The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA) announced that they will unify their operations after the move was approved by the boards of directors of both organizations. Beginning in early October 2026, CCSA’s team, resources, and policy work will join SEIA.
The announcement does not concern the launch of a new product or technology, but rather the reorganization of representation for a broad sector of solar and storage companies before policymakers. The organizations say the unified entity will represent companies working on utility-scale projects, in the commercial and residential sectors, and in community solar.
What Will Change in Practice?
SEIA is the largest national trade association for the solar and storage sectors in the United States, and was founded in 1974. CCSA, meanwhile, was the national trade association representing developers and operators of community solar and storage projects, as well as companies and nonprofit organizations working in the field.
Under the new arrangement, CCSA’s resources, team, and policy program will operate within SEIA rather than the two organizations continuing as separate entities. SEIA says this will give the sector a broader network and greater capacity to influence market and policy priorities at both the federal and state levels.
Why Does This Matter?
Community solar represented a different pathway from individuals owning solar panels on their homes, allowing participants to benefit from shared projects. According to statements from CCSA, distributed community energy has become increasingly linked to issues of energy affordability and grid reliability. Bringing this area into an association that represents the other sectors means that community-project issues will be raised within a broader policy framework encompassing the entire solar and storage industry.
Tim Pawlenty, CEO of SEIA, said that combining the two organizations would create a more unified voice for the sector and strengthen its ability to represent its various components. For his part, Jeff Cramer, the outgoing CEO of CCSA, said that the expansion of the community solar market had made the need for greater scale and additional resources and expertise more urgent.
Market Context
The move comes as solar energy and storage systems play an increasing role in the U.S. energy system. The organizations say that together, the two technologies accounted for more than 70% of new capacity added to the grid so far in 2026, while the energy storage market recorded its largest quarter ever during the second quarter. The article also notes that the United States continues to set records in the manufacture of solar and storage equipment.
Editorial reading: The actual change here is institutional and political, not technological; the community solar agenda is moving to a larger organization representing multiple sectors. This may increase the consistency of messaging before regulatory authorities, but the source does not specify the final management structure after the integration, nor does it explain whether the policy priorities of each sector will change or how differences among them will be managed. In addition, the market-growth data cited in the announcement were not supported by further details or additional sources in the available material.