Meet the Energy Companies Topping the Inc. 5000

Last month, the annual Inc. 5000 list was published on Inc.com. The list ranks businesses based on their revenue growth from 2013 to 2016, and all businesses with at least $2 million revenue in 2016 were eligible to submit their information for the list.

Many clean energy companies topped the list this year, taking 5 of the top 30 spots, and with EnviroSolar Power taking position #2. Here’s a look at the top 5 energy companies from the 2017 Inc. 5000.

EnviroSolar Power

Abraham Issa’s EnviroSolar Power tops the Energy category of the Inc. 5000 list, and takes #2 overall, with 2016 revenue reaching $37.4 million and 3-year growth at 36,065%. The company provides installation and maintenance of residential solar systems, and they are excited to begin expanding into commercial projects this year. EnviroSolar is based in San Antonio but has expanded to markets throughout Texas and into states including California, Nevada, and Arizona.

By combining solar and power management services, EnviroSolar Power believes they present a unique offer that has allowed them to differentiate themselves from competitors. In addition to solar panels, they provide a solar energy monitoring platform to track panel production, as well as battery storage options. The company also stresses the importance of educating consumers, and their website contains educational resources to inform people about financing options, tax credits, and the installation and maintenance of solar panels.

GreenSpire

Next in the Energy category is Greenspire, coming in at #9 overall. The company, led by CEO David Murray, has grown 14,429% in the past 3 years and raised $41.7 million in revenue last year. Greenspire aims to help residential customers lower their costs by offering solar energy, home insulation, and redesign of water systems to reduce waste.

In addition, after conducting free energy consultations for homeowners, Greenspire works with local utilities to determine if they qualify for any energy incentive programs. The company also offers home security systems and home automation products that limit power usage when no one is home.

Through offering unique solutions to customers, Greenspire aims to help customers cut down energy usage and cost of living. Founded in 2013 in California, Greenspire has since expanded to Arizona and several East Coast states.

CalCom Solar

CalCom Solar ranked 3rd in the energy category and 23rd overall with 3-year growth of 9,675%. Former CEO Nic Stover understood that the agricultural sector was largely ignored by tech entrepreneurs, and that’s the exact market that CalCom Solar targets for their solar power projects.

CalCom works with farms, dairies, and water districts on the design and installation of solar projects on their land. The company’s expertise in agricultural energy incentives and advanced ROI forecasting has placed them as a leader in the industry.

So far, the company has completed around 50 installations, totaling over 100 megawatts of solar generating capacity. Each project generates about $2 million in revenue for the company, and in 2016 total revenue reached $60 million.

ION Solar

ION Solar is a full-service solar provider promising affordable solar solutions with little to no upfront cost. The company designs install and inspects solar systems in addition to taking care of required permitting and system maintenance.

ION Solar uses only high-quality panels and inverters, promising greater efficiency and higher savings for their customers.

ION Solar was born when Vision Solar and Zing Solar, two leading residential rooftop installers, merged in 2016 to take advantage of economies of scale. The two companies were already some of the largest residential solar installers in their region, and after merging ION Solar became one of the largest privately held residential solar companies in the United States.

The reduction in equipment and operational costs resulting from the merger have resulted in savings that ION Solar can pass to customers. In 2016, revenue reached $65.7 million, and 3-year growth was recorded at 9,507%, bringing Ion Solar to #27 on the Inc. 5000.

Legend Solar

Legend Solar is a Utah-based company that sells solar energy products, including solar panels, air conditioner treatments, and home insulation, to help families and businesses save on their energy costs. Unlike many of the other solar companies topping the Inc. 5000 list, Legend Solar was started with the intention of empowering homeowners to own their solar systems rather than leasing them, an option which often saves customers more money in the long-run.  

As a SunPower Elite dealer, Legend Solar boasts high-efficiency panels for their installations. Legend Solar stresses that their quality customer experience sets them apart from the competition, and has achieved a 5-star rating on Yelp. The company also offers a Power Payback Guarantee and promises that if a homeowner’s system does not produce 90% of their estimate, they’ll be compensated for the difference or Legend Solar will add panels to their system at no cost. In 2016, Legend Solar’s revenue was $29.8 million, and they grew by 9,222% over the previous 3 years.

At Solar.com, we’re proud to see clean energy companies reaching the highest ranks of the Inc. 5000. In 2016, only two solar companies appeared in the list’s top 30, but this year that number jumped to five. As more homeowners and businesses start taking advantage of renewable energy, we’re excited to see that trend continue.