Small businesses were greatly impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many forced to close temporarily or permanently due to the pandemic. Those companies that were able to weather the storm of economic uncertainty need our support now more than ever to continue to regain stability. Despite the setbacks of the pandemic, the solar industry continues to grow at a rapid pace. The second quarter of 2022 accounted for approximately 180,000 home solar installations – the largest quarter yet for residential solar.

With more than 850 dealers collectively employing approximately 15,000 employees in local solar companies across the country, SunPower truly is powered by small businesses. This network supports SunPower’s residential customer base of 427,000 plus homeowners and helped SunPower install over 3.61 total gigawatts across the United States through solar installations. SunPower solar projects have generated an estimated 133 Terawatt-hours (TWh) since 2005 – the equivalent of avoiding 94 million metric tons of carbon emissions1 – and this could not have been accomplished without the hard work of our dealer network.

Becoming a SunPower dealer requires meeting high standards for design, quality and service, achieving consistent customer satisfaction scores, and completing specialized training. We want to make sure our dealers continue to have the support and resources they need to maintain this high-quality level after they join our dealer network, so we’re always looking for new ways to support these local businesses.

In early 2022, we launched the Dealer Accelerator Program (DAP), an initiative in which SunPower invests in select local solar dealers to help advance growth in the solar industry. SunPower provides financial investment, business strategy support and additional lead generation assistance to dealers in this program, backing these small businesses as they work to scale solar in high-growth areas. Through this initiative, SunPower is taking the next step to build upon momentum in the industry and set up our dealers for success as they grow their businesses.

In addition to innovative programs like the DAP, all SunPower dealers have access to a variety of resources to help them provide a top-tier customer experience to all homeowners. Ongoing training through online courses and sharing of best practices in person at our annual Dealer Conference help dealers stay up to date with the latest technical tips and happenings with SunPower and the solar industry. Our innovative digital solutions also help streamline the buying process for dealers and homeowners, with customized designs and savings estimates for homeowners easily available right from a laptop, tablet or phone.

Our goal at SunPower is to help more homeowners enjoy sustainable and cost-effective energy than ever before and we know we cannot achieve this without the ongoing support of our network of dealers. Their regional expertise and knowledge of local codes and utility requirements allow dealers to best serve their local communities, and we want to provide the resources to best serve our dealers during every step of this process. Providing support to these small businesses helps our dealers do what they do best – bring the benefits of solar energy to more communities across the country.

This post originally appeared on the SunPower Resources Blog