SunCommon
SunCommon is a Vermont-based Certified B Corporation that designs, installs, and finances solar PV systems and battery storage for residential, commercial, agricultural, and municipal customers across Vermont and New York.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersWaterbury Center, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What SunCommon does
SunCommon is a Certified B Corporation and Benefit Corporation (legal name Solarcommunities Inc.) that designs, sells, installs, and services residential, commercial, agricultural, and municipal solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and battery storage solutions. Founded in 2012 in Waterbury, Vermont in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene, the company merged with Hudson Solar in 2018 to extend operations into New York, and today serves customers across both states from offices in Waterbury, VT and Kingston, NY.
The company's product portfolio spans Roof & Ground Solar (rooftop and ground-mounted PV arrays), Home Energy Storage (Tesla Powerwall and Enphase IQ batteries), Commercial Solar (rooftop arrays, canopies, ground mounts), Solar Canopy structures, and a dedicated Solar for Farms offering. It integrates hardware from multiple inverter manufacturers (Enphase, SolarEdge, SMA, Fronius, Solis) and monitoring platforms (Enlighten, SolarEdge monitoring portal, SolisCloud, Tesla app) using standard networking devices (Zigbee gateways, PLCs, NanoStations/PicoStations). No proprietary software stack or AI capabilities are documented; technology differentiation rests on inverter-vendor relationships and installation craftsmanship.
SunCommon operates a full-service, direct sales-led, consultative go-to-market covering planning, financing, permitting, design, engineering, and construction. Revenue is generated primarily through hardware sales (cash or financed PV systems), subscription-style lease revenue through a partnership with Participate Energy (which monetizes federal tax incentives to deliver 30% upfront discounts), battery storage installations, and post-install service and maintenance fees. Marketing is community-led and storytelling-driven, leveraging partnerships with NY Renews, 350.org, and Vermont Green Football Club, owned media (Solar Spill podcast, SunCommon Stories blog, Up The Green documentary), and earned local channels (Front Porch Forum, Vermont Public Radio). The customer base spans 10,000+ residential customers and 200+ commercial customers, supported by 51-100 employees.
SunCommon firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SunCommon
- Legal name
- Solarcommunities Inc.
- Website
- https://suncommon.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- SunCommon is a Vermont-based Certified B Corporation that designs, installs, and finances solar PV systems and battery storage for residential, commercial, agricultural, and municipal customers across Vermont and New York.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SunCommon industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Solar Installation Services
- NAICS
- Roofing Contractors (23816)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System) (EUAMABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Solar Financing, Leasing & Ownership Platforms (Tax Equity, PPA, Securitization) (EUAMABAJ), Solar Roofing & Roof-Mounted PV Systems (IMADAFAO)
Keywords
Where SunCommon is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Waterbury Center
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
SunCommon business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Solar Panel Installation and Sales: SunCommon designs, engineers, permits, and installs solar PV systems for residential and commercial customers. Customers can purchase systems with cash or financing, or lease through Participate Energy partnership. Revenue recognized at installation completion.
- Solar Lease Program: Partnership with Participate Energy where they act as system owner using federal tax incentives to lower lease payments. SunCommon passes 30% savings to customers who pay remaining 70% either with cash or low monthly financing payments.
- Home Energy Storage Installation: Installation of battery backup systems including Tesla Powerwall and Enphase IQ batteries, offered as add-on to solar installations or standalone for existing solar customers.
- Service and Maintenance: Technical support, customer education, troubleshooting, and onsite service for existing solar and storage systems. Standard service fees include dispatch fee (first 30 minutes included), drive time fee, and additional labor/parts billed post-visit.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Direct Purchase - Full system ownership |
| Subscription | Monthly | Solar Lease - 30% discounted system |
| Subscription | Monthly | Financing Options |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | New York State Solar Tax Credit |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Tesla Powerwall Battery |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Technical Service Fees |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
SunCommon product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SunCommon is a residential and commercial solar PV installation company operating in Vermont (since 2012) and New York (since 2002, via Hudson Solar merger). The company provides full-service solar energy system design, permitting, financing, engineering, and installation for homeowners, businesses, farms, non-profits, and municipalities, including Tesla Powerwall and Enphase battery storage add-ons. A solar lease option through partner Participate Energy offers 30% upfront discount with no upfront cost required.
Product overview
SunCommon is a residential and commercial solar installation company serving Vermont and New York since 2012. The company's product portfolio centers on solar energy systems comprising Roof & Ground Solar (rooftop and ground-mounted residential systems), Home Energy Storage (Tesla Powerwall battery backup), Commercial Solar (business solar solutions), Solar Canopy (shade structures with integrated panels), and Solar for Farms (agricultural solar). The company offers financing through a Solar Lease partnership with Participate Energy, providing 30% upfront discounts. Monitoring capabilities are delivered through integrations with manufacturer platforms (Enphase Enlighten, SolarEdge Monitoring Portal, SolisCloud) and proprietary hardware (Zigbee/Gateway, PLCs, NanoStations/PicoStations). SunCommon is a Certified B Corporation and Benefit Corporation operating from offices in Kingston, NY and Waterbury, VT.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Roof & Ground Solar
Quantifiable outcome
- Commercial solar projects can recoup nearly 50% of cost in first year and recover entire cost within five years
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use SunCommon
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
SunCommon technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
Feature10 records
SunCommon partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Vermont Green Football ClubflagshipSunCommon is founding title sponsor of Vermont Green Football Club, a local soccer team with climate justice mission. Partnership includes producing documentary 'Up The Green' telling the story of the club's inaugural 2022 season and community response.
