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Solar Energy Trends for 2025

Solar energy installation has been breaking records.  According to the Solar Energy Industry Association, or SEIA, the U.S. solar industry added 32.4 gigawatts (GW) of new electric generating capacity in 2023—a whopping 37% growth from the previous record in 2021. Once the 2024 data has been finalized, the U.S. is predicted to have installed over 40 GW in 2024. And the SEIA does not see this trend slowing down. With advances in technology, policy support, and increasing consumer interest, 2025 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for solar energy in America. Let’s explore the top solar trends expected for the U.S.

Addition of Battery Storage with Solar Installs

One of the biggest trends for 2025 is homeowners and businesses are adding battery storage to their solar installations. As energy storage technologies become more affordable and efficient, combining solar panels with battery systems is set to rise. With utility costs increasing and frequent grid outages, people are looking for reliable backup solutions to future-proof their energy costs and gain energy independence.

Advancements in Solar Technology

Solar Power System in Yellowstone

Advancements in photovoltaic (PV) technology is making solar panels less expensive and more efficient. 

One exciting trend to watch in solar panel construction is perovskite solar cells.  They are known for their high efficiency and flexibility. These cells look to revolutionize the market by offering cheaper and more adaptable alternatives to traditional silicon-based panels. They are still in development stage but look to be hitting the market soon.

📷Dennis Schroeder / NREL

Solar Canopies and Agrivoltaics

Innovative installations like solar canopies over parking lots and agrivoltaics (using farmland for both crops and solar) are gaining popularity. These designs maximize land use and align with sustainability objectives.

Solar Canopies

From shading cars to using land that is already cleared for parking, solar canopies are an easy and smart way to add solar for buildings. According to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, pavement makes up to 50% of the city surface area, and 40% is parking lots. This will add more use to the claimed space without additional sq. footage.

Agrivoltaics

Agrivoltaics is the practice of using land for both agriculture and solar energy. Adopting land for dual production has many benefits. It may help yield higher crops, increase native habitat, and increase economic opportunties for farmers by leasing their land or electricity sales.

Sunpower Solar Power System on Home

Smart Inverters

Smart inverters will go beyond the basic function of an inverter that converts direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) by enabling the owner to better manage the flow of electricity.

Improved Efficiency of Electricity Flow Regulation

A smart inverter can adjust the voltage and frequency of AC output to match real-time demand.  Smart inverters will adjust electricity flow to meet current needs by monitoring the energy generated and being consumed. They can even be integrated with battery storage to store excess energy to be used during peak time of use (TOU) periods or at night.

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Read What People Have To Say About Us!

