In this episode of Scaling Clean, I sat down with Abby Hopper, CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association, for a conversation as she prepares to step down from her role on January 30.
During Abby’s nine-year tenure at SEIA, the US solar industry grew from 36 GW to 255 GW of capacity, expanded to 5.5 million residential customers and climbed from 14th to third in global solar manufacturing. She led through trade wars, COVID and the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, one of the most consequential climate laws in US history.
Although Abby has extensive experience with scale and policy wins and losses, this conversation was about leadership when a job is hard, feedback is loud and decisions are uncomfortable.
One piece of advice that stood out to me was Abby’s approach to receiving feedback. Be open to it, but don’t let it become your identity. Your sense of what’s right, and who you are, can’t be built from other people’s opinions.
Here are three takeaways that stayed with me:
Abby talked about leading SEIA through layoffs during COVID. She emphasized that simply being “nice” won’t cut it, especially when job loss upends someone’s day-to-day life.
“Clear is kind,” she said. Transparency, honesty and context matter, especially when decisions can hurt someone’s feelings. People like to understand why.
As the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” moved through Congress, Abby said she had to balance optimism with honesty, making sure her team stayed focused on what was realistically possible as the process unfolded.
“I have to walk the line between, would you like me to give you the truth, or would you like me to make you feel better about what's likely to happen in Congress?” said Abby Hopper. “I usually always choose the truth on those ones.”
Abby listens to feedback carefully, but she doesn’t let outside opinions define her sense of right and wrong.
“I try to be really open to feedback, but also not my sense of what's right and what's wrong. And my sense of myself is not made up of feedback from others,” says Abby.
She also makes the point that not all feedback deserves equal weight. The closer someone is to the work, and the more context they have, the more seriously she considers it.
As Abby prepares to step down in 10 days, she’s intentionally trying not to define “what’s next.” Instead of moving quickly into a new role, she is focusing on what her life wants to look like, such as how she wants to spend her time, who she wants to be present with and what kind of work energizes her.
“I feel really good about the work that I've done. I want a new challenge.” said Abby. “I feel like I have a lot of energy, ideas and excitement about the way the world could be and should be. So, I want to take time to mold that unfettered excitement and optimism into the next place that I'm going to apply those.”
Clean energy isn’t just about navigating policy cycles or scaling infrastructure. It’s about how leaders show up when the stakes are high.
Abby’s reflections offer lessons that apply far beyond solar:
Abby leaves behind an organization that’s resilient and prepared for what is coming next. She made a lot of people feel like they belonged in this industry while it was still changing and growing. I’m grateful she took the time to reflect so openly in this conversation, and I’m rooting for where she chooses to go next.
Listen on Apple, Spotify, Radio Public, Amazon Music, and iHeart.
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Melissa Baldwin:
Every so often, we see a leader emerge who steers the sector through rough seas and pushes us toward what we can become. And for the solar sector, Abigail Ross Hopper has been that leader.
During her nine-year tenure at the Solar Energy Industries Association, or SEIA, Abby has guided the industry through trade battles, a pandemic, and the most meaningful climate and energy legislation we've ever seen.
She’s also pushed the sector to look inward, building diversity, strengthening organizations, and creating a space for women to lead.
Under Abby’s watch, the U.S. solar industry has expanded from 36 to 255 gigawatts of capacity. We've grown from 1 million to 5.5 million residential solar customers, and we've climbed from 14th to third in global solar manufacturing.
Now, as she prepares to step away on January 30, 2026, we’re taking a moment to reflect with Abby on what she’s most proud of, the hard moments that nobody sees, and the leadership lessons she’ll carry forward.
We also ask, how can organizations thrive after a transition?
So first, we want to talk about leadership and growth. You've already been on our show and had a great interview with Mike, but I want you to reflect. Looking back at your time at SEIA, what are you most proud of?
Abby Hopper:
I would say two things, honestly, one internal and one external.
The external is obviously the Inflation Reduction Act. That was such a transformative piece of legislation. Even though it's been curtailed a bit, it's still transformative. I think it really gave our industry the stability and the pathway it needed, so even in a time like now, where things are a little tighter, we're growing.
