed at no cost.

There are both advantages and disadvantages of a residential solar lease for homeowners. Keep reading to decide if residential solar leasing is right for you!

Advantages of Residential Solar Leases

For many homeowners, the biggest advantage of residential solar leasing is the elimination of the upfront cost of purchasing and installing a home solar system. Since a typical system costs about -40,000, this can mean substantial upfront savings for homeowners. Additionally, homeowners who choose residential leases are able to start benefiting from savings on their utility bills immediately, while homeowners who purchase their own solar panels may have to wait seven years or more before the system pays for itself.

Another financial benefit of residential solar leases is that your savings may increase over time. In recent years, utility costs have been rising an average of 5% per year. Depending on the terms of your solar lease, you may be able to lock your energy rates in at a permanently lower rate while neighbors without solar leases continue to pay higher rates every year.

Some homeowners also appreciate the peace of mind residential solar leases provide, because the solar leasing company monitors the performance of the solar panels and will promptly repair any damage to the unit at no extra charge to the homeowner. Solar leasing companies also perform routine maintenance on leased solar panels, which, though not difficult, is especially valuable for homeowners with physical disabilities that would make them unable to maintain the panels themselves, or who are otherwise unable or unwilling to do so.

Disadvantages of Residential Solar Leases

For many homeowners, the biggest disadvantage of residential solar leases is that, in effect, it simply replaces your current utility company with the solar leasing company. Though you probably will see immediate savings on your utility bills and those savings may increase over time, you are still dependent on an outside company for power.

If you purchase your own solar panels, on the other hand, any power you generate with the panels after they have paid for themselves is essentially free, and if you participate in a local net metering program, it may even earn your family a profit! Either way, owning your own solar panels means true energy independence for the full lifetime of the panels.

Thanks to a growing array of local and federal tax incentives and other financing options, it may also be possible to offset a substantial percentage of the upfront cost of a home solar system, reducing the time it takes for the system to pay for itself and minimizing the high upfront costs that are one of the primary reasons many homeowners choose residential solar leases in the first place.

Another disadvantage of residential solar leases for some homeowners is the long contract period. If you decide to move before your contract is up, you may need to transfer the lease to the new owner, or buy out the lease and add it to the cost of the home. If you own your own solar panels, your home’s value will also increase (an average of more than for every in annual electricity savings, according to a study by the Appraisal Institute), but you, not the solar leasing company, will be the beneficiary of this increase.

Residential solar leasing can be a great way for homeowners who want to save money and go green without the high upfront costs of purchasing a home solar system to benefit from clean, renewable solar power, but it’s not for everyone. Be sure to weigh the advantages and disadvantages carefully before making your choice.

Residential Solar Power Blog

Solar Energy Power have become a preferred method for home-owners to use solar energy, minimize energy prices, and even have positive impact on the environment.
Solar panels.Solar power.Solar cells

Using a solar power system for home is becoming increasingly popular these days. When you think of solar power you think of heating and light for your residence. That is 1 of the numerous things that we employ solar power for. Solar power is everywhere and it is increasing daily. There are many different products that are made for using solar power. This article will list these goods and their uses and in addition how solar power has consequences for them. Solar power is using the sun’s natural heat to create electricity, heat, and more. After you utilize solar power you using the planet’s natural resources that cannot damage the world in ways that other systems do.
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Having solar panelsin your house is a great savings to your electric bills and you also have a clean environment since it produce clean energy. So you are hitting 2 birds with one stone. Since the world’s natural resources are depleting rapidly you need to find a way to compensate.
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