Independent Power
Excellent
4.8
Based on 33 reviews
Highly recommended. Here are the details:When I decided to install a rooftop solar system on my Helena home, I sought references on quality companies (and ignored all the door-knockers). About a quarter of the homes in my subdivision have panels, and my neighbors named three companies. My cousin who works in the industry then mentioned Independent Power as a solid provider.I developed a list of questions and called all four. They all made it to the next phase of submitting a preliminary proposal and price. At that point I eliminated one of the Helena companies due to second-tier or lower equipment.The proposals from the remaining three companies – one in Helena, one in Missoula and Independent Power in Bozeman – were all solid. All Enphase inverters, with Tier-1 panels and good warranties. They then all took time to go through the list of follow-up questions I had developed and gave what I believe were accurate and thorough answers. All sent me spec sheets and warranty info on the equipment they proposed. All offered on-staff qualified electricians on their teams.Independent was not the cheapest in $/Watt or $/kWh, but was competitive. In the end, I chose them because they offered the highest-watt panels – their 430W Q Cells took around 15% less roof space for the same production. So some day if I need to expand, I’ll still have some room.Their on-site people seem outstanding, from the drone and attic visit to get exact measurements for design finalization, to their install team which included their master electrician who has been with IP for 16 years. I had a minor problem with the metering system on startup, which worried me since they are not a local company. They immediately dug in to it remotely, consulted Enphase, and when they could not resolve it from a distance sent the electrician back timely to work everything out.
Response from the owner: Thank you for the thoughtful and detailed 5-star review! We are grateful you chose to work with our team, as we know you have many options. Your trust in us is the reason our team works hard to earn and keep it. Please let us know if we can be of service in the future.
Excellent service and craftsmanship. Sales was patient and answered all my questions, never pushy, it always felt like a casual conversation with a friend. The install team was friendly, skilled and efficient. Overall very happy with the process and product from start to finish.
Response from the owner: Thank you for the 5-star review, Mark! I know Avery and the team enjoyed working with you. We consider ourselves lucky to be a part of the Bozeman community. Please let us know if we can be of service in the future.
Independent Power was great to work with. They always responded quickly to my questions before, during and after the installation of my rooftop solar panels. They always showed up on time and kept me up to date on the progress of getting the system approved. Sean even made a stop at my house out of his way one day when the Enphase app wasnt working correctly, and quickly fixed the problem.
Response from the owner: Thank you for the 5-star review, Eric! We know you had options on solar companies in Helena, and we are grateful you chose to work with us. Our expert team is dedicated to helping you have the best experience during your project. And Sean is the best! He always makes sure our customers are taken care of. Please let us know if we can be of service in the future.
Being new to off grid life was pretty challenging and exciting and Independent power made the experience a breeze. My experience with these guys was awesome. From beginning to end, their sales, engineers,electricians, technicians ,Installers knowledge,professionalism, craftsmanship the whole team, and their enthusiasm of dedication to solar is incredible.The project was finished by the way before the finish date !!!
Response from the owner: Thank you, Matthew, for this great review! Our team works tirelessly to provide the best service possible, and receiving your 5-star review is an honor. We are excited that you've chosen to go off-grid and that you trusted us to partner with you to make it happen. Your detailed review will help your neighbors when they decide to go solar, add battery storage, or go fully off-grid. We appreciate you and hope we can be of service in the future.
Half of the time there was good communication and cooperation. However, turning on the system was delayed by well over a month because a new hire who took over my account did not file local permits and get inspections passed in a timely manner. To their credit I was given a rebate for the lost time.
Response from the owner: Thank you for the 4-star review, Kay! We appreciate the detailed feedback. It not only helps your neighbors make an informed decision on who to choose for solar, but it also helps us improve the experience for our customers. Sorry for our error with the paperwork. We appreciate your kindness as we worked to correct our mistake. Thank you for working with us!
IPS was responsive, professional, and extremely easy to work with. Would not hesitate for a second to recommend them to anyone thinking about solar!
Response from the owner: Wow, Rob, thank you for this great review! We appreciate your trust in us for your solar installation. We hope you're enjoying your system. Please let us know if we can be of service in the future.
Great experience with Independent Power! Excellent communication throughout each phase of the project, both with the project management team and the on-site installers. Very pleased, and would recommend Independent Power to my Bozeman neighbors.
Response from the owner: Thank you, David! We appreciate you taking the time to write a 5-star review for us. We love serving our Bozeman community, and when you take a moment to give us a review, it helps your neighbors know what to expect when working with our team. Thank you again! Please let us know if we can be of service in the future.
Very professional, with prompt response to calls and email. Some slight scheduling miscommunication, but overall a very good experience. I will most likely be using this company again for another home I own. I would have given 5 stars, but when asked to give a review before the system commissioning occurred is like asking for payment prior to services rendered.
Response from the owner: Thank you for the great review, Brian! And thank you for pointing out my mistake of asking for a review too early. I will be sure to give some time in the future. We always appreciate feedback; it helps us improve your experience and the level of service we provide. We do hope we can help out in the future!
The cost of unit and installation was thousands less than other companies. From beginning to end, everyone involved was friendly, prompt and professional. Thanks especially to Emily who stayed in touch with me the entire project. I could not have asked for a better experience. Thank you.
Response from the owner: Wow! Thank you, Ramona, for the wonderful 5-star review! We are thrilled to hear you had a good experience with us and that Emily took great care to keep you up to date on your project. We appreciate you choosing to work with us; it means so much to our team. Please reach out in the future if we can be of service again.
Quick quality install and very professional group. A little wait time, mostly paperwork but system is up and running saving us $$.
Response from the owner: Thank you for the 5-star review, Jeff. We're happy to hear you're up and running with your solar and that you're satisfied with our team. As a small business, we are grateful for your review; it helps your neighbors decide who to work with when they're ready to go solar. Let us know if we can be of service in the future!
