Common Energy
Common Energy is a New York-based community solar subscription management platform that enables residential, business, and non-profit subscribers to receive clean energy credits on their existing utility bills across multiple U.S. states without rooftop installation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Common Energy does
Common Energy operates a community solar subscription management platform that enables residential customers, businesses, and non-profits to subscribe to local solar projects and receive clean energy credits on their existing utility bills — no rooftop installation or upfront costs required. The core technology integrates with existing utility accounts via a self-serve portal (my.commonenergy.us) where customers onboard in 2-5 minutes using their utility account number; the platform then handles billing, credit allocation, and subscriber management. Customers receive a guaranteed 10% savings on electricity bills, renewable for up to 20 years, while Common Energy invoices subscribers for 90% of the credit value as a transaction-based take rate. The company operates across at least seven U.S. states (NY, IL, MD, OR, MA, ME, MN) with planned expansion into CA, NM, OH, and PA, and reports approximately 400MW under management serving more than 15,000 subscribers.
The business combines three distribution motions: a product-led growth self-serve channel for individuals, a community-led grassroots channel through the Impact Team of Community Energy Advocates, and an enterprise field sales motion targeting corporate ESG initiatives. Notable enterprise partners include Microsoft, Nike, Bloomberg (4,800 NYC employees), Collins Aerospace (RTX), LinkedIn, Corning, Akamai, and VMware, alongside nonprofit partnerships with Trinity Services, Adirondack Mountain Club, United Way of the Southern Tier, and the Saratoga Springs Housing Authority. A 10-year NYSERDA Solar for All contract (2MW for low-to-moderate income households) adds a regulated revenue layer.
The company was founded in 2017-2018 by CEO Richard Keiser (formerly a Senior Analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein), is headquartered in New York, and has raised $16.5M led by S2G Ventures with participation from Builders Vision (May 2022), followed by an undisclosed round in November 2023. Operations are supported by 11-50 employees and the company has sold portions of its Illinois project portfolio to Aspen Power (2024), indicating active capital recycling as it scales into new geographies.
Common Energy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Common Energy
- Legal name
- Common Energy LLC
- Website
- https://commonenergy.us
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Common Energy is a New York-based community solar subscription management platform that enables residential, business, and non-profit subscribers to receive clean energy credits on their existing utility bills across multiple U.S. states without rooftop installation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Common Energy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Solar Services
- NAICS
- Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)
- SIC
- Electric Services (4911)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Solar Development & Subscription Management (EUAMAJAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Retail & Community PPAs (Community Solar/Shared Renewables) (EUAGADAC), Renewable Distributed Generation (Rooftop/Onsite Solar, Small Wind, Small Hydro) (EUACALAJ)
Keywords
Where Common Energy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Common Energy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Community Solar Subscriptions: Customers subscribe to local community solar projects and receive clean energy credits on their utility bills. Common Energy invoices customers for 90% of the value of the credit, providing a guaranteed 10% savings. Revenue is recurring based on customer electricity usage and project participation over multi-year terms.
- Solar for All Program: NYSERDA purchases electricity output from Common Energy's solar farms on behalf of low-to-moderate income households. NYSERDA contracts to purchase 2 megawatts of capacity for 10 years. Remaining capacity is available to the general public.
- Enterprise Employee Benefits: Partnerships with corporations (Microsoft, Nike, Bloomberg, Collins Aerospace) where Common Energy manages community solar projects and provides employee sustainability benefits as part of corporate ESG initiatives.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Residential subscription with 10% guaranteed savings |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Non-profit pricing |
| Other | Monthly | Low-income households (Solar for All) |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Common Energy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Common Energy operates a community solar subscription platform that enables residential customers, businesses, and non-profits to subscribe to local community solar projects and receive monthly energy bill credits on their existing utility accounts. Customers save 5-15% on electricity bills for up to 20 years with no installation required, connecting to solar projects through their existing utility account number. The platform manages onboarding, billing, and clean energy credit distribution across community solar farms in multiple U.S. states.