- Participate EnergycorePartnership where Participate Energy acts as system owner for solar lease program, using federal tax incentives for businesses to lower customer lease payments. This allows SunCommon to pass 30% savings to customers who pay remaining 70% via cash or financing.
- Wave FarmminorWave Farm went solar with SunCommon in 2021. SunCommon produced virtual tour films of Wave Farm's art installations, increasing their virtual footprint and global accessibility while drawing folks into the Transmission Arts community.
- Scenic HudsonminorSunCommon partnered with Scenic Hudson on net-zero renovation of Northside Hub (Standard Gage factory). Partnership includes annual day of service planting trees in Hudson Valley.
- NY RenewsminorCoalition partner in climate advocacy. SunCommon shows up at rallies and marches, works with public interest and advocacy organizations, and lobbies directly to help pass climate-focused legislation.
- 350.orgminorClimate advocacy organization partner. SunCommon participates in organizing and activism as core founding pillars.
- Amicus Solar CooperativeminorSunCommon merged with Hudson Solar in 2018, an established Amicus Solar Cooperative member. Amicus is a cooperative of solar installers sharing best practices and purchasing power.
- TeslacoreTesla provides Powerwall battery systems for SunCommon home energy storage installations. SunCommon is Vermont's most experienced Powerwall installer. Tesla offers $1,000 promotion for new installations.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SunCommon competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- GreenSpark Solar: New York and Midwest residential and commercial solar installer with similar community-engagement ethos. Direct regional competitor in the NY market with overlapping customer segments (homeowners, farms, commercial).
- Nexamp: Northeast-focused solar installer and community solar developer serving residential, commercial, and municipal customers in MA, NY, and surrounding states. Competes directly in community solar and commercial segments where SunCommon is building.
- PosiGen: Residential solar and energy efficiency installer focused on LMI homeowners through lease and PPA financing. Comparable lease-driven business model to SunCommon's Participate Energy partnership and similar focus on underserved customer segments.
- Mosaic: Residential solar financing platform offering loan products for homeowners going solar. Comparable financing-product overlap with SunCommon's lease and loan offerings, and Mosaic capital partners many regional installers.
- Borrego Solar: Commercial and utility-scale solar EPC contractor serving customers across the U.S. Comparable on the commercial installation side, particularly for businesses like breweries, farms, and nonprofits that SunCommon serves.
- ReVision Energy: Maine-based employee-owned residential and commercial solar installer with deep community roots in the Northeast. Highly comparable to SunCommon in mission-driven B Corp positioning, full-service install model, and focus on regional grid resilience and storage.
Broad incumbents
- Sunrun: Largest U.S. residential solar installer offering leases, PPAs, and cash purchases nationwide. Competes with SunCommon in residential solar across the Northeast with greater scale, capital, and national marketing.
- Tesla Energy: Tesla's solar roof and Powerwall business with national reach and direct Powerwall supply. Competes with SunCommon both as an installer (where it operates) and as a hardware supplier whose product strategy affects SunCommon's storage offering.
Others
- EnergySage: Solar marketplace and education platform where homeowners compare installer quotes. SunCommon-listed installer ecosystem competitor and indirect channel for customer acquisition in VT/NY.
- Amicus Solar Cooperative: Cooperative of mission-driven residential and commercial solar installers across the U.S. sharing best practices and purchasing power. SunCommon is an Amicus member via the Hudson Solar merger, making peer installers like Groundswell, Solar United Neighbors, and others within this co-op direct ecosystem peers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SunCommon social profiles
Digital presenceSunCommon compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
SunCommon financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SunCommon leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
SunCommon funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SunCommon 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 SunCommon
What does SunCommon do?
SunCommon is a residential and commercial solar PV installation company operating in Vermont (since 2012) and New York (since 2002, via Hudson Solar merger). The company provides full-service solar energy system design, permitting, financing, engineering, and installation for homeowners, businesses, farms, non-profits, and municipalities, including Tesla Powerwall and Enphase battery storage add-ons. A solar lease option through partner Participate Energy offers 30% upfront discount with no upfront cost required.
Is SunCommon a public or private company?
SunCommon is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was SunCommon founded?
SunCommon was founded in 2012. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is SunCommon based?
SunCommon is headquartered in Waterbury Center, United States, in the North America region.
How does SunCommon make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Solar Panel Installation and Sales are the primary driver. The others are solar Lease Program, home Energy Storage Installation and service and Maintenance.
Who are SunCommon's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are GreenSpark Solar, Nexamp, PosiGen, Mosaic, Borrego Solar and ReVision Energy. Broad incumbents are Sunrun and Tesla Energy. Others are EnergySage and Amicus Solar Cooperative.
Does SunCommon have an API?
No public API is recorded for SunCommon.
What industry is SunCommon in?
SunCommon's product category is Solar Installation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAMABAB, Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System), with a secondary code of EUAMABAJ, Solar Financing, Leasing & Ownership Platforms (Tax Equity, PPA, Securitization). Its NAICS code is 23816.