Key Takeaways from the 2025 Midwest Solar Expo

The solar industry is at a crossroads. Between rising energy demands, evolving policy landscapes, and an urgent push toward decarbonization, it’s clear that the grid of the future requires more than just new infrastructure. It needs smarter systems, better data, and stronger partnerships.

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the Midwest Solar Expo in Chicago alongside Rob O’Brien, Strategic Salesforce Connector at Canvas Cloud. We joined hundreds of clean energy professionals and policymakers for three days of discussions, panels, and real talk about where the industry is headed. While this was my first time at the event, what stood out wasn’t just the energy (pun intended), but the alignment between what the solar industry needs and what Salesforce and Canvas Cloud can help deliver.

Here are five of my biggest takeaways:

1. Grid Strain Is Real and Growing

Demand is outpacing supply. Data centers, EV adoption, and ambitious climate goals are putting unprecedented pressure on aging infrastructure. States like Illinois are stepping up with investments in renewable projects, while others remain on the sidelines. Regardless of geography, the takeaway is clear: the U.S. grid is evolving, and solar will play a central role in its future.

2. Data Is an Untapped Asset

Solar and renewable energy organizations generate incredible amounts of data, from project performance and community impact to funding metrics and regulatory compliance. But many still rely on siloed tools, spreadsheets, and legacy systems. That’s a massive opportunity. With Salesforce, these organizations can centralize data, visualize impact, and automate reporting, turning information into insight, and insight into action.

3. Policy Is a Wildcard

Discussions around the “Big Beautiful Bill” making its way through federal channels centered on how provisions could reshape the funding landscape for solar in the U.S. Tariffs on imported solar panels and battery components were also top of mind. The takeaway: renewable energy is deeply entangled with policy and organizations need the agility to adapt quickly.

4. Salesforce Is Underutilized in Solar

Many organizations in the clean energy space already use Salesforce, but few are leveraging it to its full potential. That’s where Canvas Cloud comes in. We’ve helped groups like Slipstream and ComEd design Salesforce solutions that track energy programs, manage funding workflows, and deliver powerful stakeholder reporting. The platform’s flexibility makes it a perfect fit for a sector navigating complexity, compliance, and growth.

5. This Sector Is Full of Purpose and Potential

Solar isn’t just about kilowatts and carbon offsets. It’s about building a better future. That sense of mission was clear throughout the Expo, and it aligns closely with our work in the nonprofit sector. Like the social impact world, the solar space is driven by vision, powered by community, and fueled by the need for change. We’re proud to stand at the intersection of technology and mission, helping organizations scale their systems as they scale their impact.

Looking Ahead

Canvas Cloud is deepening its investment in renewable energy, starting with our sponsorship of the upcoming American Solar Energy Society (ASES) Solar Conference in Boulder, Colorado, August 4-6, 2025. We believe this sector needs more than software and it needs strategic partners who understand how to make Salesforce work for mission-driven teams.

If your organization is building the future of clean energy, we’d love to connect.