What Energy Solutions does

Energy Solutions is a U.S. clean energy and climate mitigation consulting firm that designs, implements, and manages market-based energy efficiency, demand management, building decarbonization, codes and standards, renewables/DER, and clean transportation programs on behalf of utilities, state and federal government agencies, and community choice aggregators. Founded in 1995 by Sam Cohen and headquartered in Oakland, California, the company operates from seven offices across six states and runs more than 100 active programs in 22 states, with a flagship statewide program (TECH Clean California) receiving $145 million in continuation funding. Its core differentiator is a proprietary upstream and midstream incentive program design that intervenes at the manufacturer and distributor level rather than directly with end customers, delivering reported savings up to 900% greater than traditional downstream programs, supported by a SOC-2 Type 2 certified incentive processing platform and three decades of trade ally relationships.

The company earns revenue primarily through professional services contracts — program design, implementation, portfolio administration, data analytics, engineering evaluation, and policy consulting — paid by utilities and government clients. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales with direct relationships to investor-owned utilities, publicly owned utilities, CCAs, state energy offices, and federal agencies. Programs are delivered through supply chain channels: manufacturers, distributors, reps, designers, and contractors act as trade allies who distribute incentives and drive end-customer adoption. Notable flagship offerings include TECH Clean California (the largest statewide heat pump program in the U.S.), calNEXT (California emission reduction initiative), the Midstream Express portfolio administration platform, and the Measure Assessment and Prioritization (MAP) Tool for codes and standards impact modeling.

The firm is employee-owned through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) established by founder Sam Cohen in 2013, has no external venture capital or private equity backing, and reports no external funding rounds. It carries SOC-2 Type 2 certification (audited by Moss Adams) for its information systems and claims measurable impact metrics of 64 million tons of GHG emissions reduced annually and 1.8 billion tons of CO2e reductions modeled through 2050 across supported policies and programs.

Name

Energy Solutions

Legal name

Cohen Ventures, Inc.

Website

https://energy-solution.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Energy Solutions is a U.S.-based, employee-owned clean energy consulting firm that designs and implements energy efficiency, building decarbonization, demand management, and clean transportation programs for utilities, governments, and community choice aggregators across 22 states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Energy Efficiency Consulting Services

akta.pro primary industry

Energy & Water Efficiency Programs (Corporate Resource Management) (EUAHAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Energy Systems & Power Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAG), Climate Governance, Operating Model & Internal Carbon Pricing Design (EUABAKAF)

Keywords

• Energy efficiency programs
• Demand response management
• Building decarbonization
• Utility program design
• Clean transportation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Program Design & Implementation Services: Energy Solutions designs and implements market-based energy efficiency, demand management, and renewable energy programs for utility clients and government agencies. The company serves utilities, governments and businesses with Demand Side Management (DSM) program design, marketing and implementation assistance.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Energy Solutions designs and implements market-based energy efficiency, demand management, and renewable energy programs for utility clients, government agencies, and businesses. The company develops upstream and midstream incentive programs that operate at the equipment manufacturer and distributor level, delivering large-scale carbon, energy, and water savings across 22 states.

