TURN PARKING INTO POWER.
MEET AMERICA’S SOLAR CARPORT EXPERTS, AND TURN PARKING SPACES INTO ENERGY ASSETS.
For more than 40 years, Baja Carports has been building solar support structures that set the standard for long-term durability. That’s why industry leaders across commercial, government, multifamily residential and industrial sectors trust Baja with their solar carport projects.
We bring design, engineering, installation and repair all under one roof—so your system will be up and running faster, and will keep running for years to come.
When site conditions push back, you don’t need complexity, you need performance. The A-Frame® Tracker Interface was designed with that reality in mind so teams can focus less on solving foundation challenges and more on moving projects forward. Engineered for the tough soils, uneven terrain, and real-world constraints that define today’s utilityscale solar projects.
APA has spent more than a decade establishing itself as a fixed-tilt foundation leader, solving challenges with engineered solutions suited for a wide variety of site conditions. While the A-Frame® is APA’s debut tracker interface, it’s not a first draft. The design incorporates engineering input, U.S. domestic manufacturing experience, and feedback from the field. The result is a simplified design process through a solution engineered to fit the site from the start.
Designed, built, and manufactured in the United States, the A-Frame® reflects APA’s approach to foundation design: start with the site, identify challenges, then engineer the solution. Its dual-post configuration distributes loads across two posts, which supports use in frost-sensitive soils, rock, and variable ground conditions. Paired with APA’s ground screw or helical pile foundations, the system adapts to various soil conditions from dense glacial till to soft, organic soils—without having to rely on excessive embedment depths or overbuilt steel.
Installation flexibility is at the core of the design. Integrated adjustability for height, plumb, and east-west alignment helps crews handle undulating terrain while reducing grading and rework. A folding, preassembled configuration simplifies logistics and speeds up deployment, and interchangeable components support high volume manufacturing for large tracker projects. For projects with elevated load demands, the A-Frame® is engineered to maintain structural integrity in even the most challenging site conditions. With a foundation solution engineered for real-world conditions, APA handles the complexity behind the scenes for you.
For detailed specifications, refer to the A-Frame® Tracker Interface spec sheet at apasolar.com/products/a-frame-tracker-interface
BRING YOUR A-GAME
Take control of tough sites.
Staff
EDITORIAL
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LEADERSHIP
CEO Matt Logan mlogan@arrowfly.com
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IT'S A SIGNIFICANT
year for the United States and the solar industry. The country is celebrating its 250th birthday, the U.S. solar industry has surpassed 6 million individual installations and, perhaps most importantly, Solar Power World is celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Top Solar Contractors List. Congratulations to all the U.S. solar companies on the 2026 List!
It's nice to have that veteran status rightfully cemented. Joining us with more than 15 years' experience in solar and the construction trades are 226 companies on the 2026 Top Solar Contractors List — and another 55 can claim over a decade in the industry. That means over 72% of this year's List has at least 10 years' involvement in solar.
That experience came in handy this past year, as everyone navigated
policy headaches, tariff schedules and supply constraints. Only the strong and nimble survive, and the 2026 Top Solar Contractors List showcases the strongest names in solar development, construction and installation. Solar Power World is proud to celebrate those companies and share their stories here.
We're excited to continue celebrating the solar industry's wins during this milestone year. The headlines are already monumental — "Solar generation overtakes coal for first time" and "Antirenewables administration can't stop solar" — but we know there's plenty more to come. See you in the next 15!
– Solar Power World Editors
KELLY PICKEREL BILLY LUDT
Solar Snake MaxTM
2026 Top Solar Contractors installed solar in every state, plus D.C. and Puerto Rico.
top solar contractors headquarters top solar states
Top 5 states for
Most popular region for headquarters
What experience, training or certifications do you prioritize when hiring?*
*Nearly 50% of respondents marked that all solar-related components have increased in price this year. For
How concerned are your customers about product warranties and service support?
Is going after the ITC still a priority for your business?
Side of the Table
Solar EPC projects rarely unfold exactly as planned. Conditions change, priorities shift and trade-offs are inevitable. To navigate that complexity, DEPCOM Power, a Koch Engineered Solutions business focused on utilityscale solar and energy storage solutions, emphasizes clarifying the client’s goals upfront so cross-functional teams can work toward the same outcome.
“At DEPCOM, we think about shared vision in a unique manner,” says Daniel Kotkin, president of DEPCOM Power. “We spend time upfront aligning on what success really looks like, so as the project evolves, every decision is made against the same set of priorities.
What success looks like can vary from client to client. For some, the priority is speed. For others, it is cost management. Early alignment around the owner’s priorities helps shape decisions throughout the project lifecycle, and gives teams a guide for maintaining stability when new challenges or unforeseen changes arise.
“One of the changes we made was bringing all the different key stakeholders into those beginning conversations,” says Byron Lamon, senior vice president of project delivery at DEPCOM. “It used to be between DEPCOM and the owners—and now our internal teams, our subcontractors, and even local permitting authorities all understand the owner’s objectives.”
One of DEPCOM’s advantages as an EPC is its ability to perform a majority of the engineering work in-house. When complex issues arise, resources can be brought in quickly to help develop solutions in line with the project’s goals. The emphasis is always on meeting commitments while also keeping the owner’s priorities in mind.
“One of the benefits of having our internal engineering capability is we’re able to take a lot of the considerations that the owner has, whether it be land costs, system degradation, or regulatory uncertainty , and we’re able to work with our engineering team to optimize the solution to generate the best value long-term,” says Lamon. “It’s
really that transparency, partnership, and communication with the owner that allows us to do that.”
This philosophy carries into DEPCOM’s day-to-day execution of projects. Problems do not get better with time, and better solutions can come from either side when the focus stays on achieving a successful outcome.
“We can work sitting on the same side of the table as opposed to sitting on opposite sides of the table trying to deal with the problem,” says Kotkin.
For DEPCOM, the ultimate results of a project go beyond technical execution alone. The aim is to build partnerships that last longer than a single project—with communication, timely feedback, and the sharing of risks and issues adapted to each client’s preferences.
“It’s not just about delivering the project on time, at the right cost, with the right quality,” says Kotkin. “It’s also about the owner’s experience throughout it. We think that’s one of the most important drivers.” SPW
LEARN MORE
The U.S. solar industry is as strong as it’s ever been, with more kilowatts going in the ground, on roofs and over parking lots and canals each day. As Solar Power World celebrates 15 years recognizing the top solar contractors in the country, a mature industry proves it has staying power. Congratulations to the hardworking companies on the 2026 Top Solar Contractors List.
1,299,000.0
1,168,930.0
Invested in U.S. Manufacturing for Renewable Energy since 1950
When it comes to solar, success depends on more than individual components, it depends on the system behind them.
Southwire has an extensive, end-to-end product portfolio engineered to power solar projects. From PV wire and medium voltage cable, to overhead conductors, underground transmission, and installation-ready solutions, Southwire delivers the electrical foundation solar projects rely on, backed by engineering expertise, manufacturing scale, and trusted performance.
Whether your project spans the array, the substation, or the grid connection, Southwire has the products to support it...today, and for what’s next.
ENGINEERED AND MANUFACTURED IN THE U.S. BY A COMPANY ROOTED IN CARROLLTON, GA.
How much has your company changed since you were first featured on the list in 2012?
What began as a commercial electrical contractor expanding into the solar market has evolved into a trusted EPC partner delivering large and complex
projects across the nation. We have grown our workforce, developed our technical expertise, expanded our inhouse electrical apprenticeship program to offer a solar-focused curriculum, and broadened our geographic reach to 14 states from coast to coast. Adding solar to our scope of work was the catalyst for diversifying our electrical company’s offerings, and we have since grown to become experts in the fields of battery energy storage systems, building automation systems and utility services as well.
— David Wright, Chief Revenue Officer, E Light Electric | Englewood, Colorado
What hopes do you have for the next 15 years?
The next 15 years present an amazing opportunity for both the solar industry and Namaste Solar. We hope to see solar, storage,
and distributed energy resources become essential parts of a cleaner, more resilient energy system. As the grid changes, local energy generation and storage will play a bigger role in helping communities meet their energy needs while improving reliability.
If the last 21 years have taught us anything, it’s that resilience comes from staying true to your values while being flexible. We’re excited to help shape the future of clean energy and continue showing that doing business differently is possible and effective.
— Dave Rizzotto, Co-Owner, Director of Marketing, Namaste
Solar | Longmont, Colorado
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Why have you applied to the Top Solar Contractors List every year?