We're going to release new data soon. We're growing, so that's exciting. And just the campaign around it, the work, and the relationships, I'm really proud of that work.
Internally, it has really been the growth of SEIA as a business. It went from about 40 people to over 100 people, and the budget tripled in the nine years I was there. We formed a C3 and a C4 in addition to our C6.
Melissa Baldwin:
Yeah, it takes a ton of work. And I have to go back to what you said about the IRA. I fought for 20 years to pass climate legislation, and I can remember where I was when the bill was passing. I brought my kids with me to Panera, and we were listening. I was telling my kids, “This is history. We're making history right now.”
So kudos to you for the incredible work that you did. There were so many different people and voices that you brought to the table. I think that is absolutely something to be proud of. I know that it's been long fought for and hard won, so really, really meaningful.
Melissa Baldwin:
And on your point about growing the organization, I was looking back at the interview you did with Mike, and you talked about how one of the things you felt you're good at is figuring out what other people are good at. That was a couple of years ago. Can you think of points right now where that's still coming into play for you, where you're saying, “Hey, you're good at this, I'm going to put you here”?
Abby Hopper:
Yeah. So as we have grown, we’ve hired new people, but some people have also moved into new roles.
I think about Dave Gall, who was the head of our Northeast policy, and is now the executive director of the Solar and Storage Industries Institute (SEIA C3). He's been there since the inception, and that recognizes that someone has the ability to grow and that it's time to grow. It's time to make a leap like that.
I also think about my chief of staff, Jen Bristol, who started in our communications department and is now a vice president and chief of staff. It’s been amazing to watch her growth and see her blossom.
There are lots of good people at SEIA. Every year around this time, we do promotions. When we send that email at the beginning of the year with all the promotions, it’s amazing to see how many people have been here for a long time, how many people have grown through the organization, and how many people are finding new ways to bring value to SEIA while also expanding their skills.
I really like doing that. I do feel like I'm pretty good at it, spotting talent, recruiting people to come work with me, and then helping them grow while they're here.
Melissa Baldwin:
Nice. So I want to pretend we can go back in time. If you could go back to the first year you were at SEIA, knowing what you know now, what advice would you give yourself on your first day?
Abby Hopper:
The practical advice would be not to spell the name of the organization wrong in my email. That’s very practical advice. I don’t even remember which one of my brand-new staff had to come into my office and tell me that my email signature was wrong. We got through that.
More substantively, that’s an interesting question. It wouldn’t be industry-related, and it wouldn’t be about understanding the technology better. It would really be more personal.
I would tell myself, “You’re going to be okay. You are going to get through this.”
A lot of people might not know that my first year at SEIA was also the year that I got separated. So in the middle of this huge career transition, I was also telling my children one of the hardest things you have to tell your children, moving to different places, and managing an insanely complicated schedule that I tried to keep from everyone.
So I would probably tell myself it’s going to be really hard. It’s not the substance that’s hard. It’s the people, the life, and everything else. And you’re going to make it through.
Melissa Baldwin:
One of the things I love about you is how authentic and real you are. You're not afraid to share personal details, and I think that makes you more approachable. People can relate to you because of that.
And I know you recently got married and celebrated your wedding, so huge congratulations to you on that happy chapter in your life.
Abby Hopper:
It’s such a happy chapter. It’s funny because I feel like there’s a difference between being authentic and being honest. I also think about oversharing.
Sometimes people think they know me because they’ve read something I’ve written, and they know that one thing about me. But there’s still a lot more there. I don’t feel like I’m an oversharer. You can ask people I work with.
I can be very loud and outspoken, but I keep a lot of things really private. So when I do decide to share a detail, like getting separated in my first year at SEIA, it’s because, one, it’s true, and two, because there are a lot of people who go through that and have to navigate, especially women, who they are in their professional lives while also managing heartbreak.
It’s not fun.
Melissa Baldwin:
Yeah. So stepping away from SEIA is a big decision. This is something you’ve just recently decided. What went into that thinking, and why now?
Abby Hopper:
Yeah, it’s a really big decision. It’s a big decision for me personally, for my family, and for the organization.
It was something I decided over time. I didn’t wake up one day and think, “I’ll just write a quick letter and say, see you later.”