Product overview
Common Energy operates as a community solar subscription platform with a modular offering structure. The core product is the Community Solar Subscription Service, which connects customers to local solar projects through their existing utility accounts. Customer-facing segments include dedicated offerings for Businesses (ESG solutions), Non-Profits (mission-aligned savings), and Consumers (residential bill reduction). Supporting products include Common Energy Labs (energy/climate research), the Impact Team (youth climate advocacy), Youth Advocacy Program (tree-planting partnerships), Common Energy Advocates (subscriber recruitment), and the My Common Energy customer portal for account management. The platform enables subscribers to save 5-15% on electricity bills for up to 20 years with no installation required.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Community Solar Subscription Service Core platform enabling residential customers, businesses, and non-profits to subscribe to local community solar projects and receive monthly energy bill credits. Customers connect via their existing utility account number, with guaranteed 5-15% savings on electricity bills for up to 20 years and no installation required.
- Solar for All Program Program providing community solar electricity at no cost to qualifying low-to-moderate income households through NYSERDA's Solar for All initiative. NYSERDA contracts to purchase 2 MW of capacity for 10 years, serving approximately 7,000 low-to-moderate income households.
- Common Energy Labs Research division led by CEO Richard Keiser that publishes high-impact analyses related to energy and climate change policy, including reports on US pathway to Net Zero GHG emissions and solar potential.
Quantifiable outcome
- Customers save 10% on electricity bills guaranteed for 20 years
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Common Energy
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Common Energy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Common Energy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and secondary.
- Trinity ServicescoreIllinois social services organization serving adults and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Partnered to subscribe to five community solar projects across greater Chicago area with 120+ locations receiving monthly energy bill credits.
- Aspen PowerminorAspen Power announced acquisition of Common Energy's community solar portfolio in Illinois, including initial 20 community solar projects.
- Collins Aerospace (RTX)coreAerospace and defense company partnered with Common Energy and Luminace to support a portfolio of four new community solar projects across the greater Portland area.
- LuminacecorePartnered with Collins Aerospace and Common Energy to develop community solar projects in the greater Portland area.
- MicrosoftcoreMicrosoft partnered with Common Energy and Nike for the Skyward Community Solar project in Clackamas County, Oregon, generating 3.6 million kWh of clean energy annually.
- NikecoreNike partnered with Microsoft and Common Energy for community solar project in Oregon supporting corporate sustainability goals.
- BloombergcoreBloomberg expanded access to community solar projects managed by Common Energy to more than 4,800 eligible employees in New York City.
- LinkedInsecondaryLinkedIn partnered with Microsoft, Corning, Akamai, and VMware to bring new sustainability benefit to employees through Common Energy's community solar program.
- CorningsecondaryCorning partnered with Microsoft, LinkedIn, Akamai, and VMware to offer employee sustainability benefit through Common Energy.
- AkamaisecondaryAkamai partnered with Microsoft, LinkedIn, Corning, and VMware for employee sustainability benefit program.
- VMwaresecondaryVMware partnered with Microsoft, LinkedIn, Corning, and Akamai for employee sustainability benefit through community solar.
- SPI EnergycoreSPI Energy partnered with Common Energy to connect six community solar projects to the Oregon electrical grid in Portland General Electric territory.
- Saratoga Springs Housing AuthoritysecondarySSHA partnered with Common Energy to increase use of clean energy and fund energy efficiency investments.
- Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK)secondaryADK partnered with Common Energy to lower carbon emissions across New York State through community solar subscriptions.
- United Way of the Southern TiersecondaryUnited Way partnered with Common Energy to bring lower cost clean energy to communities in the Southern Tier region.
- Solarize AlbanysecondarySolarize Albany selected Common Energy as its leading partner for community solar campaigns, enabling households without suitable roofs to access solar energy savings.
- NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority)coreNYSERDA selected Common Energy as an electricity provider under the Solar for All program, purchasing electricity for approximately 7,000 low-to-moderate income households. NYSERDA contracts to purchase 2 MW of capacity for 10 years.
