Innovative Solar Systems
Innovative Solar Systems (ISS) is a U.S. utility-scale solar project developer founded in 2011 that acquires land, engineers projects, and sells shovel-ready 20MW–200MW solar PV facilities and 300MW+ multi-state portfolios to large institutional investors and landowners across 35 states.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersAsheville, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Innovative Solar Systems does
Innovative Solar Systems, LLC (ISS) is a privately-held U.S. utility-scale solar project developer founded in 2011 by brothers John and Richard Green and headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina. ISS acquires land, engineers projects, secures interconnection and power purchase agreements, and delivers shovel-ready ground-mounted solar PV facilities in the 20MWac to 200MWac range to institutional investors and project owners. The company also sells multi-state project portfolios of 300MW and above, diversified geographically or concentrated in single markets, ranging from mid-stage to shovel-ready status.
ISS insources the full critical path of solar PV site development — site acquisition, engineering, power off-take agreements, and project management — rather than outsourcing through EPC contractors. It operates a 13GW development pipeline across 35 U.S. states, with projects being added at a rate of 2GW to 6GW per year. The company has sold over 2 GW of shovel-ready projects cumulatively, including 720MWac in 2016 and 1.3GWac in 2017, and was ranked a top-five U.S. utility-scale solar developer by Solar Power World in both 2016 and 2017.
Revenue is generated primarily through one-time, individually negotiated sales of shovel-ready projects and portfolios, addressed via direct enterprise sales by CEO John Green, CFO Craig Sherman, and VP of Sales Patrick King, supplemented by industry-conference presence. Customers are segmented into large-scale solar investors (primary), agricultural landowners leasing land (primary), and municipalities/utilities (secondary). ISS has been self-funded through project cash flow with one disclosed $14.9M financing round in 2017; in March 2019, the company announced it is available for acquisition, citing a $3B-$30B five-year profit projection.
Innovative Solar Systems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Innovative Solar Systems
- Legal name
- Innovative Solar Systems, LLC
- Website
- https://innovativesolarsystemsllc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Innovative Solar Systems (ISS) is a U.S. utility-scale solar project developer founded in 2011 that acquires land, engineers projects, and sells shovel-ready 20MW–200MW solar PV facilities and 300MW+ multi-state portfolios to large institutional investors and landowners across 35 states.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Innovative Solar Systems industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Utility-Scale Solar Development
- NAICS
- Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Solar Project Development & IPP (Utility-Scale & Rooftop) (EUAMABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Utility-Scale PV Project Development & Permitting (EUACAGAA), Solar Balance-of-Plant EPC (Piles/Foundations, Trenching, Combiner Networks) (EUAEADAJ), Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System) (EUAMABAB)
Keywords
Where Innovative Solar Systems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Asheville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Innovative Solar Systems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Solar Project Development & Sale: ISS develops utility-scale solar farms (20MW to 200MW+) and sells shovel-ready projects to investors. Projects are delivered at shovel-ready status with all permitting, interconnection agreements, and power purchase agreements in place.
- Portfolio Sales: ISS offers portfolios of solar projects for sale, ranging from 300MW to multi-GW portfolios diversified across multiple states. Projects range from mid-stage to shovel-ready status, available in 12 months or less depending on current development stage.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Innovative Solar Systems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Innovative Solar Systems develops utility-scale ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) facilities ranging from 20MW to 200MW and delivers them at shovel-ready status with all permitting, interconnection agreements, and power purchase agreements in place. The company sells these projects and diversified portfolios (300MW+) directly to institutional investors, while also acquiring or leasing land from landowners (typically farmers with 150+ cleared acres) to support the project development pipeline. ISS insources all critical-path activities including site acquisition, engineering, power off-take agreements, and project management.
Product overview
Innovative Solar Systems (ISS) is a utility-scale solar farm developer offering custom development and sale of solar PV projects. The core offering consists of utility-scale solar farm development services (20MW–200MW per project) and pre-developed project portfolios (300MW+), both sold to investors seeking solar PV power plant ownership. A companion land acquisition service supports project development. The company maintains a 13GW pipeline of projects across 35 U.S. states, delivers projects at shovel-ready status, and insources all critical path aspects including site acquisition, engineering, power off-take agreements, and project management. A notable joint project is the 20MWac Martin, SC solar farm developed with VivoPower International PLC.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Utility-Scale Solar Farm Development Custom development of utility-scale ground-mounted solar PV facilities ranging from 20MW to 200MW, delivered at shovel-ready status with all permitting, interconnection agreements, and power purchase agreements in place. Targeted at institutional investors and power producers seeking utility-scale solar assets.