If I think about where the industry is, we’ve grown so much and changed so much. We’ve gotten through major legislative challenges, and we’re at a natural stopping point where the legislative side has slowed down, and the industry is focused on building to meet deadlines.
Organizationally, we are in a strong position. We have a great board, we’re financially stable, RE+ continues to grow, and we have an incredible leadership team. So I felt really comfortable that this is a good time.
It’s not like we’re heading into a major election moment where transition would add more uncertainty. The organization is strong and healthy and can manage a transition, even though it naturally brings some uncertainty.
Personally, I feel like whatever I set out to do when I first got here, I’ve exceeded my expectations. I feel really good about the work I’ve done, and I want a new challenge.
I feel like I have a lot of energy, ideas, and excitement about what the world could be, and I want to take some time to shape that into what comes next.
And third, I just got married. There’s someone I want to spend time with. My kids are at major life milestones. One has graduated college, one is about to, and another will graduate high school. My life looks very different now.
So I want to spend some time thinking about what I want my life to look like, not just what job I want to have.
Melissa Baldwin:
Yeah. There’s something empowering about that, right? Not defining yourself only by your job.
Abby Hopper:
Yeah. Check in with me in a couple of months. I’ve never done this before, and I’ve been very defined by my job.
So I’m stepping out in faith that I won’t have a meltdown. But I feel proud of myself for making the decision. There was an internal pull that it was time for a new challenge, even without knowing exactly what that challenge is.
Melissa Baldwin:
Well, I think you should be proud of yourself because what you've achieved is remarkable. The tenure you’ve had is remarkable, but I’m especially inspired by you and the work you’ve done with women in our industry, and that’s what my next question is about.
Being a woman leading as a CEO, I’ve got to tell you, even on this podcast, my job is to interview CEOs, and most of my guests are male. There are not a lot of women CEOs out there, and we want more.
I can also say from my own experience that I wanted to talk about your Solar Sisters effort because my experience of it has been so positive. When I go to a conference, some of the best connections I make and the most meaningful conversations are with other women like me.
So what inspired you to create that space, and are you going to keep it going after January 30?
Abby Hopper:
I had a really amazing experience going to an all-girls school from seventh through twelfth grade, so I’ve always valued women-only spaces. They feel empowered, comfortable, and safe to me.
I was also told from a very young age that I could do anything and be anything I wanted, and that combination is pretty powerful. I hope I pass that on to my children.
When I got to the solar industry, I was honestly a bit stunned by how male-dominated it was. I hadn’t fully appreciated the homogeneity of the industry. My entire leadership team was male when I arrived at SEIA.
So I felt like I needed to create space for myself, where I could find peers. My experience has been that there’s a different kind of conversation that happens when we’re supporting each other.
That’s what drove me to create Solar Sisters. The name itself came about while I was writing, and it stuck because it felt natural. I started writing to my “solar sisters” because I already had close female friendships and informal ways of communicating, sharing experiences, and reacting to things happening in our work lives.
What really stood out, though, was the response. The feedback, the storytelling, and the conversations—some public, but many private, where people would pull me aside or send messages—made it clear how important this space was.
I’m completely convinced there’s something powerful in storytelling. It’s a big part of what you do, and it helps people connect and process their experiences.
What I love about Solar Sisters is that it doesn’t ask a lot from people. No one needs another big commitment, but it creates space for women at different stages in their careers.
There aren’t many places where someone can say, “I got feedback in my performance review that I’m too nice. What does that mean?” I remember one conversation where a newer professional shared exactly that, and it led to a really meaningful discussion.
Many of us had heard that feedback before, and we realized it was often a proxy for something else. These conversations matter because they impact performance reviews, promotions, compensation, and career growth. It’s not just about feeling supported—it’s about advancing professionally.
Melissa Baldwin:
Yeah, what you said reminds me of a really good book called The Curse of the Good Girl. It explores the psychology of how women are taught from a very young age what it means to be “good.”
The researcher asks women what that means, and there are all these expectations: you have to be nice, you can’t brag, you shouldn’t boast. These expectations are shaped very early and specifically for women.
