The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has announced the official approval of two new standards aimed at enhancing consumer protection and improving operations and maintenance (O&M) practices within the U.S. solar and energy storage sectors. These standards, ANSI/SEIA 401 and ANSI/SEIA 301, were developed through a comprehensive process involving a diverse group of stakeholders, including installers, manufacturers, financiers, consumer advocates, national laboratories, and government agencies.
ANSI/SEIA 401: Strengthening Sales Practices
The ANSI/SEIA 401 standard focuses on ethical sales and contracting practices for solar and energy storage systems. It establishes training requirements to ensure that all solar customers have a thorough understanding of their contract terms, costs, and system technologies before committing. Companies and salespeople trained under this standard will provide customers with comprehensive and clear disclosure of costs, key contract terms, and technology information.
Abigail Ross Hopper, SEIA President and CEO, emphasized the importance of these standards, stating, “These standards mark a major step forward in professionalizing the solar and storage industry, boosting consumer confidence, and building a more resilient energy sector.”
ANSI/SEIA 301: Enhancing Operations and Maintenance
The ANSI/SEIA 301 standard provides guidance on maintaining solar and energy storage systems to maximize performance, longevity, and safety. It includes specifications for scheduled maintenance, system monitoring, safety checks, and record-keeping, ensuring more reliable systems that enhance the resilience of the electric grid.
This standard aims to professionalize the solar and storage industry by establishing national standards for technician training and system maintenance, ensuring that every customer receives the value and performance they expect.
Certification Programs and Future Standards
To facilitate the adoption of these standards, SEIA is launching an online platform that will host the standards along with supporting implementation materials to help companies integrate them into their operations. Later this year, in November 2025, SEIA plans to introduce new professional and company certification programs based on the standards. For individuals, certification will require passing an exam to verify comprehension and competence.
These new standards are part of a larger effort by SEIA, as an ANSI-accredited standards developer, to proactively shape the maturing solar and storage landscape. SEIA is currently developing additional standards, including those on supply chain traceability, decommissioning of projects, and other business areas.
By setting national standards for consumer protection, technician training, and installation and system maintenance, SEIA is ensuring that solar and storage systems contribute to an affordable, reliable, and secure energy system.