We’re honored to be one of only 13 companies who have been included in all 15 editions of the Top Solar Contractors List, both as Impact Power Solutions and New Energy Equity. We apply every year because this is the most important list to be on in the solar industry. Being included is critical for increasing awareness of our company and what we have accomplished. Top Solar Contractors is also an excellent example of the growth of our industry and how solar is a critical part of the present and future of electricity generation in the United States.
— Kyle Marchesseault, VP of Marketing, New Energy Equity | Annapolis, Maryland
How much has your company changed since you were first featured on the list in 2012?
At that point, we were a small team serving primarily central Pennsylvania and the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Today, we’re a team of nearly 150 people with multiple branches working in seven states, serving businesses, farms and homeowners. We’ve also built a growing maintenance division that services systems of all sizes, from small residential installations to utility-scale systems.
What hasn’t changed is why we do this. We’re still a familyowned company driven by our values and relationships, not just revenue.
— Andy Schell, Senior Marketing Manager, Paradise Energy Solutions | Paradise, Pennsylvania
Why have you applied to the Top Solar Contractors List every year?
From the beginning, we appreciated seeing the solar industry recognized in such a visible way. At the time, nothing like this had existed before, and the list was a clear sign that solar was gaining national attention and momentum. When we started, we were among a small number of companies working in the field, so seeing contractors recognized in a national magazine was meaningful.
—
Rick Gilbert, Executive VP, Solar Source | St. Petersburg, Florida
Solar and Battery Projects that Perform
With nearly 25 years of renewable energy experience and over 350 MW installed to date, GreenSpark Solar helps build renewable energy assets designed for long-term performance.
Community solar
Rooftop solar
Utility-scale systems
Battery energy storage systems
Operations & maintenance
Ready to build energy, together? Start the conversation.
What hopes do you have for the next 15 years?
Over the next 15 years, we hope to see solar and renewable energy continue making meaningful strides toward a more balanced, resilient and sustainable energy future. The industry has already made tremendous progress, but there is still significant work ahead. We hope Standard Solar can continue helping expand access to renewable energy, deliver long-term savings to communities and customers, support grid resilience and contribute to a future where clean energy is not the alternative, but a central part of how we power our lives.
— Scott Wiater, President and CEO, Standard Solar | Rockville, Maryland
The Next Solar Boom Is Already Installed.
Millions of aging PV systems represent your next wave of projects.
For 45 years, SMA has helped shape the future of solar energy. Today, thousands of residential and commercial systems installed over the past two decades are ready for their next chapter.
With SMA Repowering Solutions, contractors can modernize aging assets, restore performance, add storage and backup capabilities, while extending system life with today‘s advanced string inverter technology.
Whether replacing residential systems with the Sunny Boy Smart Energy or upgrading commercial assets with Sunny Tripower X and Sunny Highpower PEAK3 FLEX, SMA delivers innovative new solutions, trusted value and unyielding support to unlock new opportunities.
Repower with Confidence. Repower with SMA. Start Here:
Socomec delivers innovative solutions for the “smart” management of buildings and power grids. With a comprehensive range of low-voltage electrical components, our solutions are engineered to meet the needs of today’s energy-conscious world.
Socomec’s portfolio includes high-performance systems from power metering and monitoring, power switching and battery energy storage. Whether you're managing a commercial facility or optimizing a renewable energy site, we help collect data, enhance efficiency, and drive sustainability forward.
SUNSYS HES L Energy Storage, WattNode Wide Range Meters, DIRIS Digiware & DIRIS DigiBOX B Power Monitoring, SIR O MO D & D ESS Power Swit ing
In what areas are you investing to improve installation efficiency?
Quanta is making investments in our people, our technologies and our enterprise to improve install efficiency. We have best-in-class training programs that enable our field teams to install faster than before without sacrificing quality or safety. We’re partnering with technology innovators to improve operational efficiency and accelerate project schedules. And the strong breadth of our operating companies serving the solar market means we can leverage the right people and right operating unit to deliver certainty at scale.
— BJ Ducey, President of Strategic Operations, Quanta Services
MARKET LEADERS
What’s it like installing solar for school districts?
We do work with a lot of school districts and genuinely enjoy doing so. We hold a Division of the State Architect (DSA) Precheck which is a set of pre-approved solar carport and ground-mount designs. Our DSA Precheck streamlines the path through permitting which translates directly into faster mobilization and fewer project delays. Scheduling around the academic calendar is absolutely essential to the planning process. Most carport structures are installed over parking lots, active spaces used daily by staff, students and visitors, so summer and winter breaks are the preferred construction windows to minimize disruption and keep everyone on campus safe.
— Andreas Karlsson, General Manager and VP of Renewable Energy, Teichert Solar
top commercial contractors
How are you encouraging workforce and leadership development?
Over the past two years, KE’s energy division has partnered with Evolve Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to advancing equitable workforce development and wraparound support services. Together, we are focused on expanding access to employment opportunities within historically underserved communities across Illinois.
KE currently operates four apprenticeship programs: electrical, operator, solar installer and electrical lineman. Each program combines remote classroombased instruction with hands-on field experience, ensuring employees develop both technical expertise and practical skills while upholding the highest standards of quality and safety. These apprenticeship programs provide a strong foundation for career development, enabling participants to earn while they learn and gain real-world experience.
— Mike Huneke, VP of Energy, Knobelsdorff (KE)
Top 20 communiTy SoLAR conTRAcToRS
Top
What is key to being a successful residential salesperson?
Trust isn’t built by saying, “Trust me.” It’s earned through honesty, active listening and a genuine commitment to helping homeowners make the best decision for their family. When customers feel understood and know you’re putting their interests first, you become more than a salesperson — you become a trusted advisor.
Salespeople who focus on quick signatures may see short-term successes and glory on their company’s leaderboards, but those who take the time to build trust and serve as true advisors create stronger customer relationships, earn more referrals and enjoy greater long-term success. In the solar industry, trusted advisors consistently build more sustainable income and longerlasting careers.
— Robby Edge, Partner, EMPWR Solar
top 10 epcs
What are the biggest lessons you have learned working across multiple markets?
What we’ve learned over years of delivering projects across different markets is that no two sites are the same, and a standardized approach doesn’t hold up in the field. That’s led us to organize our delivery model regionally and invest in our inhouse engineering and construction capabilities, so we can apply local insight to each project and make informed decisions earlier in the process. That combination of local insight and technical depth helps us reduce risk, improve execution and drive long-term performance for our customers.
— Brent Esworthy, SVP of Business Development, DEPCOM Power
top 10 solar developers
How have you handled procurement hurdles for solar projects in recent years?
In my experience, solar procurement in the U.S. has become more complex as the industry adapts to evolving tariffs, trade policies and domestic sourcing requirements. At SYMX, we’ve responded by strengthening our supplier partnerships and taking a proactive, flexible approach to sourcing, which allows us to navigate uncertainty and maintain project momentum. We actively plan around factors like tariffs and regulatory compliance, including investment tax credit and domestic content requirements, to ensure our projects remain financeable and on track.
— Lee Judd, VP of Operations and Procurement, SYMX Energy
top 10 ElEctrical SubcontractorS
What opportunities are out there for electrical subcontractors working in U.S. solar?
For ambitious electrical contractors, subcontracting can be a pathway to strong relationships and larger opportunities across the renewable energy market. A great opportunity I see is in utility-scale electrical testing and commissioning for EPCs, owners and utilities building solar, BESS and interconnection infrastructure. These scopes are technically demanding, consistently needed and critical to energization, turnover and long-term project performance.
By supporting high-stakes activities like transformer testing, fiber terminations, relay checks, energization support and turnover documentation, specialty electrical firms can demonstrate technical credibility where it matters most. That trust can open the door to broader installation, maintenance, corrective work and long-term partnership opportunities across the renewable energy space.
— Ray Selves, SVP of Operations, Conductor Power
top 10 installation subcontractors
How have you refined construction practices as an installation subcontractor?
Last year, we wrote a program to calculate post heights and torque tube deflections for the new terrainfollowing tracker systems. We can turn these calculations around the day after our survey returns elevations. The new program keeps the installation crews running and is compatible with our GPS pile drivers.
— Lawrence Faulkner, Regional Executive, Granite Industrial
top 10 installers
What are your long-term hopes for the people you’ve helped go solar?
My long-term hope for the homeowners we help go solar is that they feel the value of that decision for many years to come. Whether that means continued savings on their electric bill, confidence knowing Earthlight is here to support and service their system, or pride in being part of a greater movement toward sustainable living, we want every customer to feel that solar was a meaningful investment in their home, their family and their future.
