Why Most Solar Sales Reps are Incentivized Wrong - And How It Hurts Homeowners
Solar sales reps are often paid on commission, which incentivizes over-sizing, misleading savings claims, and pressure tactics. Here’s what homeowners should know before signing a contract.
The Problem With Solar Sales Incentives
Most homeowners don’t realize that the typical solar sales rep is paid entirely on commission. That means the rep only gets paid if you buy — and the price you pay directly affects how much they earn.
This creates a powerful incentive that often leads to:
Oversized systems
Incorrect offset calculations
Understated long-term costs
Overstated savings
High-pressure tactics
“Sign today” pitches
Skipping important details like utility rate structures
It’s not that all reps are bad — it’s that the system rewards behavior that isn’t aligned with what’s best for the homeowner.
How Commissions Work in Solar
Base Commissions — Paid per watt or per deal
Bonus Tiers — Higher payout for larger system sizes
Dealer Fees — Increase system price → increase rep pay
Spiffs/Bonuses — Paid for closing within 24-48 hours
This means a rep can earn double simply by increasing the price or up-sizing the system by a couple of kilowatts — even if you don’t need it.
Why This Leads to Bad Outcomes
These incentives push reps to make recommendations that sound great upfront but hurt homeowners over time:
❌Systems sized based on annual consumption instead of actual load patterns.
This leads to poor ROI and unexpected bills.
❌Savings projections based on unrealistic utility rates
Often reps assume rates climb 4-6% every year — even when they don’t.
❌Battery recommendations that don’t make financial sense
Many homeowners are pushed into $15k-$25k batteries when they don’t provide real savings.
❌Rushed decisions
“Sign today or the incentives go away” is almost never true.
Most Sales Reps Aren’t Trained in Energy Analysis
Here’s the biggest issue:
Most sales training focuses on closing, not on accurate calculations.
Sales reps often lack training in:
Utility rate structures
Seasonal load patterns
Time-of-use rate impacts
Solar degradation
DER interconnection rules
Load forecasting
Net metering policy
True ROI modeling
Real PV production modeling
This means homeowners are often trusting someone who:
Doesn’t understand the utility bill
Doesn’t understand their actual usage
Doesn’t understand the long-term math
What Homeowners Actually Need
Instead of sales pitches, homeowners need:
A real load profile estimate
Accurate production modeling
ROI based on realistic utility rates
A comparison of multiple system sizes
Clear explanation of battery economics
A neutral recommendation
No pressure
This is exactly where unbiased analysis comes in.
How The Solar Truth Report Fixes This Broken System
Our model is different by design:
We don’t sell solar.
We don’t earn more if your system size increases.
We don’t get a kickback from installers.
We don’t use inflated savings assumptions.
Instead, we build a custom energy model for your home based on:
Location
Utility rate plan
Seasonal usage patterns
Reported lifestyle and load habits
Multiple offset scenarios
Realistic payback calculations
You get a fact-based report, not a pitch.
Bottom Line
Solar can be a good investment — but only when analyzed correctly. The commission-driven sales model often pushes homeowners into decisions that don’t make financial sense.
Independent analysis fixes that.