Product overview

Energy Solutions is a clean energy and climate mitigation consulting firm that operates as a platform of interconnected service offerings rather than a single unified product. The company's core portfolio includes six primary service areas: Building Decarbonization (clean heat, flexible demand, embodied carbon), Energy Efficiency (midstream/upstream programs, portfolio administration), Demand Management (ADR, IDSM, HPWH control), Codes/Standards/Ratings (appliance standards, building codes), Renewables & DERs (community solar, storage), and Clean Transportation (EV programs). These core services are supported by specialized capabilities including Program Design & Management, Market Development & Transformation, Trade Alliances, Data Analytics & Reporting, Process Automation, Engineering & Technical Evaluation, Policy & Market Research, and Marketing & Creative Services. Notable programs include TECH Clean California (the largest statewide heat pump program in the US) and calNEXT (California emission reduction initiative). The company implements more midstream programs across North America than any other company, with over 100 programs across 22 states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Building Decarbonization Services focused on reducing carbon emissions in the built environment through clean heat (heat pumps), flexible demand standards, embodied carbon reduction, and natural gas efficiency programs for utilities and government clients.
• Energy Efficiency Midstream and upstream energy efficiency program design and implementation, including portfolio administration, Midstream Express, measure and TRM development, and market study and assessment for utility clients across 22 states.
• Demand Management Automated Demand Response (ADR) program design and management, Integrated Demand Side Management (IDSM), and heat pump water heater control programs for grid flexibility and renewable energy integration.
• Codes, Standards, & Ratings Advocacy and technical support for appliance efficiency standards, building codes, international MEPS, policy impact modeling, and compliance improvement programs for government agencies and utilities.
• Renewables & Distributed Energy Resources Programs for community solar, solar plus storage, and community DERs including flexible demand controls, virtual power plants, renewables and storage, and microgrids for utilities and government clients.
• Clean Transportation Electric vehicle programs including Take Charge EVSE, EV Sales Accelerator, multifamily charging, and fuel efficient tires initiatives for transit authorities, utilities, CCAs, fleet operators, school districts, and EV dealerships.
• TECH Clean California The largest statewide heat pump program in the country, focused on advancing zero-emissions heat pump deployment to help achieve California's climate goals.
• calNEXT A statewide California initiative providing resources and expertise to energize emission reduction programs and help achieve California's climate goals.
• Program Design & Management Award-winning program design and management with focus on impacts, stakeholder engagement, and simplified participation processes for utility and government clients.
• Market Development & Transformation Market transformation through technical, financial, marketing and policy interventions, including market scaling, supply chain development, and standardization.
• Data Analytics & Reporting Data engineering, database development, visualization, web-scraping, multi-regression analysis, system integration, machine learning, measurement and verification, quality assurance, and system maintenance services.
• Process Automation Best-in-class online tools to automate processes, reduce administrative burdens, and pay incentives quickly for energy efficiency, demand response, and renewable energy programs.
• Trade Alliances Relationship management with manufacturers, distributors, reps, designers and contractors to design programs that benefit the entire market and the supply chain.
• Engineering & Technical Evaluation Building simulation modeling, work paper development, emerging technology evaluations, demand response calculations, renewable feasibility studies, and incentive design.
• Policy & Market Research Literature reviews, web-crawling, data mining, product testing, statistical sampling, surveys, market analysis, and advocacy support including CASE reports and policy proposals.
• Marketing & Creative Services Integrated marketing strategies, multi-channel marketing plans, audience segmentation, branding, creative design, and website design and development for energy programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 64 million tons of GHG emissions reduced annually (equivalent to California's residential and commercial building emissions)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Trade Allies (Supply Chain Partners)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOver 20 years of strong relationships with manufacturers, distributors, reps, designers, and contractors. Partners engage in program design, receive fast payments, and benefit from streamlined processes. Energy Solutions works to make every level of the supply chain successful.
• International Government Agencies and NGOsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy Solutions partners with international government agencies and NGOs for codes and standards adoption support, including guidance on evaluation methods, data collection through lab testing, demonstration projects, market surveys, and standardized approaches to evaluating measures and savings.
• Community Choice Aggregators (CCAs)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorking with CCAs as stakeholders in clean transportation electrification programs alongside transit authorities, utilities, fleet operators, and school districts.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Leidos: Large federal contractor with an energy and environment practice providing technical and program support to DOE, utilities, and state agencies — competes for adjacent federal energy policy and program management work.
• Guidehouse: Management consultancy (formerly Navigant) with a large energy, sustainability, and utilities practice that competes for similar utility transformation, DER, and climate program engagements as Energy Solutions.
• DNV: Independent energy and maritime expert that delivers advisory, testing, and certification services to utilities and regulators — overlaps with Energy Solutions' energy engineering, technical evaluation, and DER/microgrid assurance work.
• ICF International: Large public consulting firm with a major energy and climate practice providing DSM program design, evaluation, and policy advisory to utilities and federal/state agencies — competing for many of the same procurements at greater scale.

Direct peers

• Opinion Dynamics: Energy efficiency research, evaluation, and program implementation consultancy serving utilities and state agencies, with overlapping practice in codes, standards, and program impact evaluation.
• Cadmus: Energy and environmental consulting firm serving utilities, governments, and private clients with energy management, codes & standards, and demand-side management services that overlap with Energy Solutions' core offerings.
• Willdan: Public professional services firm providing energy and sustainability program management, engineering, and consulting to utilities, CCAs, and government — comparable in target customer, geography, and DSM program delivery.
• CLEAResult: Largest U.S. energy efficiency program implementation firm providing design, delivery, and evaluation services to utilities and governments — the most direct head-to-head competitor to Energy Solutions' midstream and DSM program portfolio.
• TRC Companies: Engineering and consulting firm delivering energy efficiency, decarbonization, and environmental program services to utilities and governments — directly overlapping in DSM implementation and DER program delivery.
• Resource Innovations: Energy and climate consulting firm (formerly Nexant) that designs and implements energy efficiency, demand management, and decarbonization programs for utilities and state agencies, with significant overlap in TECH-style program work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/energy-solutions
• Facebookfacebook.com/EnergySolns

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Energy Solutions