— Sam Schneider, CEO, Earthlight Technologies
SINGLE SOURCE SOLUTION IN CLEAN ENERGY
top 10 large-scale storage installers
Do you expect more standalone storage projects to be in your future?
Absolutely. Stand-alone storage has become a core grid solution — enhancing reliability and resiliency while participating in energy markets. It’s also enabling deferral of costly transmission upgrades or replacements. In high-density areas, BESS provides a faster, more flexible way to relieve congestion and unlock the capacity of existing grid infrastructure.
— Kevin Boyce, VP and GM of Energy Storage, Mortenson
top 10 small-scale storage installers
Without considering NEM 3.0 stipulations, how does pairing energy storage with solar benefit homeowners?
Pairing storage with solar is what turns a solar system from a way to lower your bill into a source of real energy independence. Solar alone only produces when the sun is out, so without a battery, much of that power is sent back to the grid during the day and homeowners are buying it back at night when the system isn’t producing. Storage lets a homeowner capture that daytime production and actually use it after the sun goes down, getting full value from every kilowatt their panels generate.
— Vinnie Curcie, CEO, OC Solar
How challenging was the over-canal solar installation?
Access was limited, the workspace was constrained and all work had to be performed without disrupting water delivery. That puts a premium on pre-planning and coordination, because there’s less margin for adjustment once work is in progress. A big challenge was working across a wide-span canopy instead of atgrade. All of the electrical systems had to be installed on elevated structures over flowing water, in step with the steel installation. That level of coordination and sequencing is not something you deal with on a standard solar site. At the end of the day, the scope is the same, but the conditions create the challenge — Challenges that BEI appreciates and pride ourselves to overcome.
— David Zetterlund, General Manager, BEI Construction
top california contractors
full-scope installations
FIXED -TILT, TRACKER, CARPORT, ROOF-TOP, BESS INSTALLATIONS
What made you start the SunRaising Foundation?
We wanted to create a vehicle that could extend the impact of our business beyond solar installations. SunRaising’s work extends far beyond renewable energy. Every Thursday, we serve lunches to members of our Tampa community. We support critical programs throughout Latin America and donate solar equipment and systems that provide reliable power for essential infrastructure.
I no longer see solar solely as a product or an energy solution. I see it as a tool that can strengthen communities, improve quality of life and create lasting impact when paired with a larger mission. At Transform Solar, that belief influences how we approach our customers, our employees and the communities we serve. We want to build a company that succeeds financially while creating meaningful opportunities to give back.
— Jason Humphrey, Co-Founder and CEO, Transform Solar
top florida contractors
What makes residential solar attractive in Illinois?
Community solar has rightly earned attention in the state. However, residential solar offers something community solar can’t: a long-term asset that locks in energy costs, builds equity and delivers direct returns from every kilowatt-hour the system produces.
The financial case for residential solar in Illinois has been strengthened by programs like Illinois Shines, which provides incentive payments to residential owners through the state’s Adjustable Block Program. By reducing upfront costs and improving overall project returns, Illinois Shines has made ownership more accessible and financially attractive. Even as changes to the federal ITC have created some headwinds for residential buyers nationwide, Illinois’ incentive structure helps to offset the impact, keeping residential solar a smart long-term investment for homeowners ready to act.
— Jeremy Vavrik, President, Fresh Coast Solar
top illinois contractors
How did establishing the company in the commercial and industrial markets prepare it for largescale solar projects?
Our roots in commercial and industrial solar taught us how to solve complex challenges in real-world environments where no two projects are alike. That experience developed the ingenuity, adaptability and execution discipline that continue to drive our success on today’s large-scale utility projects.
— Mike Seelman, EVP, Vanguard Energy Partners
What is it like building solar in New Jersey, a state that maintains solar incentive programs?
New Jersey’s status as a premier national solar market is driven by a highly favorable return on investment, thanks to lucrative state incentives, net metering and property tax exemptions. These policies drastically reduce costs and provide organizations with a competitive edge. Furthermore, NJ’s solar programs benefit communities by enabling schools like Pioneer Academy to achieve energy independence, freeing up critical utility funds to reinvest directly into education. This environment is precisely why Core Development Group has not only been headquartered in the state for 15 years but has thrived here, growing into a nationally recognized solar and clean energy EPC contractor.
— Henry Cortes, CEO and Founder, Core Development Group
Just like Top Solar Contractors, you’re celebrating your 15th anniversary. How have things changed for your company since 2011?
Since 2011, STG Solar has evolved from a regional electrical contractor focused on individual project opportunities into a trusted, longterm partner that helps customers maximize value throughout the entire lifecycle of their energy assets. As a family-owned and operated company, we have remained committed to the same vision and core values that have guided us from the beginning — building lasting relationships with customers, employees and project partners by prioritizing integrity, performance and long-term success over shortterm gains. Our growth has been driven by building capabilities, not simply adding capacity.
— Mike Kilpatrick, President, STG Solar
How do you prepare your crews for tackling builds in new regions?
For us it comes down to preparation and the right people; the right people being the key. Before we mobilize into a new region, we do our homework on the local code, the site conditions and the labor pool, and we put leads who know our standards alongside local hands who know the ground. Our safety and quality process travels with us from job to job, we just adapt it to the heat, the terrain and whatever the region throws at us. That is what lets our crews show up ready and put out the same quality of work no matter where the build is.
— Jethro Lebaron, President, Narrow Way Energy
STATE LEADERS
What were the ripple effects of the ITC’s quick expiration?
After the ITC expiration was announced, demand skyrocketed for our two most-used solar panels. Larger national installers moved quickly to secure inventory, and many of our panel allocations were placed in jeopardy. The disruption forced us to redesign and restart approval processes with alternate panels on meaningfully progressed projects while keeping an understandably stressed customer base informed.
For homeowners, the impact was deeply personal. Many had made their decision based on the expected tax benefit, and suddenly that assumption was in jeopardy. While the policy change was outside anyone’s control, maintaining trust remained our responsibility.
When it became clear some customers would miss the eligibility window despite moving forward in good faith, we chose to provide discounts equivalent to the lost tax credit and absorb the cost ourselves. It was a significant financial commitment, but we believed the burden of that policy change should not fall on customers who had placed their trust in us.
— Will Brown, Director of Sales, Green Rack Solar
top pennsylvania contractors
What events led you to a career in solar?
A defining moment came when I attempted to row across the Atlantic Ocean. During the journey, my boat capsized, and seawater destroyed much of the onboard electrical equipment. But the onboard solar panel kept working. I was able to charge a satellite phone and coordinate a rescue. Solar energy quite literally saved my life.
After that experience, I knew I wanted to dedicate myself to the industry. My partners and I started Dawn to Dusk Solar to build more resilient, sustainable energy systems that greatly benefit our customers through lower-cost energy and power backup, while also giving back to an industry that profoundly impacts all of our lives.
top texas contractors
— Fraser Sinclair, Co-Owner, Dawn to Dusk Solar
How has your fourthgeneration electrical company taken a leadership role in solar development within Wisconsin?
Since 1931, Westphal has evolved alongside the changing needs of our customers and communities. Solar is a natural extension of that legacy. By applying the same craftsmanship, safety standards, operational discipline and project expertise that have defined our company for four generations, we’ve become a leader in delivering utility-scale solar, rooftop solar and battery energy storage projects that are contributing to Wisconsin’s evolving energy future while staying true to the values that have guided us for nearly a century. Reflecting that commitment, Westphal & Co.’s Janesville office meets 100% of its electricity needs through participation in this solar installation.
— Andy Carroll, Project Executive, Westphal & Co.
AUGUST 25-26,
2026 | TAMPA, FL
RE+ Florida brings together the companies, experts, and decision-makers shaping the future of energy across the state. Discover the power of Florida’s solar and energy storage industries at this dynamic event, where industry leaders and experts share valuable insights through engaging education sessions and exhibitors showcase the latest clean energy innovations. Designed to encourage meaningful conversations and collaboration, RE+ Florida creates opportunities to connect, learn, and explore new business opportunities in an intimate setting.
across america
There’s more to a solar company than the kilowatts installed each year. Whether a contractor is navigating supplier market exits, cleaning up after freak wind storms or supporting employee work-life balance, each effort makes the company whole. Here are a few special stories from 2026 Top Solar Contractors.
ArizonA
Freak storm forces Arizona contractor to rebuild justcompleted carport
BY KELLY PICKEREL
SOLAR PV is known as being one of the quickest energy sources to deploy to the grid. Despite that speed, there is still some time spent waiting to proceed to each step. If it was a race, solar construction could still be considered a marathon — with a few hurdles thrown on the track.