Abby Hopper:
Especially when you asked about being a CEO, that really shows up. CEOs have to say difficult things, and they have to give feedback that isn’t always popular.
So figuring out what that looks like is important. My favorite book right now is Likeable Badass, which brings those ideas together. It talks about balancing warmth and power, and how combining the two can be incredibly effective.
A lot of the time, we’re told we have to be nice, but then we’re also told not to be too nice. It can be confusing.
You start to wonder: am I supposed to be warm or cold? Direct or careful? Am I supposed to be blunt, or soften everything so no one feels uncomfortable?
It’s a lot.
Melissa Baldwin:
Well, that perfectly segues us to the next question. I want to ask you about having hard conversations.
If you think back to tough moments in your tenure at SEIA, can you share a difficult situation and how you handled it?
Abby Hopper:
Absolutely. I’ve had lots of tough conversations and situations. I’ll highlight two different types.
One was situationally difficult. During COVID, I led SEIA through a time when more than 40 percent of our revenue came from events. So you can imagine the impact.
We had to make very difficult budget decisions quickly, including laying people off. Those were hard conversations with my board, my staff, and the individuals who were impacted.
What I learned, and what I try to do to this day, is embrace the idea that clarity is kindness. I was very clear with people about the situation. We were all in it together, and everyone shared in the impact. Everyone took a pay cut, with executives taking larger reductions.
There was a lot of communication and transparency. One piece of advice I’d offer is that when you have to have difficult conversations, be clear and be as transparent as possible. People want to understand why, and to the extent you can explain that, it really matters.
The second type of challenge comes from policy conversations. For example, during the work around HR1, there were very difficult discussions with different sectors of the industry.
In my role leading a trade association, I often have to walk a line: do people want the truth, or do they want reassurance? I always choose the truth, even when it’s not what people want to hear.
That doesn’t mean it’s easy. People have strong opinions about how decisions are made, what was done right, and what was done wrong. Sometimes I’m on the receiving end of that feedback.
My approach is to stay open to feedback but not let it define my sense of what’s right or wrong, or my sense of self. I think about feedback in concentric circles. The people I trust most have the greatest influence, and as feedback comes from further out, I consider it, but I also recognize that those perspectives may not include all the context.
For example, during the HR1 discussions, people would say, “You just need to tell them we need every electron we can get, and that we’re cheaper and faster to build.” Those statements are true, and we communicated them in many ways.
But the reality is that those weren’t the factors that ultimately mattered. It was part of a much larger political discussion, and without that full context, some decisions don’t make sense from the outside.
Melissa Baldwin:
There was something in the way you were speaking that reminded me of a point you made in your conversation with Mike. You have a legal background, and I’m wondering—this is a two-part question—how have you grown during your time at SEIA, and do you feel that your legal background shows up in your leadership style?
Abby Hopper:
I’ll start with the second question. My legal background absolutely shows up in my leadership style.
Law school teaches you how to think, and I tend to think in a very structured way—step by step. I focus on identifying the problem we’re trying to solve and then working through possible solutions.
That’s how I lead. I like to move from one step to the next, clearly defining the problem and then exploring different ways to address it. There’s a discipline to analysis that I value, especially given that my work involves policy, politics, legislation, and regulation.
As for how I’ve grown, I feel much more comfortable in my own skin.
When I started this role, I didn’t know much about solar, trade associations, or lobbying Congress. I had experience at the state level and in government, but not in this specific context.
When you don’t know a lot, it can make you feel unsettled. Over time, as I became more familiar and confident, that feeling changed.
I also think I give people more grace now than I used to. I tend to assume that people are doing their best.
That doesn’t mean I avoid hard conversations when expectations aren’t met, but I approach those situations with more calm and perspective than I did earlier in my career.
Melissa Baldwin:
Nice, I love that. I want to ask another question. This one is more on the difficult side and has to do with the amount of misinformation in the solar space, across the public and on social media.
What has been your experience with that, and what have you found to be most effective in combating misinformation in the industry?
Abby Hopper:
First of all, you're right. It’s one of the most pervasive and challenging issues we face because it happens community by community. It’s not something you can solve with a single policy or action.