- Standard SolarsecondaryStandard Solar completed its first community solar project in New York, developed by U.S. Light Energy and subscribed by Common Energy.
- Kearsarge EnergycoreKearsarge Energy developed and operates the Oppenheim Solar Array, a 1.94 MW project in Oppenheim, NY. Common Energy provides subscription management services.
- One Tree PlantedsecondaryCommon Energy contributes a portion of profits to One Tree Planted, a non-profit environmental tree planting charity. Common Energy donates $20 for every member who signs up through the Youth Advocacy program. Over 3,000 trees planted.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Common Energy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Arcadia: Arcadia operates a clean energy subscription platform that connects households and businesses to community solar and other renewable energy projects via a similar no-installation, utility-account-linked model. It is a direct competitor in community solar subscriber management.
- Uplight: Uplight provides an energy management platform that helps utilities and energy companies manage distributed energy resources, customer engagement, and clean energy programs — overlapping with Common Energy's subscription and customer onboarding functionality.
- Neighborhood Sun: Neighborhood Sun is a community solar subscriber acquisition and management company serving residential customers across multiple U.S. states — directly comparable to Common Energy's core subscription management offering.
Broad incumbents
- Luminace: Luminace is a community solar developer and operator that partners with Common Energy on enterprise portfolios (e.g., Collins Aerospace Portland projects). It is a partner but also competes as a vertically integrated developer-manager in the same market.
- Aspen Power: Aspen Power is a distributed generation developer that acquired Common Energy's Illinois community solar portfolio in 2024 — a relevant developer peer and asset owner operating in overlapping geographies.
- Kearsarge Energy: Kearsarge Energy develops and operates community solar projects (including the Oppenheim Solar Array subscribed by Common Energy). It is a developer partner and a comparable operator of community solar assets.
- Sunrun: Sunrun is the largest U.S. residential rooftop solar installer with subscription (lease/PPA) products. While focused on rooftop rather than community solar, it competes for residential clean energy subscribers and ESG-focused corporate customers.
Emerging players
- EnergySage: EnergySage operates a solar marketplace that helps consumers shop for rooftop solar and community solar subscriptions. It is an emerging adjacent channel for solar customer acquisition and comparable in serving clean-energy-curious consumers.
Others
- Generate Capital: Generate Capital is a sustainable infrastructure financier that funds community solar and distributed generation assets. It is an ecosystem participant relevant to financing the projects that Common Energy subscribes.
- Solar United Neighbors: Solar United Neighbors is a nonprofit that organizes community solar group-buys and policy advocacy. It is a thematic peer in expanding community solar access, though operating as a non-profit rather than commercial platform.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Common Energy social profiles
Digital presenceCommon Energy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Common Energy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Common Energy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Common Energy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Common Energy
What does Common Energy do?
Common Energy operates a community solar subscription platform that enables residential customers, businesses, and non-profits to subscribe to local community solar projects and receive monthly energy bill credits on their existing utility accounts. Customers save 5-15% on electricity bills for up to 20 years with no installation required, connecting to solar projects through their existing utility account number. The platform manages onboarding, billing, and clean energy credit distribution across community solar farms in multiple U.S. states.
Is Common Energy a public or private company?
Common Energy is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Common Energy founded?
Common Energy was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Common Energy based?
Common Energy is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Common Energy make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Community Solar Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are solar for All Program and enterprise Employee Benefits.
Who are Common Energy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Arcadia, Uplight and Neighborhood Sun. Broad incumbents are Luminace, Aspen Power, Kearsarge Energy and Sunrun. EnergySage is listed as an emerging player. Others are Generate Capital and Solar United Neighbors.
Does Common Energy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Common Energy.
What industry is Common Energy in?
Common Energy's product category is Community Solar Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAMAJAA, Community Solar Development & Subscription Management, with a secondary code of EUAGADAC, Retail & Community PPAs (Community Solar/Shared Renewables). Its NAICS code is 221114 and its SIC code is 4911.