Arizona energy services company Obodo Energy Partners was nearing completion of its own race when a freak accident moved the finish line. Days before turning over a solar carport project to the customer and utility, a microburst descended upon Tempe, leaving a 10mile tornado-like path of destruction that included the solar project. Obodo Energy Partners (No. 253) had to quickly assess the damage, determine fault and plan a rebuild.
"We had gotten it pretty much all complete. We were just waiting for the final steps to turn it over to the client when this freak storm hit," said Chris Mejia, partner and chief development officer of Obodo Energy Partners. "No one could remember the last time a storm of this severity did so much damage. The prevailing wisdom was that this doesn't happen here in Arizona. You don't really think about being concerned with it or making plans for it."
A microburst is a column of sinking air that forcefully spreads out, causing extensive damage at the surface. While Arizona does not experience tornadoes or hurricanes, the region's hot and humid conditions during the summer's monsoon season can contribute to microburst development. They're sudden and unpredictable, and the October 2025 microburst that hit Tempe likely included straight-line winds exceeding 100 mph in a five-mile-wide path.
The storm twisted purlins, broke solar panels and damaged security fencing on the Obodo project. Foundations and columns survived the storm.
"[I]t was designed for 105-mph [winds] for safety," said John Mitman, founder and CEO of Obodo Energy Partners. "We think it's possible, given the extent of damage, that the whole area was likely in excess of 115 mph. It just shredded the structure. I've been doing these same exact systems for 20
years in Arizona, and this is the only time I've ever seen this level of destruction on a structure that was otherwise structurally complete."
Within a half hour of the storm passing, Obodo was on site to ensure everyone in the surrounding area was safe. Then there was the difficult task of determining what to do next.
"My immediate reaction as the CEO was thinking risk mitigation. Right out of the gate, let's figure out what the heck happened, what the nature of the fault is, who's ultimately accountable," Mitman said, noting that structural engineers documented everything to submit to insurance. "Our commercial liability insurance provider declared we were not at fault — it was not a situation where the system was installed improperly. But it did create a gap where the system had not transferred title to the owner yet for the purposes of being covered by their property insurance."
Ultimately, the customer was understanding of the situation and collaborated with Obodo to split the cost of repairs. Once replacement panels and other materials were acquired, the system was rebuilt quickly. This was the second carport installation in a six-project portfolio for the customer, and plans continued for the rest of the systems — but with one change. The customer asked that the remaining systems be over-engineered for high winds in an abundance of caution.
And Obodo made one small update to its own business — carrying special excess insurance, just in case.
"The client was very understanding. There were no accusations thrown back and forth, and there was no hostility or animosity on any side," Mejia said. "It illustrated that when you have that relationship with a client and contractor, approaching situations from that collaborative space, you can really get things done efficiently and make sure the outcomes work for everybody. That's a lesson I took away: you want to work with the right people, and you want to be the right person that people want to work with." SPW
ohio
Solar developer braves 2 snowstorms to win school contract
BY BILLY LUDT
NATIONAL ENERGY CONTROL
(NEC) (No. 258), of Cincinnati, Ohio, is developing a solar project for a New Jersey school district, and winning the contract involved a series of travel obstacles like those in the 1987 film Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
In early January, VP of business development Zachary Monhollen stayed past working hours to search for requests for proposals (RFPs) for solar projects. He was scrolling through Google search results, and “I don’t remember what page I was on, probably the fourth or fifth, when I found this RFP,” he said.
East Orange School District in East Orange, New Jersey, issued an RFP for new roofing work, EV chargers for
an electric bus fleet and solar on its school buildings. Monhollen shared the RFP document with sales director Josh Davis, and the two pored over its more than 800 pages.
“Typically, we just do solar. It caught our attention because of the roof bid and the EV chargers,” Davis said.
NEC audits whole buildings to provide other energy services, such as lighting, roofing and HVAC.
The next day, they booked flights to New Jersey for a pre-bid meeting happening there the following week. When the date came, Monhollen and Davis arrived in East Orange to walk through and atop the 21 school buildings the district hoped to outfit
with solar, EV charging and new roof repairs.
“You don’t know what you’re getting into until you walk the sites,” Monhollen said. “What’s the real scope? Is there a local company that helped them write the RFP? You get the lay of the land when you go up there. That was the first step of the process.”
All the while, a snowstorm was looming. Davis caught an early flight out on that Friday. Monhollen was scheduled to leave that Saturday, but 1 ft of snow fell just in that day, so he was stuck in New Jersey until Tuesday.
Once he returned to Cincinnati, Monhollen and Davis drafted a bid for East Orange Schools’ RFP. Since NEC is a developer, that process involved interviewing and vetting contractors for the roofing, electrical, EV and solar portions of the project, as well as arranging a financier.
Monhollen had found the RFP later than usual in the process, so they were working with a shortened timeline. The bid was due on Thursday, Jan. 26, and they didn’t get financing details back until Monday, Jan. 23. Altogether, the bid document NEC compiled was 138 pages.
“This was really all that me and Josh worked on from the middle of January until the bid was due,” Monhollen said. They managed to complete the bid package, which included a cashier’s check, with two days to spare. It was sent with overnight shipping on Tuesday of that week with the expectation that the school board would have it on Wednesday.
But another snowstorm was approaching and another foot of snow fell in New Jersey as NEC’s bid was on its way to the school district. Davis and Monhollen were tracking the package, and it had stopped moving. They called the school district to see if an extension was possible.
“They told us if we don’t have the bid package to them in hand by noon on Thursday, we weren’t eligible,” Monhollen said.
There was a chance that the bid package might make it in time, he said, but they didn’t want to risk missing this opportunity. The snowstorm subsided, so they reprinted everything and cut a new check. Monhollen caught a 6 a.m. flight that Thursday and drove directly to East Orange School District from the airport. He waited at the school and delivered the package directly to the board of education.
Monhollen spent several more hours in a meeting room, going page-by-page through bid packages with the board of education. A couple days later, the board recommended NEC’s project proposal. After two snowstorms, a red-eye flight and a breakneck bid drafting process, NEC won the project.
The school district held a groundbreaking ceremony on June 15. Since January, the project scope has increased, with the total planned solar output now 5.85 MW. But Monhollen said the difficult part is finished.
“Getting a signed resolution is one thing. Getting all the engineering done and getting the financing, and legal team and funding out of the PPA — getting all those boxes checked. It’s a big sense of relief,” Monhollen said. “Construction’s construction. That’s going to be the part of the process that we know and understand very well.” SPW
ACROSS AMERICA
Panasonic's market exit leads Northeast solar installer to rethink 'premium' narrative
BY KELLY PICKEREL
THINK BACK TO early 2025. The solarcoaster was traveling at full speed. The new presidential administration was inventing tariffs every week, congressional budget reconciliation was holding solar tax incentives hostage and an AD/CVD investigation into Southeast Asian exports was rocking panel supply. Each installation company seemed to be fighting just to get projects completed on time.
Then came April 28, a day to live in residential solar infamy — popular module and battery supplier Panasonic abruptly exited the market. New Jersey-based Public Service Solar — recognized as Panasonic's Northeast Installer of the Year — was blindsided by the announcement.
"[On April 28] I was at a Panasonic EverVolt install, filming myself talking about how great the battery was, when I got the call from Tony that said, 'Stop marketing that product,'" said Andrew Contrino, chief marketing officer at Public Service Solar (No. 210). Public Service Solar CEO Tony Lostracco was preparing his next order of panels and batteries when he heard the news.
"When you sell these things, it's not like you just call up the supply house and say, 'I want 10 today. I want 50.' You forecast with Panasonic," he said. "In April, I'm forecasting for January, saying I need 5 MW. On April 1st, Panasonic asked for our forecast. On April 28, they
sent a release to everybody like, 'Hey, we're out!'"
Public Service Solar has long prided itself on offering premium products and still only has exceptional things to say about Panasonic's warranties and product support. After the announcement, the first order of business was finding adequate panel and battery supply in an already constrained market. For the panels, Lostracco got on the phone that same day with REC and Maxeon.
"REC had been making the panels for Panasonic [for a while], and we were in very good standing with them," he said. "The problem was REC was living in this new world of supply constraint. They had a fire [at their Singapore manufacturing plant] in June, and they ran out of supply by September. So, we pivoted to Maxeon. Maxeon came in huge at the end of the year, and their panels are awesome and great with warranties. But then [Maxeon has issues getting through Customs]."
When it came to battery supply, Public Service Solar had an easier path.