- Solar Farm Project Portfolios for Sale Sale of pre-developed solar farm projects and portfolios (300MW or larger), diversified across multiple states or concentrated in single markets, ranging from mid-stage to shovel-ready status, available in 12 months or less depending on current development stage. Targeted at large-scale solar investors and institutional buyers seeking portfolio acquisitions.
- Solar Farm Land Acquisition
Quantifiable outcome
- ISS has developed and sold enough solar projects to power over 1.5 million American homes
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Innovative Solar Systems
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Innovative Solar Systems technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Innovative Solar Systems partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- VivoPower International PLCcoreISS partnered with VivoPower International PLC on a 20MWac solar farm project in Martin, South Carolina. The partnership secured an interconnection agreement and an executed power purchase agreement. The project was for sale with an anticipated COD of 2020. ISS CEO John Green stated the partnership was working toward bringing solar energy plants to more communities.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Innovative Solar Systems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- SunPower (now Complete Solaria): Solar company with historical utility-scale and commercial project development activity in the US. Overlaps with ISS in commercial and utility-scale solar, though SunPower is more diversified across residential and has undergone significant restructuring.
- Lightsource bp: Global utility-scale solar developer and operator owned by bp, with significant US project pipeline. Overlaps with ISS in utility-scale solar development and shovel-ready project delivery, but with much deeper capital and broader geographic reach.
- First Solar: Vertically integrated solar manufacturer and large-scale project developer. Comparable to ISS in utility-scale solar project development activity, though First Solar also manufactures modules and operates globally with significantly more resources.
- Terra-Gen: US renewable energy developer and operator of utility-scale wind, solar, and storage projects. Comparable to ISS in utility-scale solar development footprint in the US, with broader technology mix and operating asset base.
- EDF Renewables: Large renewable energy developer operating across wind, solar, and storage in North America. Overlaps with ISS in utility-scale solar project development and IPP activities, but as part of a much broader portfolio with stronger capital backing.
- Hanwha Qcells (Qcells USA): Vertically integrated solar manufacturer and large-scale US utility project developer. Overlaps with ISS in utility-scale solar project development and US footprint, with parent-company capital supporting much larger development activities.
Direct peers
- Recurrent Energy (Canadian Solar subsidiary): Utility-scale solar project developer and subsidiary of Canadian Solar. Develops and sells shovel-ready solar projects across North America, directly comparable to ISS in business model, scale, and customer base of institutional buyers.
- 8minute Solar Energy: US utility-scale solar developer focused on developing, owning, and operating solar and storage projects. Highly comparable to ISS in project scale (utility-scale), business model (developer selling shovel-ready projects), and US-focused geographic footprint.
- Cypress Creek Renewables: US-based utility-scale solar project developer that develops, owns, and sells shovel-ready solar projects across multiple states. Directly comparable to ISS in development-only business model, target customer (institutional investors), and project size range.
- Avantus (formerly 8point3 Energy Partners): US utility-scale solar developer with pipeline of large-scale PV and storage projects. Comparable to ISS in pipeline-scale project development and focus on shovel-ready asset sales to institutional investors.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Innovative Solar Systems social profiles
Digital presenceInnovative Solar Systems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Innovative Solar Systems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Innovative Solar Systems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Innovative Solar Systems 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 Innovative Solar Systems
What does Innovative Solar Systems do?
Innovative Solar Systems develops utility-scale ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) facilities ranging from 20MW to 200MW and delivers them at shovel-ready status with all permitting, interconnection agreements, and power purchase agreements in place. The company sells these projects and diversified portfolios (300MW+) directly to institutional investors, while also acquiring or leasing land from landowners (typically farmers with 150+ cleared acres) to support the project development pipeline. ISS insources all critical-path activities including site acquisition, engineering, power off-take agreements, and project management.
Is Innovative Solar Systems a public or private company?
Innovative Solar Systems is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Innovative Solar Systems founded?
Innovative Solar Systems was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Innovative Solar Systems based?
Innovative Solar Systems is headquartered in Asheville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Innovative Solar Systems make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Solar Project Development & Sale is the primary driver. The others are portfolio Sales.
Who are Innovative Solar Systems's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are SunPower (now Complete Solaria), Lightsource bp, First Solar, Terra-Gen, EDF Renewables and Hanwha Qcells (Qcells USA). Direct peers are Recurrent Energy (Canadian Solar subsidiary), 8minute Solar Energy, Cypress Creek Renewables and Avantus (formerly 8point3 Energy Partners).
Does Innovative Solar Systems have an API?
No public API is recorded for Innovative Solar Systems.
What industry is Innovative Solar Systems in?
Innovative Solar Systems's product category is Utility-Scale Solar Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAMABAA, Solar Project Development & IPP (Utility-Scale & Rooftop), with a secondary code of EUACAGAA, Utility-Scale PV Project Development & Permitting. Its NAICS code is 221114.