Does residential solar have a bad product?

The residential solar industry is facing its most challenging period in years. High interest rates, sweeping policy change, and stubbornly high customer acquisition costs are all causing a contraction after years of rapid growth. In this episode of Open Circuit, we examine this market transition. We’ll look at how the industry may emerge from the current downturn — through cost reduction, community-driven models, and evolving beyond a “bad product” to something that provides real grid services. We’ll also talk about troubles at Sunnova, and what it means for the company’s $3 billion DOE loan guarantee.  Plus, as data centers get creative about sourcing power, a novel solution: off-grid solar microgrids that could bypass grid constraints entirely. Recent analysis shows hybrid solar-gas systems could deliver power at costs competitive with conventional options. Is this an answer to the AI power crunch? Sign up for our merch sweepstakes here. And sign up for our live episode on April 16 here. Open Circuit is supported by Kraken, the only proven, AI-powered operating system for utilities. Learn how Kraken helps unlock excellent customer experiences, increased innovation and reduced operational costs at kraken.tech. Open Circuit is brought to you by On.Energy. As one of the fastest-growing battery storage IPPs, On.Energy delivers turnkey resiliency solutions for utilities and enterprise customers. Whether you’re managing data centers or local grids, we help bring storage to your fleet. Learn more at on.energy. Credits: Co-hosted by Stephen Lacey, Jigar Shah, and Katherine Hamilton. Produced and edited by Stephen Lacey. Original music and engineering by Sean Marquand.