"Around the same time EverVolt was coming out with the storage product, we had already had experience selling FranklinWH, and our electricians felt really good about it," Contrino said. "That's an incredible battery, so that was an easier transition."
Lostracco said the after effects of
Panasonic's exit are still being felt in 2026. Panasonic shut down its battery monitoring portal in January, which has complicated service calls. Just recently, Chinese solar brand SolaX took control of Panasonic's monitoring apps, and Public Service Solar is hopeful things will turn around soon.
"I have no regrets. Selling Panasonic's product was an exceptional advantage, and it's a shame that it's gone this way," Lostracco said. "I love these premium products, but we're not putting all our eggs in one basket because you have to play the market."
The premium offering will continue for Public Service Solar, but now it's more of a lifestyle than a product choice.
"You can differentiate yourself and control the quality by how you form that relationship in the very beginning," Contrino said. "We give people the opportunity to have final measurements and final production estimates before we're asking for a sale. Hopefully our reviews reflect that, that there's a lot of transparency and honesty and comfort with knowing what their system's going to produce. We really mold that customer experience to be a good one.
"We're continuing to maintain that difference of doing the right thing for the customer that we've always done,” he continued. “It turns out we didn't need Panasonic to separate us." SPW
new jersey
indiana
Indiana solar developer supports agriculture after REAP grants wane
BY BILLY LUDT
WHEN THE TRUMP administration restricted eligibility for an agriculturaland small business-focused solar grant program, Indiana-based developer HSI Solar (No. 271) didn’t abandon that segment of the market. Instead, the company reinvested its focus into advocating for these farmers and businesses.
In Aug. 2025, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture altered its Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), which provided cash grants worth 50% of a solar or wind project’s total cost, bolstered by the Inflation Reduction Act.
“The agricultural market unfortunately has decreased over the last year and a half, over the change in the administration and REAP grants going away,” said Becky Pettit, VP of operations at HSI Solar.
While HSI has completed projects across the country, the bulk of its output has been in the Midwest, and a lot of those projects were funded in part by REAP grants. So much so that HSI stopped outsourcing grant writing and hired a person to do it full time. The company is
helping customers receive their promised REAP grant funding for their projects while the program sunsets.
In total, HSI projects have received nearly $3.5 million in REAP grants. Pettit said these grants have reduced project payback times to as little as one to two years. Now, this funding is at risk.
“This isn’t a topic that can be ignored,” she said.
Before business in the agricultural market slowed, HSI had been involved in educating farmers about solar projects. In 2023, the Indiana USDA awarded the company with a grant to speak to rural communities about PV. HSI employees traveled around the state and inserted themselves in different towns to talk directly to farmers about solar.
“A lot of opposition for renewables is on the utility-scale side,” Pettit said. “We have some large projects that are very visible in Indiana, and that brings a lot of opinions out. Those people that are opposed to renewables taking up farmland and benefitting people who aren’t in the community, we understand that.
“What we’re doing is behind-themeter, on-site, distributed generation,” she continued. “We show them that solar can be on top of barns, carports in a parking lot of a small business. It’s things they never thought about before, and we see the lightbulb go off for them.”
Now, HSI’s role in education has shifted from telling the agricultural community about the benefits of solar, to finding out what solar can do for the agricultural community. Its staff advocated at a state level by meeting with Indiana’s energy secretary and USDA director.
HSI is involved with groups such as the Rural Land Use Council, which is focused on land stewardship, and the Dairy Sustainability Alliance to better understand the needs of dairy farmers.
“It’s not so much about us getting the word out,” Pettit said. “It’s more for us to understand what hot topics are among farmers right now. If we don’t know what their current priorities and current struggles are, how can we fit into their operations?” SPW
Keeping solar projects close to home boosts employee morale for Midwest contractor
BY KELLY PICKEREL
THE PHILOSOPHY OF a Midwesterner is that if a destination is within a day's drive, then, absolutely, they're driving. TMI Energy Solutions, an electrical-specialized EPC from Cincinnati, practiced that philosophy for many years, taking on jobs in nearby states. But a solar project in New York two years ago was a turning point.
"We went to New York and helped out a developer that we work closely with all the time — that was quite far," said Shawn Seippel, operations specialist with TMI Energy Solutions (No.196). "Last year we decided to scale back on bootson-the ground work. Now we're really focused on trying to stay close to home."
Morale was suffering at TMI. Even driving across Ohio for C&I solar work was wearing everyone down.
"The intent here is to prevent burnout. We can have the most dedicated crew, but after being on the road for so many months, they just get beat down," Seippel said. "What we're trying to do is keep our guys going
home every single night as much as possible."
TMI tries to focus on commercial solar projects up to a few megawatts in size.
The company is wrapping up mid-sized parking garage canopies and rooftop installs in the Cincinnati area right now. Ohio is experiencing a surge in solar development, with advocacy group SEIA recognizing it as a Top 3 state for solar
deployments in 2026. The need for solar contractors in the state has made it easier for TMI to stay working in the immediate area instead of forcing overnights in bordering states.
"There are more projects being developed now than ever, and that allows us a little bit more selection," Seippel said. "We don't have to go chase things, because if we're patient and careful, we can stay close to home."
ohio
Upcoming Stops:
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Massachusetts
Cancer diagnosis leads one woman to solar co-op and competitive boating
BY BILLY LUDT
RACHEL LEVEY’S PATH to a career in solar started with a breast cancer diagnosis. In 2017, and 29 years old at time, Levey received her diagnosis while working in retail.
“I had to reassess how I spend my time. What do I put my energy into? I started to be really challenged by my working situation, and the industry I was in. It felt so meaningless, extractive and wasteful,” she said.
During chemo treatment, Levey found a job opening at PV Squared (No. 274), a worker-owned cooperative and solar installer based in Massachusetts. She went in for the interview — donning a head scarf for chemorelated hair loss — and was hired.
“My time suddenly had a different value and importance to me,” she said. “I happened to find both things in the same place. I didn’t have a particular interest in renewable energy. I was just looking for something that didn’t feel
bad for other people — a workplace that cares about people in another way.”
Since then, Levey has taken off the head scarf but put on many other hats. She is PV Squared’s sales and service specialist, responsible for taking and directing calls to the right department. But she’s getting more involved with the cooperative’s operations and service team and helps customers with array troubleshooting. She explains different incentives and equipment to customers. And she’s building inhouse software to assist with system monitoring, e-signature arrangements and project proposal templates.
Levey is also the secretary for PV Squared’s board of directors and sits on several of the cooperative’s committees.
“All of it fits into the categories of helping others and problem solving,” she said. “They come in with a question, and I’m able to help them. I’m happy, they’re happy.”
Levey came out the other side of treatment cancer-free, happy in her career but without a passion to focus her attention.
“When you go through breast cancer treatment, it’s really intense and then it’s done. It’s gone to the wind,” she said. “My mom could see I was really struggling.”
Her mom’s friend was a member of a dragon boat team in western Massachusetts composed entirely of people who had or were undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Dragon boat racing is a sport where teams of up to 20 people paddle 40-ft canoes decorated with a dragon head across lengths of water. The sport started more than 2,000 years ago in China.
Dragon boat racing has grown in popularity among breast cancer survivors thanks to medical research from Canadian sports medicine specialist Don McKenzie, who studied how arm-focused exercise affects lymph nodes related to breast
cancer. That exercise became dragon boat racing, and it has spawned whole teams with breast cancer survivors globally and led to the founding of the International Breast Cancer Paddlers Commission (IBCPC).
“Not only was the physical work supportive, because the movement of the stroke is restorative, the women completely bonded and found this support group they didn’t know they were seeking,” Levey said.
She joined the Paradise City Dragon Boat team in 2019 and is now its head coach, leading practices twice a week on the Connecticut River. The team has competed at an international level. In 2023, members fundraised to participate in IBCPC’s Dragon Boat Festival in Waikato Region, New Zealand.
Last year, the International Dragon Boat Federation (IBDF) added a breast cancer division to the World Dragon Boat Racing Championships. Levey qualified for the U.S. national team and traveled to Brandenburg, Germany, for the competition. The team medaled silver and bronze in each race. Her coworkers live-streamed the competition at PV Squared’s office.
The IBDF announced that next year’s competition will be in Hong Kong. Levey is already training and aiming for a gold medal this time.
Levey considers herself a completely different person today than who she was prior to being treated for breast cancer. She attributes some of that change to finding a new career.
