The US solar industry is going through one of its biggest resets in years. Tax credits have changed, financing has tightened, and many installers are feeling the pressure.

So the question many installers are asking is simple: can US solar still thrive without tax credits?

In Episode 7 of The OpenSolar Podcast, Andrew “Birchy” Birch sits down with Dan Johnson, CEO of Six Rivers Solar, whose business is proving that the answer isn’t black and white. While incentives have helped shape the industry, long-term success increasingly depends on how businesses adapt, sell value and build resilience.

Also available to stream on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Building a business around resilience

Founded in 1980, Six Rivers Solar has deep roots in California’s off-grid market, dating back to long before battery storage became mainstream. That experience still shapes the business today.

While many residential installers have experienced a difficult year, Six Rivers Solar has deliberately expanded into commercial solar, creating a diversified business that’s less exposed to market swings. At the same time, the company continues to install batteries with almost every system, helping customers prioritise energy independence alongside long-term savings.

“If you can build a healthy mix of residential and commercial projects, it gives you stability when one part of the market slows.”

Selling value before price

For Dan, batteries aren’t simply another product to upsell. They’re central to the customer conversation.

Rather than leading with cost, his sales team focuses on resilience, future-proofing and energy independence before discussing price.

“Everything you say before you show the price is building value. Once you’ve shown the price, you’re justifying cost.”

That philosophy carries through to every proposal, giving customers clear options while helping them understand why investing in a larger battery system often delivers greater long-term value.

If not tax credits, then what?

The loss of federal incentives has undoubtedly made selling solar harder for many installers.

But Dan believes the industry’s future can’t rely on incentives forever. Rising electricity prices, falling battery costs and better technology continue to strengthen the economics of solar, even if the sales conversation has changed.

“The truth is PG&E has raised electricity rates around 30%. The value proposition today is effectively back where it was before.”

His point isn’t that tax credits don’t matter. It’s that the strongest solar businesses are learning to sell on long-term value, not short-term incentives.

Efficiency is becoming a competitive advantage

As margins tighten, reducing soft costs matters just as much as reducing hardware costs.

Dan explains how faster permitting through SolarAPP+, better site data, and connected workflows are helping installers spend less time on administration and more time installing systems.

For growing solar businesses, efficiency is about creating the capacity to scale without continually adding overhead.

Creating opportunity in a slower market

Residential demand may have softened, but Six Rivers Solar didn’t wait for conditions to improve.

Instead, the team proactively re-engaged commercial customers ahead of policy changes, creating urgency that resulted in several years’ worth of commercial projects being secured in a single month.

The lesson is simple: in a slower market, growth rarely comes from waiting. It comes from adapting your strategy.

So, can US solar thrive without tax credits?

Dan doesn’t suggest the transition will be easy. Financing remains tougher, customer confidence has shifted, and many installers are still navigating uncertainty.

But his experience suggests the answer is yes.

The businesses most likely to succeed will be those that diversify, improve operational efficiency and build trust through honest, value-led sales conversations.

“Good reviews and referrals are the heart of the business.”

There are no easy wins in today’s US solar market. But Six Rivers Solar shows that businesses built on operational discipline, customer trust and the ability to adapt are still finding opportunities where others see obstacles.

Watch the full episode to hear Birchy and Dan discuss commercial growth, financing, permitting and the strategies helping installers navigate one of the industry’s biggest transitions yet.