Scrolling through LinkedIn right after the House passed the GOP tax bill, I stopped at a meme posted by Kelly Pickerel of Solar Power World of Homer Simpson running through Springfield’s nuclear plant - red lights flashing, everyone running in circles, completely panicked. The caption read: “Anyone else feel like this in the solar industry this fine morning.”
I laughed, and then I winced.
The proposed GOP tax bill is a poison pill for the solar industry. Whether the Senate signs off is still up in the air, but solar companies everywhere are already reacting. Some moves are instinctive, others strategic, and all of them reveal what it takes to keep the lights on—pun intended—when policy earthquakes hit.
Below is what we’re hearing from Bodhi customers and partners nationwide, framed as five steps shaping their next 180 days.
Step 1: Calling their senator—and admitting hope isn’t a plan
The first step is straight from the civic-engagement playbook: pick up the phone, call your senator, and hope. Solar-energy trade associations are circulating call scripts, and inboxes are full of call-to-action emails. There’s a genuine belief that enough constituent pressure could preserve the solar tax credit—after all, it created hundreds of thousands of rooftop-solar jobs over the past decade.
Yet even the most optimistic solar business owners acknowledge that waiting on Capitol Hill is like waiting on the weather: you lobby, you hope, but you still grab an umbrella. That’s why phones to Washington are ringing in one hand while the other hand is executing Steps 2-5 below.
Step 2: Doubling up on lead gen, even with limited budgets
If there’s one thing the threat of a disappearing tax credit does well, it creates urgency. Just look at what solar customers did during the previous solar ITC step down from 30% to 26% in 2020 or the NEM 3.0 rush in 2023. Companies with the budget are increasing ad buys because “lock in your 30% before it’s gone” resonates across demographics.
But after a rough 2024, plenty of firms can’t simply swipe a larger card. For them, the real opportunity hides inside their own CRM. Think about every contact who requested a proposal in 2023 or 2024, balked at one thing or the other, and then disappeared. Think about happy customers who never got a nudge for referrals. This is low-cost harvestable demand. All it takes is systematic follow-up, ideally automated so sales reps aren’t moonlighting as copywriters.
Many solar installers have started using solar automation software like Bodhi to build “Credit Countdown” automated customer journeys to revive those dormant contacts. A typical nurturing campaign mixes educational material on how the incentive works with gentle reminders of each solar customer’s personalized savings—and it finishes with a call to action with an easy booking link. Once activated, these campaigns allow the sales team to focus on closing renewed leads that hit reply.
RELATED: Your comprehensive guide to solar marketing in 2025
Step 3: Preparing operations for a surge in installs
The House bill doesn’t just kill the solar tax credit; it compresses the time customers have to qualify for it. Under the current language, a contract alone won’t suffice. Systems must be “placed in service” sooner, meaning energized and inspected before the calendar turns 2026. That redefines “booked backlog” from a comfort cushion into a ticking clock.
Experienced solar project managers and customer support reps know what happens next: solar customers grow anxious, inboxes overflow, phone lines are flooded, and escalations take over the office. Everyone wants to know “When will my system be installed? Any updates?”
That’s where proactive communication becomes hard currency. Installers are turning to software for solar customer communications like Bodhi’s to tackle the anxiety before it starts. First, customer messaging is crafted to clearly set expectations on project timelines. Then automatic but highly personalized project updates ping customers the moment the project progresses - for example, when a permit is issued or an interconnect is scheduled. A real-time status portal lets them confirm progress without calling the office. And because Bodhi AI Assistant sits on top of company-specific SOPs, a solar customer can ask at 11 p.m., “When’s my install?” or “What’s the next step?” and get clear answers while your staff sleeps. One regional EPC trimmed pre-install call volume by 40% last year—capacity they’ll need if the Senate votes yes.
Step 4: Re-engineering costs for a post-ITC world
Let’s assume the worst-case scenario: the GOP tax bill kills the residential solar tax credit, interest rates stay elevated, and incentives shrink to utility-level scraps. Success in 2026 and beyond will hinge on slashing both customer acquisition costs (CAC) and operational overhead.
Many solar CEOs are reevaluating every aspect of their business. We can no longer afford CAC that tops $2000 or $3000, let alone the $5000 that many national installers have experienced the past few years. Instead, can we aim to match the average CAC of $500-$1000 per sale that the car industry is able to achieve? We also no longer can have project coordinators handling only 50 customers at a given time. Instead, can we aim to match the average load of 200 projects per coordinator that other residential construction companies have?
Solar customer experience software like Bodhi sits at the intersection of those imperatives. By automating highly personalized and rightly timed status updates and customer sentiment monitoring, one coordinator is able to manage twice the project volume than before. Upset customers are flagged early with Bodhi's AI-powered solar customer sentiment tool, reducing cancellation risk and protecting every dollar of CAC you worked so hard to save. Automation won’t replace great solar customer service, but it will make sure your people spend their energy on high-value tasks—like solving complex technical issues or delighting a referral-ready solar customer—instead of re-typing the same “Your inspection is scheduled” email 50 times a week.
RELATED: 7 ways solar companies are using AI to improve their sales and operations
Step 5: Expanding into service before the wave of orphaned customers
There’s another shift on the horizon: more bankruptcies. If the solar ITC is pulled, many solar companies will not survive. Each shuttered business, however, leaves behind orphaned solar systems that still need long-term servicing—and a solar customer willing to pay someone reliable.
Forward-thinking companies have already diversified into solar service and repair, building new business lines that aren’t dependent on new installations. From inverter swaps to panel cleanings, service offers additional revenue and continued engagement with solar customers—even if system sales slow down.
But solar service is not easy. It’s a different business that involves smaller dollar jobs and optimizing truck rolls, not to mention the many hidden challenges of service. To help, the Bodhi platform was recently updated with a dedicated automated Service & Repair journey that guides customers from intake and assessment through repair and follow-up care. Installers can automate updates like the status of an RMA request or ask solar customers to upload a picture of an inverter error via SMS. Bodhi’s solar-specific AI assistant even answers common support questions instantly, freeing up service coordinators to focus on resolution instead of repetition.
Conclusion: Now is the time to act—not panic
The GOP tax bill may or may not pass. But the best solar companies aren’t waiting to find out. They’re acting now—reaching out to lawmakers, re-engaging leads, automating their workflows, and building more resilient businesses for whatever comes next.
It’s going to be a tough year. But the companies that act decisively will be the ones telling the best stories in 2026. Let Bodhi help you write yours.
Book a demo today and see how automation and AI can be your most powerful tools now and in a post-tax-credit world.
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