“It’s something that I’ve grappled with a lot — the not wanting to lament the past or not going back to that version of that person. The way I think about it now, that Rachel had her time. She had 29 great years. It’s my turn now. You walk through the fire and come out a different person. I do not wish cancer on any person, and I don’t want it to come back, but who I am today and the things I have in my life today, I absolutely would not give up what I went through if it meant giving up what I have now,” she said. SPW
illinois
Chicago contractor installs solar system fit for a president
BY KELLY PICKEREL
AS ONE OF the most pro-renewables U.S. presidents in recent memory, one would expect Barack Obama to incorporate green energies into his presidential museum and library. Not only does the Obama Presidential Center on Chicago's South Side source 100% of its electricity needs from renewable energy, it also has solar installed on site. A 228-kW system was installed on the roof of Home Court, an athletic and events space built on two of Obama's personal passions: basketball and community. Windfree Solar (No. 202) was called on to install the system.
"We treat every install like it's an all-star project, but this major communityfacing building on the South Side of Chicago was very exciting," said a Windfree rep to Solar Power World. "This project reflects the kind of work we want to be known for: technically strong solar integration on meaningful community infrastructure, delivered in a complicated
market environment. It is the kind of project that combines mission, visibility and execution, and we are proud to have been part of it."
Every U.S. president of the last 100 years has established his own library upon exiting office. The presidential library system formally began in 1939 when Franklin D. Roosevelt donated his personal and presidential papers to the federal government, and more presidential archival depositories have been established in the years since. Roosevelt's predecessor, Herbert Hoover, also joined the effort in preserving historic documents, and there are 14 federally recognized presidential libraries open to the public today.
The National Archives takes physical and legal custody of the records and artifacts of a president's administration once he leaves office, and these records are presented in their libraries. Obama
announced in May 2017 that his archival materials would stay at the National Archives in Maryland — largely because society has moved into a digital world — and his foundation would instead operate a private museum and presidential center in Chicago. Documents would be available virtually, which allowed the Obama Foundation to design a communityfocused campus.
The Obama Presidential Center opened this June on 19.3 acres in Jackson Park. It consists of a multi-story museum, a nearly-300-seat auditorium, outdoor spaces, gardens, playgrounds, a Chicago Public Library branch and Home Court. The 60,000-sq-ft building, which is heated and cooled primarily through geothermal energy, features a metal and fritted glass exterior inspired by the pattern of a basketball net. The standing-seam roof is designed in two portions — one flat and one slightly angled. Windfree installed 513 panels across both roof portions.
Windfree was asked by the new building's electrical contractor to install the solar array, said Jack Johannesson, director of sales and business development.
"We've developed good relationships with electrical contractors and general contractors because solar often gets lost in the shuffle with new buildings," he said. "There's so many trades that it's often in the electrical scope, and not all electrical companies are familiar with solar. They may be really great at wiring up a new gym, but solar is outside their scope."
Home Court features an NBAregulation-sized basketball court, practice courts and meeting rooms. Although the building was designed to support solar, Windfree adjusted the final layout plan.
"The design they had originally would have been very difficult to service in the future. We put some more spacing between the rows," Johannesson said.
"There were some tweaks just to help with the ease of serving it later. There was ample space, so we were able to fit the whole size that they wanted."
Home Court's solar array was completed in December 2025. Windfree has been in business in Chicago since 2009, and Johannesson said it was an honor to help power a landmark project in Windfree's home city.
"This project supported two things for us," he said. "We want to be involved in these green buildings and more sustainable construction. Also, this place services that inclusion part of being in the city of Chicago. There are a lot of programs for underserved communities that are going to be going on at this facility, so we are big fans of that. We're Equity Eligible Contractors, and we hire from a lot of job training programs in this area in the South Side of Chicago. It all aligns with the things that we already do." SPW
New Jersey, Texas
Solar contractors service arrays after original installers shutter
BY BILLY LUDT
AN INCREASING NUMBER of residential solar projects are losing their original installers, and with them the assurance that these arrays will operate as intended. Market turbulence, fly-by-night companies and policy headwinds have shuttered some installers, but others are stepping in to assist homeowners with orphaned PV systems.
Atma Energy (No. 256) of San Antonio, Texas, and Green Power Energy (No. 152) of Annandale, New Jersey, both started taking on outside customers with existing projects within the last three years.
Rodrigo Aviles, operations manager at Atma Energy, said the company was getting so many inquiries about orphaned systems that “we told ourselves we needed to start helping these people.” Atma started accepting this new customer group in 2023 and has formalized the assistance process over the years. The company offers over-thephone guidance or sends technicians out to inspect arrays to address issues like faulty components and unfinished commissioning. Atma will help fulfill warranties as well.
Technicians will troubleshoot array errors on these systems over the phone before rolling a truck. Aviles said in one instance they were able to help someone with a home solar system that was nearly commissioned when it was abandoned. They were a threehour drive from San Antonio, and a technician walked this person through the last few steps to commission the array remotely. And since
GREEN POWER ENERGY
ATMA ENERGY
Atma didn’t send a technician, it didn’t cost that customer anything.
“If we’re able to help people without charging them, we’re more than happy to do so,” Aviles said.
Green Power Energy expanded its outside service side of the business in 2024 as interest rates and new installs slowed slightly. The company has always serviced existing customers and has maintained a crew of technicians familiar with older solar technologies, which has been helpful for maintaining older arrays.
“They’ve seen it all and they’re able to help resolve these issues,” said Eric Dornfeld, president of Green Power Energy.
The company focused on service and maintenance even further after launching an annual plan for array checks. Dornfeld said this also clarifies the functions and features of solar
arrays, like monitoring, and helps customers understand what they should be looking for on their utility bills.
“For some people, to have that assurance that somebody is going to check it every year and offer recommendations and repairs to get ahead of anything is going to be even more beneficial,” he said.
While outside service is another revenue stream for solar installers — which is crucial as the residential market adapts to a federal tax credit reduction — it isn’t as much money as new installs. The greater benefit, Dornfeld and Aviles said, is by keeping these systems running after their original installers left the market, they’re helping improve the solar industry’s reputation.
“It’s a small percentage of our overall business … but it adds up and it helps
the industry by being able to help people who haven’t been able to find anybody,” Dornfeld said. “It’s good for recurring business with people who might need a new system eventually.”
Atma has also used its resources for outreach and education about the realities of owning and maintaining solar projects.
“We’re getting our labor covered, but at the same time we’re helping the community,” Aviles said. "There’s a lot of misinformation about what systems can and cannot do. Us being the opposite of that and trying to assist people and informing them and making sure they know what options they have to move forward — whether that’s repairing, insurance — we’re able to assist them in that way.” SPW
Our mission is to help promote clean energy throughout the U.S. by designing, engineering, and manufacturing an innovative racking system that saves our customers time, energy, and money.
apasolar.com
linkedin.com/company/apa-solar
MARKETS SERVED
APA Solar Racking supports U.S. solar contractors by providing racking and foundation solutions designed to help streamline installation, reduce onsite complexity, and support consistent project timelines. Our vertically integrated approach is intended to help promote consistency in supply and coordination throughout the project lifecycle, from design through installation.
We work closely with contractors, EPCs, and developers to offer project specific engineering support, technical insight, and pre‑construction collaboration. This approach is designed to help teams refine system layouts and address a range of site conditions more effectively. Our products are engineered with a focus on longevity and ease of installation.
As an endorsed ARRAY company, APA focuses on delivering validated, foundation first solutions for both fixed tilt and tracker systems, using comprehensive testing to ensure dependable solutions across diverse solar site designs. Through ongoing engagement with project stakeholders, our goal is to help contractors navigate challenges, improve coordination, and seamlessly support projects while contributing to the growth of clean energy across the U.S.
APA Solar Racking delivers a comprehensive portfolio of fixed tilt racking, tracker interface and foundation solutions. Focusing on utility scale and commercial projects, APA combines over 15 years of in house engineering, manufacturing and testing capabilities with a vertically integrated approach. Its racking systems are optimized for EPCs, enabling streamlined design and execution, while prioritizing contractor efficiency t hrough easy installation. Installs don’t require specialized equipment to allow crews to scale quickly. As an endorsed ARRAY company since 2025, APA partners closely with EPCs to help reduce risk, control costs, and accelerate timelines across diverse site conditions.
Our mission is to create a future of solar energy for all.
MARKETS SERVED
2013 YEAR FOUNDED
250
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
Aurora is creating a future of solar energy for all. We put the power of data, automation, and AI into the hands of every solar professional to make solar adoption simple and predictable. Aurora’s cloud-based platform has been used to design more than 20 million solar projects globally, and more than 7,000 of the industry’s top organizations rely on it to streamline workflows and grow their businesses. Aurora spans the full sales cycle, from AI-powered design to in-home proposals and financing, so you can close faster and work smarter. For more information, visit aurorasolar.com.
