Late last year we surveyed 100+ C&I solar companies across Australia and New Zealand to better understand what was working in commercial solar in 2025 - and what was holding companies back.

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The findings revealed a lot of fascinating insights, but three critical challenges stood out:

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The price trap: 64% lose deals on price, yet 64% claim technical expertise as their competitive advantage. Translation? Customers can't see the difference between proposals, so they default to the cheapest option.

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The battery credibility gap: 92% report surging battery demand, but 74% cite uncertainty around returns as their top challenge. Only 45% actually track whether their batteries deliver forecasted performance.

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The after-sales opportunity: 56% report growing customer demand for performance guarantees and ongoing reporting. Yet many companies either don't offer these services (36%) or struggle to charge properly for them. As C&I customers increasingly need to demonstrate ROI to their own stakeholders, ongoing asset performance tracking is shifting from "nice to have" to competitive necessity - and revenue opportunity.

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These aren't just interesting data points. They're early warnings about where the C&I market is heading, and which business practices will succeed in 2026 vs. which ones will leave you stuck in a "race to the bottom" price competition.

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Read on for our take on how to adapt your business to avoid falling into common traps, and take advantage of the C&I solar and battery opportunity in 2026. 

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Get the Complete Picture - Download our free 2025 C&I Solar Industry Census report to explore all these insights and more.

Challenge 1: Breaking Out of Price Competition

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The problem: When customers can't differentiate between proposals, they default to price. Right now, most C&I proposals look identical: equipment specs, basic payback calculations, final price.

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The solution for 2026: Lead with comprehensive feasibility analysis that demonstrates specific, site-level value before cost enters the conversation.

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Census finding: 64% lose on price despite claiming technical expertise as their advantage. The gap? They're not showing customers what that expertise actually delivers.

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The companies winning deals use detailed feasibility analysis to quantify and present value upfront. They show exactly what the solar system will deliver for the building's load profile, this tariff structure, this usage pattern - not a generic case study.

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When customers see site-specific modelling with weather-adjusted performance forecasting and realistic financial scenarios, price becomes context, not the entire conversation.

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What to implement: Make feasibility analysis the foundation of your sales process. Use tools like Orkestra that handle the complexity - tariff optimisation, battery dispatch modelling, conservative performance assumptions - while keeping results clear and credible.

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Challenge 2: Selling Batteries with Confidence

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The problem: Battery demand is exploding, but most companies can't sell with confidence because they can't adequately present the value. This uncertainty stems from two issues: inadequate upfront feasibility modelling that doesn't properly size batteries for actual site conditions or unlock all the hidden value, and lack of performance tracking to verify assumptions.

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The solution for 2026: Build battery confidence through rigorous upfront modelling and ongoing performance verification.

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Census finding: 92% report battery demand increases, but 74% cite "uncertainty around project returns" as their top challenge. Only 45% actually track financial performance.

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The companies winning battery projects start with comprehensive feasibility modelling that properly sizes batteries based on actual load profiles, tariff structures, and realistic dispatch scenarios. They don't guess at battery capacity - they model as accurately as possible how a battery will perform for this specific site, with conservative assumptions about cycling, degradation, and revenue opportunities.

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This upfront rigour gives them confidence to sell the solution. Then they track actual performance to verify their modelling was accurate, creating a feedback loop that refines future proposals and provides proof points for prospects.

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One installer told us: "Customers can't tell good analysis from bad until it's too late. We're all selling on faith."

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Faith isn't a business model. Proper sizing plus performance verification is.

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What to implement: Invest time in detailed battery modelling that accounts for site-specific usage patterns, tariff optimisation, and realistic dispatch scenarios. Right-size batteries based on data, not rules of thumb. Then track your project's financial performance against forecast. When you can show a solar system was properly sized and actually delivering on forecasted returns, you're building the relationship through proven expertise - not just making the sale and hoping it works out.

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Challenge 3: Capturing the After-Sales Opportunity

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The problem: Customer demand for performance guarantees and ongoing reporting is growing (56% report increases), but many companies either don't offer these services or struggle to monetise them properly. As C&I customers face pressure to demonstrate ROI to their stakeholders, they're actively seeking partners who can provide ongoing proof their investment is working.

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The solution for 2026: Build ongoing asset performance tracking and reporting into your service offering as a premium, revenue-generating product -not just an obligation.

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Census finding: 56% report growing demand for ongoing reporting and performance guarantees, yet 36% of companies don't offer after-sales services at all. Of those who do, many struggle to charge appropriately because they position it as an obligation rather than a valuable ongoing partnership.

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The companies monetising after-sales properly understand that customers need continuous proof their investment is delivering. Every quarterly performance report showing optimised battery dispatch, verified solar savings, or weather-adjusted benchmarking becomes both a relationship strengthener and evidence for your next proposal.

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When you demonstrate ongoing value through verified performance data, you're not just generating recurring revenue - you're building the long-term relationships that turn customers into advocates and proof points into competitive advantages.

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What to implement: Package ongoing performance tracking as a premium service. Make performance reporting something customers want because it demonstrates ROI to their stakeholders. Structure tiered service levels that match different customer needs - from basic monitoring to comprehensive performance guarantees with weather-adjusted benchmarking. Position after-sales as the continuation of your value proposition, not an add-on. When customers see you're invested in their success beyond the installation, you create both recurring revenue and the credibility that wins your next deal.

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The Bottom Line

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The C&I market has matured past equipment sales. Customers are making significant investments and need to see specific, quantified value for their building - and then ongoing proof that value was delivered.

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Robust feasibility analysis is what makes this possible upfront: showing exactly what solar and batteries will deliver for this customer's usage, tariff, and site conditions. When you can model site-specific value with proper battery sizing, tariff optimisation, and realistic performance scenarios, price objections largely disappear because customers can see precisely what they're getting.

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But the relationship doesn't end at installation. Tracking actual performance against your forecast maintains the partnership, provides customers with proof they need to demonstrate ROI to their stakeholders, and creates verified data that becomes your most powerful sales tool for the next prospect.

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That's the Orkestra approach: detailed feasibility modelling that wins deals by demonstrating value convincingly, then performance tracking that proves you delivered - turning customers into long-term partners and every completed project into evidence for the next one.

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The companies growing in 2026 won't be working harder. They'll be demonstrating value so convincingly that price becomes secondary, then proving that value was real through ongoing partnership.

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It's a continuous loop: better modelling wins deals, verified performance builds credibility, and credibility makes the next deal easier to close.