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Independent Power
Excellent
4.8
Based on 289 reviews
Brian fixed my unit from a manufacturer's defect and then came and took out my old furnace. Great job! Came home to everything tidy and clean. Thank you all so much.
Response from the owner: Thank you for the 5-star review, Jyoti! Josh and our entire HVAC team are on a mission to provide the best customer experience from the moment you reach out through install day and any questions you have. We are grateful you chose to work with us, and we hope your heat pump system brings you comfort throughout the year. Please let us know if we can be of service in the future.
Response from the owner: Thank you for the 5-star review, Farhad, we sure appreciate you!
Josh and Marino installed an EV charger and updated the CB panel and wiring with speed, efficiency and accuracy. Highly recommend them.
Response from the owner: Thank you for the 5-star review, Jolanda! You're going to love having an EC charger for your vehicle. We're happy to hear Josh and Marino were able to take care of your projects quickly and professionally. We're always happy to help you out!
We had a great experience with Independent Solar, they were on time, honest, polite and the price was right. We recommend their service!
Response from the owner: Thank you for the stellar 5-star review, Valeria! Our team enjoyed working with you and are excited you chose us for your solar project. Please let us know if we can be of service in the future.
Highly recommended. Here are the details:When I decided to install a rooftop solar system on my Helena home, I sought references on quality companies (and ignored all the door-knockers). About a quarter of the homes in my subdivision have panels, and my neighbors named three companies. My cousin who works in the industry then mentioned Independent Power as a solid provider.I developed a list of questions and called all four. They all made it to the next phase of submitting a preliminary proposal and price. At that point I eliminated one of the Helena companies due to second-tier or lower equipment.The proposals from the remaining three companies – one in Helena, one in Missoula and Independent Power in Bozeman – were all solid. All Enphase inverters, with Tier-1 panels and good warranties. They then all took time to go through the list of follow-up questions I had developed and gave what I believe were accurate and thorough answers. All sent me spec sheets and warranty info on the equipment they proposed. All offered on-staff qualified electricians on their teams.Independent was not the cheapest in $/Watt or $/kWh, but was competitive. In the end, I chose them because they offered the highest-watt panels – their 430W Q Cells took around 15% less roof space for the same production. So some day if I need to expand, I’ll still have some room.Their on-site people seem outstanding, from the drone and attic visit to get exact measurements for design finalization, to their install team which included their master electrician who has been with IP for 16 years. I had a minor problem with the metering system on startup, which worried me since they are not a local company. They immediately dug in to it remotely, consulted Enphase, and when they could not resolve it from a distance sent the electrician back timely to work everything out.
Response from the owner: Thank you for the thoughtful and detailed 5-star review! We are grateful you chose to work with our team, as we know you have many options. Your trust in us is the reason our team works hard to earn and keep it. Please let us know if we can be of service in the future.
Independent Power did a great job for us again! Our range quit on us to we decided to move from gas to induction. Josh was able to schedule us in with a minimal wait and he and Marino did a great job running a new electrical line for the new range. In the process, they found “ melted “ outlet (read fire hazard) and changed it for us at no charge! Josh and team have earned our trust and are our go-to team for all our electrical needs. Highly recommend them!
Response from the owner: Thank you for the 5-star review, Karen! Our team enjoys working with you and is grateful for your continued trust in us. And, congratulations on your new induction stove! I bet you're already enjoying the benefits of how well they work. Please let us know how we can be of service in the future.
Response from the owner: Thank you for the 5-star review, John!
We have used Independent Power for an EV charger installation and more recently for a home battery installation. They were great to work with from beginning to end - helpful at the sales side in answering all of my detailed questions, in the scheduling, in coordinating with Xcel and the city for permitting, and in installation and commissioning. They did very neat and competetent work. Highly recommend.
Response from the owner: Thank you for the 5-star review, Sarah. We're so excited you've chosen to add battery storage to your home, preparing yourself for power outages and now access to storage when Xcel broadens its time of use period in 2025. Thank you for setting the example of what energy independence can look like! Please let us know if we can be of service in the future.
We had a terrific experience going solar with Independent Power. As a first step, we used Energy Sage to help us meet and negotiate with three solar vendors in our area (Larimer Co., CO). Independent was the most responsive and cost-competitive of all the vendors we spoke with. Installation of our system was complicated, in part because we asked Independent to also include an EV Charger in our scope of work, and in part because we had to work w/ our local utility to upgrade our area's transformer, wiring, and breaker panel to accommodate these new systems before they could be activated. Independent's team was with us every step of the way, liaised w/ the utility so we didn't have to, and met every single one of our needs! Special shout outs to electricians Dave and PJ, project tech Jan (an incredible young Navajo woman who not only serve's Independent's clients but also is working to promote solar energy with American Indian nations across America), and our project manager, Kyle. Independent Power is a great company run with exceptional staff. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone wanting to go solar across the Front Range.
Response from the owner: Thank you for the wonderful 5-star review, Ian. Our team enjoyed working with you! Our mission is to help you and all of our customers receive a system that will fit your needs and wishes. Our goal is to do as much of the leg work as possible so you don't need to stress about contacting the utility company. We are grateful you took the time to write such a thoughtful review! Please let us know how we can be of service in the future.
Excellent service and craftsmanship. Sales was patient and answered all my questions, never pushy, it always felt like a casual conversation with a friend. The install team was friendly, skilled and efficient. Overall very happy with the process and product from start to finish.
Response from the owner: Thank you for the 5-star review, Mark! I know Avery and the team enjoyed working with you. We consider ourselves lucky to be a part of the Bozeman community. Please let us know if we can be of service in the future.
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Independent Power
4.8
Based on 256 reviews
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