Watt's the Deal... with the 2026 Infocast Solar Finance and Investment Summit?
I attend this important conference every year, and I want to give you a quick real take.
A lot of people have been asking me the same question: With everything the industry's been going through this past year, is it doom and gloom?
Honestly, it's the opposite.
Yes, attendance felt a bit lighter than last year, but that didn't mean less momentum. The people who showed up came ready to execute. Conversations were sharper, more focused, and centered around actually getting deals done, not just talking about them.
Buyers came to buy, sellers came to sell, tax equity came to invest, lenders came to lend, and yours truly came to deal!
What we're seeing right now is a market that's actively consolidating. It's a buyer's market, no question. Developers are more realistic than they've been in years, and there are a lot of portfolios either on the market or preparing to launch. At the same time, the established, well-capitalized developers still have options, and are in the driver's seat. They have the luxury of being selective about who they partner with, and that's a big shift.
On the capital side, we're seeing strong demand. Debt and tax equity providers are not pulling back. If anything, they're leaning in. Capital is there, but it's disciplined. Groups are prioritizing projects that can actually get built and come online well before the ITC cliff. That came up over and over again. Execution matters.
Another major takeaway: Energy storage is no longer a nice to have. It's central. Nearly every conversation touched on distributed storage, and there's a clear expectation that more markets will roll out programs to support it. Pair that with the surge in data center demand driven by AI, and the direction of energy is pretty clear. Solar and storage is at the center of the next wave of growth.
Geographically, there's no single hot market right now. Activity is spread across the Midwest, Northeast, and Mid-Atlantic with states like Illinois continuing to be especially active. But developers aren't going all-in in just one region. It's more diversified and a strategic approach.
Zooming out, here's probably my biggest takeaway: In a tougher market, relationships and reputation matter more than ever. There was a clear focus on partnering with groups that can actually deliver, and we felt that. We're increasingly being seen as reliable, execution focused counterparty — A team that shows up, follows through, and gets projects across the finish line. That matters in any market, but especially in this one. So, no. Not doom and gloom. What I saw was an industry that's maturing, getting more disciplined, and gearing up for the next phase of growth. And we're right in the middle of it.
And that's Watt's the Deal!
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