2025 was one of the most challenging years the solar industry has ever seen. Between the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), still-high interest rates, and two major financier bankruptcies, installers have faced disruptions in every direction.
But 2026 doesn’t have to be another year of uncertainty — it can be a year of opportunity.
The expiration of the Section 25D tax credit for customer-owned systems will fundamentally change how solar is sold and financed, but companies that act now to adapt their models, automate their processes, and expand their offerings will be positioned to grow in the year ahead.
This checklist highlights three key areas within your control that can help you set your business up for success in 2026 and beyond — with actionable steps and free resources to help you get there.
1. Start selling TPO
With the expiration of Section 25D at the end of 2025, the market is decisively shifting toward third-party ownership (TPO) models — leases and PPAs.
According to Wood Mackenzie, TPO’s market share is expected to jump from 45% in 2024 to 70% in 2026, as homeowners look for ways to go solar without the upfront costs or complexity of ownership. Similarly, Ohm Analytics forecasts that TPO will represent 69% of all residential installs in 2026, driven by the availability of Section 48E credits and domestic content adders.
Checklist: How to Get Ready
_ See which TPO providers cover your market(s). Use this interactive map to help find the best partner.
_ Apply to become an approved TPO partner. Many providers — including Palmetto LightReach and GoodLeap — are actively onboarding new partners. Application forms are linked in the interactive map in the previous step.
_ Activate your TPO integration in Sales Mode. Once approved, Aurora’s integrations make it easy to quote and apply for financing directly from your proposal. See instructions on setting up your integration here.
_ Train your team. Use the interactive tour and TPO cheat sheet below to get your sales reps fluent in lease/PPA structures and how to position them confidently.
Helpful Resources
- Webinar: Introduction to Third-Party Financing — co-hosted by LightReach and Aurora, breaking down how TPO works and how to sell it effectively.
- Webinar: FEOC, Domestic Content, and Safe Harbor — learn how to qualify projects under 48E and navigate upcoming equipment rules.
- Interactive Tour: Aurora’s TPO Integrations Tour — quick-start walkthrough of how to use Aurora’s TPO integrations in Sales Mode.
- Guide: TPO Cheat Sheet — learn the basics of why you should offer TPO, and how to make your offers more attractive.
2. Automate to Reduce Soft Costs
Margins are tighter than ever. Soft costs — including customer acquisition, design, permitting, and labor — make up nearly 40% of total project costs, or about $1.31 per watt. In a post-OBBB world, cutting these costs is the single biggest lever you have to protect profitability.
Automation is no longer a luxury; it’s essential. Whether it’s auto-generating proposals, eliminating repeat site visits, or integrating your tech stack via API, every minute saved directly impacts your margins. Companies that have adopted automation across sales, design, and operations have saved days off of their project timelines while increasing designer throughput and closing more deals.
Checklist: Where to Start
_ Document your current workflow metrics — close rate, change order %, time to proposal, etc.
_ Identify your “hidden margin killers” — rework, repeat site surveys, manual handoffs, permitting delays, etc.
_ Build a soft cost reduction roadmap (use the ROI Playbook’s worksheet)
_ Set up automations in Aurora, such as:
– Aurora AI for 3D models in 15 seconds
– AutoDesigner for one-click panel layouts
– APIs for syncing data between with your CRM
Helpful Resources
- Guide: ROI Playbook — step-by-step guide to measure ROI and build your soft-cost reduction roadmap.
- Guide: Automation in Aurora Guide — overview of every automation available in Aurora today, linked to instructions on how to set them up.
- Webinars:
3. Make Storage Standard
Battery storage has officially moved from “nice-to-have” to “need-to-have”.
According to Wood Mackenzie, storage was attached to 42% of residential solar installs in Q2 2025, up from 38% the previous quarter — and that number is rising fast. In markets like California and Puerto Rico, storage attachment rates are already above 80%, and Ohm Analytics projects that across the rest of the US, storage will be included in 57% of installs by 2030.
Between net metering changes, incentive programs, and increasing grid instability, storage is now central to the homeowner value proposition — and a key differentiator for your business.
Checklist: Steps to Take
_ Train your team on how storage adds value under new rate structures
_ Standardize your battery products and pricing to simplify quoting
_ Model storage in every proposal — even if it’s optional, show the long-term value
_ Use Aurora’s advanced storage modeling for realistic savings projections and educational tools
_ Include retrofit opportunities for past customers looking to add storage
Helpful Resources
- Guide: Storage Cheat Sheet
- Interactive Tours:
- Webinar: How to Design Solar + Storage in Under 15 Minutes
2026 is the year to get ahead
If 2025 was about navigating policy change, 2026 will be about thriving through adaptation. The companies that take these three steps — offering TPO, automating their operations, and making storage a core part of their offering — will emerge leaner, faster, and more resilient.
At Aurora, we’re committed to helping you not just weather the transition, but lead it. From smarter automations to deeper integrations and advanced storage modeling, we’re building the tools to help you stay ahead of the curve.
So as you head into the new year, ask yourself:
“Are we prepared to sell and deliver solar in the market that’s coming — not the one that’s behind us?”
Featured image by Jakub Żerdzicki.
