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Solar didn’t begin with AI proposals, sleek dashboards, or instant approvals.

It began with graph paper, roof rollers, and people willing to climb roofs and do the math by hand.

In this foundational Origins episode of The Solar Coaster, host Anna Covert sits down with Ellsworth Corum III, a true solar OG whose career began in 2008—when solar cost $12–$13 per watt and credibility mattered more than convenience.

This conversation is more than a look back. It’s a reminder of what the industry was built on—and what it needs to reclaim to move forward.

A Career Sparked by Curiosity (and a $100,000 Power Bill)

Ellsworth’s solar journey started almost accidentally. While working with data centers on backup battery systems and critical infrastructure, a client asked whether solar could help offset a $100,000/month electricity bill.

At the time, the answer was not really.

Solar was expensive. Carport systems were even more so. Even with tax credits, the value proposition didn’t land. But the idea stuck—and Ellsworth went searching for answers.

That search led him to a small, family-run solar company in Florida, where most installations were solar thermal, not photovoltaics. There were no design tools, no modeling software, and no polished sales decks. Quotes were sketched by hand, roofs were measured manually, and shade was analyzed with Solar Pathfinder cameras.

It was messy. It was manual.
And it was real.

Why California Was Years Ahead of the Curve

Realizing Florida wasn’t ready for PV at scale, Ellsworth did something bold: he traveled to California on commission-only terms just to learn how solar should be sold.

What he saw changed everything.

In Southern California, electricity rates nearing $0.40/kWh made solar’s value obvious. Structured presentations, clear math, and real education replaced guesswork. One senior rep closed 7 out of 7 appointments in a single week—not because of hype, but because the numbers made sense.

Ellsworth brought that knowledge back to Florida and applied it to an existing customer base. The result?
20 signed solar contracts in 30 days.

Not incentives.
Not pressure.
Just clarity.

The Power of Credibility—and the Cost of Ignoring It

One of the most important themes in this episode is the role of NABCEP certification.

Ellsworth didn’t treat certification as a checkbox—he used it as a trust signal. At a time when only a handful of people in Florida held NABCEP credentials, it became a clear differentiator for homeowners trying to make sense of a confusing purchase.

As solar scaled, that filter disappeared. Standards loosened. Sales accelerated. Prices inflated. And consumers paid the price.

Ellsworth is candid about the consequences: when competency isn’t required, trust erodes—especially among homeowners who genuinely want to invest in renewable energy but don’t fully understand the technology.

The Hard Truth About Tax Credits

One of Ellsworth’s most direct insights?

Tax credits didn’t build solar. Financing did.

Long-term, low-interest loans changed the industry—not incentives. The problem wasn’t the tax credit itself, but how pricing often expanded to absorb it, inflating margins and commissions along the way.

Now that incentives are fading, Ellsworth sees an opportunity for a reset:

  • Lower prices

  • Smaller, right-sized systems

  • Honest expectations

  • Volume over excess margin

Solar doesn’t disappear without incentives—but bad solar does.

Why Education Is the Missing Link

Solar has more “tire-kickers” than almost any other industry—but not because people are wasting time.

They’re under-educated.

Homeowners are asked to understand power flow, storage behavior, load management, net metering, and backup limitations—often for the first time, all at once. When expectations don’t match reality, frustration follows.

Ellsworth argues that sales reps shouldn’t be the only educators—and that the lack of neutral, national consumer education has allowed misinformation to thrive.

The fix?
Clear explanations. Slower sales. And a consultative mindset that prioritizes understanding over urgency.

The Future: Energy Advisors, Not Solar Salespeople

Looking ahead, Ellsworth believes the companies that survive will evolve into home energy advisors, not one-product sellers.

That means:

  • Solar + storage as the default conversation

  • Clear explanations of what batteries can (and can’t) do

  • Efficiency, monitoring, and load control as part of the offer

  • Smaller starter systems with room to grow

  • Long-term trust over short-term wins

People buy more—from the same company—when they believe they were told the truth the first time.

📖 GET THE BOOK: The Solar Coaster

The conversations in Solar Coaster Origins inspired the stories and insights in The Solar Coaster.
Get your copy on Amazon:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSGKKV8X?psc=1&smid=A1Y53T3O3Q25L8&linkCode=sl1&tag=annacovert-20&linkId=1dfad38ae3d56078f509025bc52227db&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

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This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

chris@covertcommunication.com

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