SolarReserve

What SolarReserve does

SolarReserve is a Santa Monica, California-based, venture-backed developer of utility-scale concentrated solar power (CSP) with integrated molten-salt thermal storage. Founded in 2007 and operating with 51-100 employees, the company has built its identity around advanced solar thermal storage technology that allows dispatchable renewable generation beyond daylight hours — a structural differentiator versus conventional photovoltaic generation. Its leadership team includes founder and president Terry Murphy, CTO William R. Gould, SVP of Development Alistair Jessop, and VP of Engineering & Technology Tim J. Connor, reflecting a project-development and engineering organization rather than a software or product company.

SolarReserve has raised approximately $203.4M in disclosed equity and grant funding across multiple rounds between 2008 and 2018, anchored by Citi, Citi Alternative Investments, Credit Suisse, Good Energies, Nimes Capital, Pacific Corporate Group, and US Renewables at the institutional level, with the US Department of Energy providing a $2M award in 2018. The firm's commercial model centers on developing, financing, building, and operating multi-hundred-million-dollar CSP plants, monetizing output through long-term utility power purchase agreements. This is a capital-intensive, project-based, and inherently lumpy revenue model with very high customer concentration at the project level.

The company has no AI, software, or recurring-revenue product surface in the input data, and there are no disclosed patents, trademarks, or formal partnerships. There is also a separate, distinct web property at solar-reserve.com (an educational solar-energy blog run by individuals named John and Dan), which appears to be an unrelated entity using a similarly named domain and should not be conflated with the CSP developer. SolarReserve's competitive position rests on proprietary thermal storage IP, regulatory and DOE relationships, and the ability to execute utility-scale projects — capabilities that are meaningful but increasingly under pressure from cheaper PV-plus-battery alternatives.

Name

SolarReserve

Legal name

Solar-Reserve

Website

https://solar-reserve.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Concentrated Solar Power

NAICS

Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

Solar Thermal & CSP Systems (Collectors, Receivers, Thermal Storage, CSP EPC) (EUAMABAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

CSP Thermal Energy Storage & Heat Transfer Systems (Molten Salt, HTF, Receivers) (EUACAGAF), CSP Plant Development & EPC (Parabolic Trough, Tower, Linear Fresnel, Dish) (EUACAGAE), Concentrated Solar & Solar Fuels R&D (CSP Innovations, Thermochemical, Solar-to-Hydrogen) (EUAMAOAE), Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) EPC (EUAEAAAH)

Keywords

• Concentrated solar power
• Solar thermal storage
• Utility-scale solar
• Molten salt storage
• Dispatchable renewable energy

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Monica

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Advertising/Sponsored Content: The website appears to generate revenue through advertising and potentially sponsored content, given its status as an informational blog with article-based content accessible to millions of readers from over 200 countries.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

SolarReserve develops and deploys utility-scale concentrated solar power (CSP) plants integrated with proprietary molten salt thermal energy storage technology. The company provides dispatchable, baseload renewable electricity generation that can produce power beyond daylight hours, targeting utilities, government agencies, and large power offtakers through long-term power purchase and EPC arrangements.

Product overview

SolarReserve operates as a single educational content platform—a blog website that publishes informational articles about solar energy, solar panel technologies, solar water heaters, solar street lights, and related renewable energy topics. The primary product offering is the Solar-Reserve blog itself, which serves as an informational resource covering various aspects of solar energy without a modular product architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Utility-Scale Concentrated Solar Power Plants with Thermal Storage Turnkey utility-scale CSP power plants that combine heliostat fields, solar receiver towers, and molten salt thermal energy storage to deliver dispatchable renewable electricity on a 24-hour basis. Targeted at electric utilities, government power agencies, and large industrial power offtakers.
• Solar Thermal Energy Storage Technology Proprietary molten salt thermal energy storage system that captures and stores heat from concentrated solar radiation and dispatches it as electricity on demand. Designed to be integrated with utility-scale CSP plants to provide firm, dispatchable renewable generation.
• CSP Project Development and EPC Services End-to-end project development services covering site selection, permitting, engineering, procurement, construction management, financing, and offtake contracting for utility-scale concentrated solar power projects. Provided to utility offtakers, government agencies, and infrastructure investors.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• BrightSource Energy: BrightSource Energy is a direct peer as a US-based developer of utility-scale concentrated solar power (CSP) and solar thermal tower technology. Like SolarReserve, it has historically pursued molten-salt or steam-based CSP for utility customers and pursued large-scale project finance from similar US/institutional backers.
• Acciona Energía: Acciona Energía is a major global developer and operator of concentrated solar power plants (e.g., Noor complexes in Morocco), making it one of the closest global peers to SolarReserve's CSP project development model.
• Abengoa Solar: Abengoa (via its solar/T&I division) developed multiple utility-scale CSP plants including parabolic trough technology and was an EPC contractor on SolarReserve-adjacent projects. Highly comparable as a CSP engineering and project development peer in the same technology category.
• SENER Aeroespacial & Solar Thermal: SENER developed the SENERtrough parabolic trough technology and supplied core CSP systems, including for prior SolarReserve-adjacent projects. Comparable as a CSP technology provider and direct counterpart in the molten-salt CSP value chain.

Broad incumbents

• Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure: Atlantica owns and operates concentrated solar power and other renewable assets via yieldco structures, including shares in Solana and other CSP plants. Comparable as a long-term owner/operator of dispatchable solar thermal assets similar to those SolarReserve develops.
• First Solar: First Solar is a leading US-based thin-film PV module manufacturer and utility-scale PV project developer. It is an adjacent rather than overlapping peer: same downstream customer segment (utilities/developers) but different technology (PV vs. CSP).
• NextEra Energy Resources: NextEra is the largest US renewable energy developer and IPP, with a portfolio that increasingly spans solar thermal, PV, and storage. Comparable as a broad incumbent solar energy developer competing for the same utility-scale offtakes.
• ENGIE Solar / ENGIE Renewables: ENGIE develops both PV and CSP utility-scale projects worldwide, including partnerships on thermal solar. Comparable as a large diversified renewable developer operating in adjacent solar thermal / utility-scale segments.

Others

• Coventry Capital / Fiera Infrastructure (Canadian Solar infra funds): Fiera Infrastructure invests in renewable energy projects globally including solar infrastructure. Comparable as a capital provider and infrastructure investor active in the same utility-scale solar asset class where SolarReserve develops projects.
• Solar Millennium (historical) / Flagsol: Flagsol (formerly part of Solar Millennium) was a CSP engineering and technology provider for parabolic trough plants. Comparable as a technology/EPC enabler historically involved in the same molten-salt CSP engineering space as SolarReserve.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SolarReserve
• Facebookfacebook.com/SolarReserve

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors8 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SolarReserve