Honestly, it comes down to trusted messengers—people talking to their neighbors. That kind of work is time-intensive, resource-intensive, and effort-intensive. There’s no magic bullet.
It really comes down to a human-to-human connection. That’s what I think is most effective in addressing misinformation.
Melissa Baldwin:
No magic bullet. People trust people more than they trust businesses or corporations. And they especially trust family, friends, neighbors—people who look like them, sound like them, and share similar experiences.
Abby Hopper:
Exactly. And you know this as a communications expert. Even for me, I can see how repeated exposure works.
The first time I see something online, I ignore it. The second time, I still ignore it. The third time, it starts to catch my attention. By the fourth time, I’m asking someone if they’ve tried it.
That could happen over a few days or a few weeks, but repetition matters. It’s not just one message—it’s consistent exposure over time.
Melissa Baldwin:
Repetition and social proof.
Abby Hopper:
Exactly. Repetition and social proof. I love that.
Melissa Baldwin:
Let me ask you about AI. It’s rapidly changing everything. It’s increasing demand for power through data centers, which creates opportunity for solar, but it’s also reshaping how people communicate and how information is created.
It’s becoming harder to tell what’s real. How do you think AI will reshape solar advocacy in the future?
Abby Hopper:
That’s such an important question. It ties directly to misinformation—both in terms of creating more of it and potentially helping to combat it.
One thing we’ve been thinking about at SEIA is how AI can help tailor messaging. You mentioned people trusting those who sound like them or are part of their community. AI could help us create messages that resonate more effectively with different audiences.
For example, in advocacy, different elected officials respond to different types of messaging. We can already do that, but it requires a lot of research. AI could make that process faster and more efficient.
I also think tools like relational mapping and data analysis could be transformative—helping us better understand networks, campaign contributions, and influence patterns.
At the same time, AI is increasing skepticism. People are questioning whether what they see is real. Even in everyday situations, there’s this growing uncertainty.
That raises bigger questions: how do we establish trust? How do the public and elected officials know what’s real? And what does that mean for advocacy going forward?
Melissa Baldwin:
As we get toward the end, I want to ask about your next steps. Do you think you’ll stay in renewables and solar, or move into a different industry?
Abby Hopper:
My honest answer is that I hope to stay in renewables and solar, but I’m not completely certain.
One thing I’ve learned about myself is that I love building things. I love creating vision, strategy, teams, and momentum. That’s what I’ve done at SEIA—growing the organization in size, budget, and impact.
That process is incredibly rewarding. So whatever I do next, I want it to involve building something meaningful.
If I can do that in an area I care deeply about, like renewable energy, that would be ideal.
I’m also excited to spend more time on Solar Sisters. It’s been a passion project, and I want to continue growing it.
I’ve also discovered that I really enjoy writing, so there may be an opportunity there. And I love advocacy—whether that’s in renewables or another issue that becomes important to me.
But for now, I’m not rushing into anything. I’m taking time to reflect and figure out what comes next.
Melissa Baldwin:
Let me ask one more question. What do you want to be known for?
Abby Hopper:
I want people to say that I was—and am—an impactful and empathetic leader, and that those two qualities can coexist.
I hope people feel that I helped lead this next era of growth in solar, but also that I made people feel welcome—at events, in the industry, and regardless of how they showed up.
The growth metrics are important, but for me personally, how people felt matters just as much.
Melissa Baldwin:
Beautiful. Is there anything else you’d like to share with our listeners?
Abby Hopper:
Serving as CEO of SEIA for nine years has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. It’s been challenging, but also incredibly rewarding.
I’ve learned so much—not just about solar and storage, but about people, communities, coalition building, and advocacy.
I’m incredibly optimistic about the future of the industry. I feel confident stepping away because I know it will continue to grow.
I’m also deeply grateful to the people who trusted me in this role, especially given that I started with no solar experience.
And beyond the work, the relationships I’ve built in this industry mean so much to me. Many of those colleagues have become close friends.
I’m not going anywhere, and I’m looking forward to having more time to connect, say yes to things like coffee, and stay engaged in a different way.
Melissa Baldwin:
It was a lot, and you showed up in a big way. Thank you for everything you’ve done.
Abby Hopper:
Thank you.