From new tariffs to the sunset of the Investment Tax Credit, the solar coaster continues to rage on. Market conditions like these can disrupt business, but alternative opportunities exist within the secondary solar market for the astute solar company.
As we enter Q4, consider how a wholesale trading platform like EnergyBin can help your company resell excess PV hardware and snag year-end deals from your industry peers.
In this article, we share a sample of the Broadcasts typically posted on EnergyBin and discuss how your company can leverage your business model to buy and sell PV hardware.
The following table showcases a sample of the Want-to-Buy (WTB) and Want-to-Sell (WTS) Broadcasts posted on EnergyBin. Our Broadcast system is in addition to the inventory upload feature and acts as an email communications tool to inform members of urgent want-to-buy or want-to-sell needs.
All Broadcasts are published on a central board within the platform where members can view by Manufacturer, Product Category, Type, and Region. Members can also sort by any column heading. Members have the option to respond to one or more postings from directly within the platform.
From the sample, the second WTS Broadcast is a post for the sale of ZnShine 670-watt Bifacials. The seller wants to sell 145 pallets at $0.230 per watt. These modules are on U.S. soil in California and are ready to ship.
This lot would be an excellent deal for a developer or EPC who has a 3-megawatt (or smaller) project to build in the U.S. before year-end. No customs hassle, packed, and ready to ship.
Additionally, the most recent WTB Broadcast from the sample is a request for 3 pallets of QCells 590-watt Bifacials for a new project in Q1 2026. The project is located in Maryland, and the buyer has no domestic content requirement.
This Broadcast is a lead for any distributor or reseller who can quickly respond to this need with competitive pricing and availability. Some sellers operate as solar equipment brokers. They facilitate purchase orders between buyers and their suppliers and coordinate logistics to drop-ship orders to project sites.
As seen on the sample, multiple Broadcasts are posted each day. Historically, Q4 sees a spike in Broadcasts, which points to the need to log in daily, so you don’t miss an opportunity.
At EnergyBin, we’ve been tracking Broadcasts for the past seven years, and we’ve noticed that the Broadcasts that get the most interest employ certain best practices. Here are a few tips for wholesale sellers to attract buyer interest to your WTS Broadcasts.
Plan to send out a Broadcast as often as you have an urgent need to sell, especially if it’s a hot item, like “Made in America” modules, or a hot deal that’s under the national average price.
Treat Broadcasts as an addition to your inventory uploads. You don’t need to Broadcast every inventory line you upload, but every Broadcast should tie back to your uploaded inventory. One exception to this rule would be for a hot deal that you expect will move in less than 24 hours.
And since EnergyBin doesn’t charge transaction fees, you can send as many Broadcasts as you like at no additional charge beyond your membership dues. So, broadcast away!
On the Send a Broadcast form, complete all fields accurately. Start with the three Filter boxes. These are optional, however, they may help you attract more qualified buyers. For example, if you prefer to sell within your domestic region because you don’t want to deal with customs and border controls, then select only the region you wish to do business in. The Broadcast email will only send to members in that geographic region.
Next, attach any photos or files, such as Tech Specs, that explain the condition and specifications of the product for sale. Continue with filling in the part/model number, manufacturer, price, quantity, condition, and warranty.
For the Location, enter the shipping address from where the product will be shipped.
For the Subject / Description field, the system will auto fill “EnergyBin Broadcast WTS:”, then whatever you put in this field will appear next.
In our example of the WTS Broadcast for ZnShine 670-watt modules for sale, the seller added:
“Znshine ZXM8-TPLDD132-670W, NEW, qty 4K, $0.23 (each)”
Other enticing language that would attract buyers is anything to do with risk reduction. Consider adding language such as:
Here is where you should include your shipping and payment terms. List any minimum order quantity (MOQ) requirements or bulk pricing discounts.
DON'T type your contact information. The system will autofill your name, company, phone number, and email address for you.
Once you hit Send on the Broadcast form, your Broadcast will be delivered to members’ email inboxes and published on the EnergyBin system. Be prepared to quickly respond to incoming phone calls and emails from buyers.
Your ability to respond to their needs can make or break a deal. If you leave them hanging, they’ll move onto another source. Be ready to work with them. By doing so, you'll be more likely to sell your Broadcast lot within 1-2 business days.
The EnergyBin system allows WTB Broadcasts to be sent as well, and there are best practices buyers can follow to find what you’re looking for and secure deals. Here are a few tips for wholesale buyers to efficiently connect with sellers.
We recommend buyers first start with performing a search of our database. The reason being that search results will show all uploaded inventory and broadcasts for the search criteria. Plus, more filters are available to you, such as manufacturer and distance, to help narrow your results.
However, if you conduct a search, and you don’t find what you’re looking for, then go ahead and send a WTB Broadcast.
On the Send a Broadcast form, complete all fields accurately. The more specific information you can provide upfront, the better and quicker a seller can determine if they can help you.
You can leave the price field as $0.00 or CALL. But if you have a price ceiling that’s below market value, we recommend you add it here.
If your buying needs are for a project or replacement parts, and you need exact matches on specifications, be sure to include the exact part number(s) you’re looking for. You may also want to state, “Exact Match(es) Only”.
Here is where you’ll want to state any hardware requirements, shipping or payment terms, or anything else that’s pertinent to the project.
In our example of the WTB Broadcast for QCells 590-watt modules, the buyer noted:
“No domestic content requirement.”
New Broadcasts are posted every day, which makes it essential to regularly review them in the EnergyBin system. You don’t want to miss a hot deal. And some are so hot that they’re here one day and gone the next.
For example, this WTS Broadcast noted in the Additional Comments that these CertainTeed 440-watt black modules will sell quickly, warning buyers that if they’re interested, they should inquire now.
Plus, Broadcasts only remain in the system for up to 30 days or until sellers delete them, whichever occurs first.
EnergyBin is more than an online platform. It’s a community of your industry peers. Our members come together on this central platform to efficiently connect with one another for pricing and product availability.
Therefore, we encourage members to proactively reach out to one another. As a buyer, you don’t need to wait for a seller to initiate a conversation. For example, if you see a WTS Broadcast for QCells 580-watt modules but you need 590-watt modules, contact the seller anyway. They may have in stock what you need or may be able to get it quickly.
Think of EnergyBin this way: Every time you log in, you have the opportunity to engage with your industry peers. Build new relationships. Nurture existing relationships.
Give other members the opportunity to connect with you by communicating your buying and selling needs. Be clear about your needs. The more precise you are, the better the conversation will go.
If effective communication leads to more solar projects in operation, then we’ve done our job to connect PV Lifecycle professionals. Let us know how we can help you. Your Account Manager is available to assist with inventory uploads, Broadcasts, or whatever you need to move hardware and get projects done.