Another Exit: Ultra Low Carbon Solar Alliance

From MasterResource

By Robert Bradley Jr.

“Having achieved our goals, the Alliance believes it is appropriate to sunset the organization and promote Ultra Low Carbon Solar through other channels as we proudly cheer the continued expansion of sustainable low carbon solar manufacturing.”

Don’t sugar coat. The political bubble of solar is losing air, and firms and trade groups are disbanding (see here, here, here, and here). Rooftop solar firms are in disarray with bankruptcies and now law firms helping thousands of customers get out of their long-term solar contracts. (See Appendix A below for a list of solar bankruptcies.)

The latest came from Michael Parr, executive director of ULCSA. who wrote on New Year’s day:

The Ultra Low Carbon Solar Alliance was formed five years ago with a simple but profound mission: education. Specifically, we sought to help both industry and policy makers understand the significant differences in embodied carbon in solar panels made in China vs. those made in the west; to show solar buyers how they could have substantial impact on global carbon emissions by how they purchase solar panels; and to create a tool to allow buyers to easily specify low carbon solar panels backed by detailed solar supply chain and carbon footprint evaluations with robust third party validation.

It was our belief that today’s solar industry, empowered with knowledge and tools created through the Alliance, could reduce carbon emissions and create a more globally diversified, sustainable and reliable solar supply chain. We have succeeded in our mission.

In the relatively few years since the formation of the Alliance, the market has come to recognize differences in embodied carbon. The Global Electronics Council launched the EPEAT Ultra Low Carbon Solar standard and ecolabel, and major manufacturers have completed the rigorous process to earn the ecolabel. EPEAT registered module producers are sold out, with long-term supply contracts. The US solar manufacturing sector has been reborn and has grown dramatically across key elements of the industry, to the point that we now have the ability to make more solar panels than we consume. We are making solar wafers and cells in the US for the first time in decades, and the production of critical materials like module frames, backsheet and glass are expanding domestically. Importantly, each expansion of the US and European solar supply chain lowers the carbon footprint of solar manufacturing.

The Alliance is proud of its accomplishments, and we would like to thank our members for their commitment to improving the sustainability of the solar industry as well as their leadership in driving that vision into the marketplace. We would also like to thank all of our global collaborators who embraced our mission and helped us bring it to reality. Ultra Low Carbon Solar is now firmly embedded in the industry, and buyers now have multiple routes to obtain sustainable solar panels.

Having achieved our goals, the Alliance believes it is appropriate to sunset the organization and promote Ultra Low Carbon Solar through other channels as we proudly cheer the continued expansion of sustainable low carbon solar manufacturing.

Kudos comments followed from alligned groups such as the Global Electronics Council; European Solar Manufacturing Council; Harvard University’s Professor of Human Rights Laura Murphy (‘just thinking of the good the alliance did for human rights, even if as collateral’); Jo McGraw of Solar Media.

Again, look beyond the happy talk. An artificial political bubble is being cut down to size as consumers rebel and the ecological costs become more obvious.

Appendix A: Major US Solar Bankruptcies:

Major Solar Bankruptcies as of June 2025 include:

• Sunnova – Multiple States
• SunPower – Multiple States
• Pink Energy – Multiple States
• MC Solar – Modern Concepts – Florida
• Harness Power – California
• NM Solar Group – New Mexico
• ASA – American Solar Advantage – California
• Kuubix Energy – California
• Erus Energy – Arizona
• Infinity Energy – California
• Suntuity Renewables – Per Sunova – NJ, CA , TX
• ADT Solar – Multiple States
• Vision Solar – Multiple States
• Solcius – CA, NM, AZ, NV
• Sunworks, Inc. – CA
• Kayo Energy – AZ, CA, TX, FL
• iSun – CT
• Titan Solar Power – Multiple States
• Lumio Solar – Utah
• Expert Solar – Florida, Texas
• Shine Solar – LA, AK

California Company Closures:

• Altair Solar
• ASA – American Solar Advantage – CA
• Bratton Solar- CA
• Canapoy Energy – CA
• Charged Up Energy – CA
• Enver Solar – CA
• Harness Power – CA
• GCI Solar – CA
• Green Nrg – CA
• Kuubix Energy – CA
• Peak Power USA – CA
• Penguin Home- CA
• Polar Solar – CA
• Professional Roofing and Solar – CA
• Sigora Home Solar – CA
• Solsun USA – CA
• Solar 360
• Solar Advantage – CA
• Sullivan Solar Power – CA
• Sungrade Solar – CA
• SunPower – CA
• Sunstor Solar – CA
• RGS Energy – CA
• Solar Spectrum – CA
• Sunworks, Inc. – CA
• Swell Energy – CA
• United Solar Inc. – CA

Texas Company Closures:

• Alternative Solar
• American Sun
• Daybreak Solar Power
• Cosmo Solaris – DBA WNK Associates , Under Investigation
• Envirosolar
• Hitech Solar
• Integrity Solar
• Next Energy
• Nivo Solar
• Speir Innovations
• TES Home Solar
• Texas Solar Broker LLC
• Texas Solar Integrated LLC
• Verisolar
• Vulcan Solar

Other States:

• 3D Solar – Florida
• AAA Certified Solar – Nevada
• Accept Solar – MA
• ACE Solar Systems – AZ
• Arizona Solar Concepts – AZ
• Brimma Solar – WA
• Code Green Solar – NJ
• EcoMark Solar – CO
• Elan Solar – UT
• Electriq Power – FL
• Encor Solar – UT
• Gulf South Solar – LA
• Moxie Solar – IA
• Refresh Energy Group – CO
• Saveco Solar – UT
• Solar Is Freedom – OH
• Solar Titan USA – TN
• SolarDot – FL
• Solarworks – AZ
• Solular, LLC – NJ
• Utah Solar Group – UT
• Voltage Solar Power – FL
• Zenernet – AZ