PRODUCT FEATURE
The solar financing landscape is evolving. TPO is continuing to grow, prepaid options are gaining traction, and requirements are shifting.
Aurora’s Sales Mode is built to help you keep up. It’s the solar design and sales platform for sales pros: AI-powered designs in under 15 seconds, complete proposals 2x faster. Aurora keeps your reps ready with the right financing option for every customer – trusted integrations with the lenders you rely on, plus the flexibility to model for any lender or product the moment you need to.
Design accuracy. Financing flexibility. Everything in one place.
Aurora Solar, Inc.
P.O. Box 7775 PMB 14534
San Francisco, CA 94120-7775
US HEADQUARTERS
7,000
TOTAL US CUSTOMERS
COMPANY MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Cambria County Association for the Blind and Handicapped (manufacturer of CAB® Solar) is to develop and support an environment for individuals with disabilities which promotes vocational and employment training, independence, and community involvement through rehabilitative, recreation and lowvision services, and education for the prevention of blindness.
MARKETS SERVED
YEAR FOUNDED
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
Johnstown, PA US HEADQUARTERS
How do you support U.S. Solar Contractors?
CAB® Solar manufactures the most comprehensive and reliable above-ground cable management solutions for the utility-scale solar industry. Simplifying cable management demands for contractors is a core objective for every CAB® Solar project. With an expert team of solar project developers and NABCEP Certified engineers, CAB® Solar offers unmatched, customized cable management solutions and customer service. CAB® Solar supports contractors throughout all phases of each PV project, including design and development, procurement, construction, and O&M. All CAB® Solar products are engineered and rigorously tested to exceed industry codes and standards to give contractors and procurement teams peace of mind during installation.
CAB® Solar is proudly manufactured by the Cambria County Association for the Blind and Handicapped (CCABH) by individuals with disabilities. CCABH is an ISO 90001 certified manufacturing facility, underscoring CCABH’s dedication to maintaining the highest quality standards throughout its manufacturing processes. Contractors know they can count on CAB® Solar as a reliable partner on every PV project.
PRODUCT FEATURE
CAB ® Solar’s ModulAir ® is an NEC Free Air Code Compliant above-ground cable management solution for utilityscale PV projects. ModulAir ® utilizes a tiered system maximizing cable separation, optimizing air flow around cables to enhance system performance, and eliminating the need for cable derating. ModulAir®
TOTAL US CUSTOMERS
ADVERTORIAL
COMPANY MISSION STATEMENT
Based in the United States, CPS America is the market-leading provider for 3-phase string inverters on Commercial & Industrial and UtilityScale projects. We’ve proudly held the #1 market share for 9 of the past 10 years. With more than 10 GW of inverters installed across 50,000+ sites, you can count on CPS America to power your projects with confidence!
MARKETS SERVED
How do you support U.S. Solar Contractors?
CPS America supports U.S. solar contractors with the things that actually affect schedule and margin: equipment availability, technical support, and products designed for fast, low-risk installation.
Inventory you can count on. Project timelines fall apart when equipment isn’t on site. CPS America maintains in-stock inventory across our utility scale and commercial product lines, so contractors aren’t stuck waiting on lead times to keep crews moving.
String architecture built for the field. Our distributed string design simplifies installation and troubleshooting compared to central inverter setups. Smaller, modular units mean easier handling on site, faster fault isolation, and less downtime if service is ever needed. That translates directly into lower O&M costs for the asset owner and fewer callbacks for the contractor.
Technical support that picks up the phone. From commissioning to postinstallation troubleshooting, our field service and applications engineering teams work directly with contractors. That means faster answers on interconnection requirements, grid compliance questions, and system configuration.
A bankable manufacturer behind every install. Contractors are putting their name on every project. CPS America has repeatedly been recognized as one of the world’s most bankable inverter manufacturers, which gives contractors and their customers confidence that the company behind the equipment will still be standing and still supporting that equipment years down the road. Connect with our team to see how CPS America can support your next project.
Connect with our team to see how CPS America can support your next project.
PRODUCT FEATURE
Gonzo
Energy storage projects fail when systems are complex to maintain, slow to service, or unproven in the field. Gonzo solves that with a fully integrated, factory-tested commercial ESS available in 62.5 kW or 125 kW configurations, paired with 261 kWh of liquid-cooled LFP battery capacity for two-hour or four-hour durations.
Rack level monitoring reduces mismatch losses, pack level fire suppression meets NFPA 68 compliance, and the system carries UL 9540A and IEEE 1547 certifications, the credentials utilities and AHJs expect to see.
This is what bankability looks like in storage, a system backed by CPS America, built to perform for as long as the asset is on the ground.
See what Gonzo can do for your next project.
Elevating the Future of Solar
MARKETS SERVED
YEAR FOUNDED
Full-Scope Ground Mount Installations
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
750+ US HEADQUARTERS
TOTAL US CUSTOMERS
DCE Services delivers full-scope ground mount solar installations, managing every phase of the project from initial site work through completion. Grading, pile driving, racking assembly, module installation, and everything in between is handled by an accountable crew. With over 1 GW installed and experience scaling from 1MW standalone builds to portfolios spanning 500MW, DCE Services operates comfortably across the full range of project sizes. The team brings the same disciplined execution to every site, no handoff gaps, no finger-pointing between subcontractors, just a crew that knows how to move a project from dirt to done on time and on spec.
Dili’s mission is to de-risk renewable energy projects. By turning prevailing wage and apprenticeship compliance from a liability into a managed, auditready process, Dili protects the tax credits that make projects viable so that developers, EPCs, and owners can build with certainty.
MARKETS SERVED
2023 YEAR FOUNDED 30 NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
New York, NY
US HEADQUARTERS
TOTAL US CUSTOMERS 70+ developers, 40+ EPCs, 700+ contractors, across 700 projects
How do you support U.S. Solar Contractors?
Solar projects today depend on more than engineering and execution. They depend on getting labor compliance right. Federal prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements sit at the center of every major solar project, and the stakes are real: under Section 48E, compliance can be the difference between a 6% and a 30% Investment Tax Credit. A single documentation gap can put millions in credit value at risk long after the panels are in the ground.
Here at Dili, we make sure that never happens. Built specifically for renewable energy developers, EPCs, and project owners, Dili centralizes every piece of PWA and IRA compliance in one platform: certified payroll review, prevailing wage validation, apprentice ratio tracking, and subcontractor oversight.
Instead of chasing spreadsheets and relying on consultant-led workflows, solar project teams get real-time visibility into labor compliance across every contractor and subcontractor on site.
The result? Audit-ready documentation at every stage of construction. Our partners have achieved 100% ITC success. With so much upside at stake, compliance can’t be an afterthought – and with Dili, it isn’t.
PRODUCT FEATURE
Dili is a PWA compliance automation platform purpose-built for solar and renewable energy construction.
Intelligent parsers ingest certified payroll in any format and standardize it automatically, eliminating manual data entry and the risk that comes with it. From there, Dili’s real-time wage determination engine validates every worker’s rate against federal, state, and union requirements simultaneously, resolving conflicts between overlapping jurisdictions and flagging underpayments the moment they occur, not months later.
The result is continuous, project-wide compliance visibility for every stakeholder. We track hundreds of projects across solar and clean energy, and we help you avert hundreds of millions in potential fines and lost funding.
COMPANY MISSION STATEMENT
Figure is on a mission to transform financial services, bringing speed, efficiency, and savings to both consumers and institutions.
MARKETS SERVED
YEAR FOUNDED
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
New York City, New York
US HEADQUARTERS
250K+ households served with Figure’s platform
TOTAL US CUSTOMERS
©2026 Figure Lending LLC
How do you support U.S. Solar Contractors?
Figure transforms project financing from a sales hurdle into a growth engine. Unlike traditional construction lenders, Figure charges zero dealer fees — preserving your critical profit margins. We’re built for point-of-sale transactions, so we don’t waste time, onboarding partners in just a few days.
Our 100% online platform empowers your sales team to close deals during the very first meeting. To help you maximize deal sizes, homeowners can bundle multiple projects — like a roof, insulation, or solar panels — into a single HELOC, unlocking natural upsell opportunities. We also support flexible financing structures by funding prepaid leases, without filing a UCC-1.
Homeowners can pre-qualify without impacting their credit score3 and receive approvals up to $750,0005 in less than five minutes2, making even large-scale solar upgrades immediately accessible.
To protect your operational cash flow, Figure bypasses the standard delays of full installation payouts. We deliver funding in as few as five days for amounts up to $400,0002, putting working capital back into your business right when you need it.
By pairing competitive rates with flexible terms up to 30 years, Figure gives you a powerful, affordable tool to build customer trust and scale your business.
To learn more, please visit figure.com/solar
PRODUCT FEATURE
Home equity line of credit
Figure’s home equity line of credit (HELOC) is a game-changing financing solution for solar and home improvement projects.
Homeowner benefits:
• Our 100% online application allows clients to pre-qualify right at the kitchen table without impacting their credit score3 in less than five minutes.
• Funding is delivered in as few as five days2
• Homeowners can unlock up to $750,0005 with no prepayment penalties.
• Flexible terms from 10 to 30 years, competitive fixed1 and variable8 rates.
Contractor benefits:
• Figure charges zero dealer fees, preserving profit margins.
• Your team can be onboarded in a matter of days.
• Figure makes clean energy both affordable and accessible.
Figure Lending LLC dba Figure 650 S. Tryon Street, 8th Floor, Charlotte, NC 28202. (888) 819-6388. NMLS ID 1717824. For licensing information go to www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org. Equal Opportunity Lender.
For general customer support, call (888) 819-6388 Monday - Friday, 6am - 9pm PT, Saturday - Sunday, 6am - 5pm PT (excluding holidays).
Figure Home Equity Line is available in AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY.
Equal Housing Opportunity
12358 See figure.com/disclosures for more information
COMPANY MISSION STATEMENT
We believe that renewable energy is a cost-effective, market-based solution to combat climate change and an important strategy to strengthen our communities. We can be both profitable and collaborative, creating win-win partnerships that benefit the long-term health of our company, our growing family of solar customers, vendors, subcontractors, and our planet.
greensparksolar.com/solar-power-world
MARKETS SERVED
2002 YEAR FOUNDED 150 NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
Rochester, NY
US HEADQUARTERS
1,119
TOTAL US CUSTOMERS
ADVERTORIAL
How do you support U.S. Solar Contractors?
Established in 2002, GreenSpark Solar is a mission-driven renewable energy company that delivers performance-driven solar and battery energy storage solutions designed for longterm reliability and ROI.
With more than 350 MW of renewable energy installed across the Northeast, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic, our team brings the technical expertise, transparent execution, and field experience that complex energy projects demand.
We provide full lifecycle support spanning engineering, procurement, construction, battery energy storage integration, and long-term operations & maintenance. Our in-house NABCEP-certified installers and self-performance crews help ensure quality control, jobsite safety, streamlined communication, and efficient project delivery from mobilization through commissioning.
As part of the Amicus Cooperative’s North American network, our partners benefit from its collective buying power and GreenSpark’s expertise in navigating evolving domestic content and supply chain requirements, minimizing project risk and maximizing returns.
PRODUCT FEATURE
Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) Services
GreenSpark Solar delivers turnkey EPC services for community solar, distributed generation, utility-scale, and battery energy storage projects throughout the Northeast, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic. Recognized as the #1 Community Solar EPC in the U.S. in 2025, we combine practical engineering, strategic procurement, and self-performance construction capabilities to streamline delivery and reduce project risk. With nearly 25 years of renewable energy experience, GreenSpark has built a reputation for trust, transparency, and reliable execution—helping partners navigate procurement challenges, optimize project value, and deliver highperforming clean energy assets on time and on budget.
S-5! supports U.S. solar contractors with proven, contractor-friendly solutions that help projects move from design to completion with confidence. Our made-in-the-USA components can help projects qualify for domestic content tax incentives, while our lifetime warranty gives installers and project owners long-term peace of mind.
Built for real-world performance, S-5! solutions are backed by more than 5,000 load tests and meet key industry standards, including UL 2703 and UL 3741 certifications. Our systems are also tested to ASTM E2140, recognized as the industry’s toughest watertightness standard, helping protect roof integrity on every job.
Beyond products, S-5! delivers white-glove customer service and practical tools that make contractors’ work easier. Our online solar calculator helps teams plan, estimate and get jobs done from start to finish. From reliable components to expert support, S-5! gives solar contractors the confidence, speed and technical backing they need to build better solar projects.
To learn more, visit s-5.com and blog.s-5.com
The S-5! Protea™ Bracket is a versatile solar PV attachment for exposed-fastened metal roof profiles. This madein-the-USA product fits most trapezoidal profiles, including insulated metal panels, and features an adjustable base to accommodate varying rib widths, heights and angles.
Designed for quick installation, Protea Bracket has passed ASTM E2140, the industry’s toughest watertightness standard, with no messy sealants required. It can be paired with rails or the DirectAttach™ PVKIT® rail-less solar mount, giving contractors flexible mounting options for efficient solar installations.
COMPANY MISSION STATEMENT
Our mission is to integrate and network photovoltaics, storage systems and mobility with intelligent energy management.
With our sophisticated solutions, we create and shape the energy supply of the future.
MARKETS SERVED
How do you support U.S. Solar Contractors?
SMA America supports U.S. solar contractors with innovative solutions designed to simplify installation, maximize performance and deliver long-term reliability. From the SMA 360° app, which streamlines commissioning and service, to the SMA Energy app, which enables homeowners to monitor and manage their energy consumption, SMA provides the digital tools needed to optimize system performance throughout the project lifecycle. Combined with the hands-on training and technical expertise offered through SMA Solar Academy, contractors gain the knowledge, support and resources needed to stay ahead of evolving technologies and industry requirements.
Backed by more than 45 years of solar innovation and a legacy built on quality, innovation and strong partnerships, SMA America empowers solar professionals to confidently grow their businesses, deliver successful projects and provide lasting value to their customers for years to come.
PRODUCT FEATURE
YEAR FOUNDED
Just under 300
NUMBER OF U.S. EMPLOYEES
Rocklin, CA
US HEADQUARTERS
Building on its legacy of delivering high-performance solar inverters, SMA America now offers a comprehensive energy ecosystem that integrates solar generation, energy storage, energy management, and intelligent digital technologies into one seamless solution. From the residential Sunny Boy Smart Energy hybrid inverter, which combines solar and storage capabilities with backup power options, to the new Sunny Tripower X 70 commercial inverter, designed to maximize system flexibility and performance for larger projects, SMA continues to expand access to solar with innovative new solutions. Supported by industry-leading monitoring, commissioning and energy management tools, SMA delivers integrated solutions that optimize energy production and provide long-term value for customers across every market segment.
COMPANY MISSION STATEMENT
To be a preferred provider of solutions to the electrical industry by providing innovative products and services with exceptional quality and delivering on our promises. 1950
MARKETS SERVED
YEAR FOUNDED
9,000 NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
Carrollton, Georgia
US HEADQUARTERS
Southwire partners with utilities, developers, and EPCs across the renewable energy ecosystem, supporting a broad range of solar, storage, and grid connected projects from the array to the grid.
TOTAL US CUSTOMERS
ADVERTORIAL
How do you support U.S. Solar Contractors?
Southwire supports U.S. solar contractors by delivering a comprehensive portfolio of wire and cable solutions designed to simplify installation, reduce risk, and support consistent project execution. From PV wire connecting modules to inverters to medium voltage cable used in solar collection systems, substations, and interconnection infrastructure, Southwire products are engineered to meet the demands of utility‑scale and commercial solar projects. Backed by domestic manufacturing, vertical integration, and rigorous testing, Southwire helps contractors ensure material availability, product quality, and long‑term system performance. Beyond products, Southwire brings engineering expertise, application support, and installation‑ready solutions that help contractors navigate complex site conditions, accelerated schedules, and evolving project requirements. Whether supporting balance‑of‑plant installations, underground or overhead applications, or the critical connection from generation to grid, Southwire provides the electrical foundation contractors rely on to keep projects moving safely, efficiently, and on schedule, today and as the U.S. solar market continues to grow.
PRODUCT FEATURE
PV Wire & Cable/Medium Voltage Cable
Southwire delivers a proven portfolio of wire and cable solutions engineered to meet the demands of U.S. solar projects. Our PV wire supports reliable, long term performance from module to inverter, while Medium Voltage cable enables efficient power collection, substations, and grid interconnection. Designed for durability, availability, and large scale deployment, Southwire products support solar installations from the array through transmission. Backed by domestic manufacturing, engineering expertise, and industry trusted performance, Southwire provides the electrical foundation solar developers and contractors rely on, today and as projects continue to scale.
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