US Solar
US Solar is a Minneapolis-headquartered community solar developer that finances, builds, owns, and operates solar gardens, offering a "Sunscription" subscription service that delivers utility bill credits to residential, commercial, government, and utility subscribers across Minnesota, Colorado, Illinois, and New Mexico.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What US Solar does
US Solar is a Minneapolis-headquartered private solar developer, owner, operator, and financier focused on regulated community solar programs in the United States. Founded in 2014 by John Carter (CEO & Founder), the company operates across Minnesota, Colorado, Illinois, and New Mexico with additional offices in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Virginia, and reports a portfolio of 200+ MW of completed projects alongside 2+ GW in construction and development as well as 5,000+ active subscribers across MN, IL, and CO. US Solar's regulated-program footprint is reinforced by geographic restrictions (Florida is not served), state-specific community solar programs, and joint utility partnerships such as USS Itasca Clean Energy LLC with Minnesota Power and Grand Rapids Public Utilities.
US Solar's core technology combines utility-scale photovoltaic generation, optional distributed energy storage, and specialized agrivoltaics deployments (crop research, pollinator habitat covering 680 acres, beekeeping, and sheep grazing) with a self-service "Sunscription" subscription platform at my.sunscription.com that bills subscribers monthly or annually and integrates with utility billing systems to deliver bill credits. The company holds registered trademarks on "Sunscription" and "See Solar in a New Light," operates the Sunscription Partner Program for employer-sponsored employee subscriptions, and maintains a long-standing research partnership with NREL through the InSPIRE project and ASTRO group. Product lines span Sunscription for Homes, Business, Governments, Landowners, and Utilities, plus a dedicated Energy Storage offering supporting peak demand reduction, energy shifting, supply firming, capacity contribution, and demand response.
The business model layers recurring residential and commercial Sunscription revenue (typical savings of $30-$60/month per residential subscriber, $250-$300/year for LMI households under Minnesota's LMIA CSG program), long-lived asset ownership economics on its operating fleet via PPAs and grid distribution, and large enterprise/employee partnership agreements including 8 MW with Wells Fargo across five Colorado CSGs and 14 community solar gardens with T-Mobile in Minnesota. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales ([email protected], [email protected]), an online self-service enrollment portal, and channel partner distribution through employer-based programs and Community Action Partners (Prairie Five, UCAP). Revenue and funding rounds are not publicly disclosed, and the operating model is complemented by development-stage asset divestitures, exemplified by the March 2026 sale of the 250 MW Wolf Creek Renewable Energy Center to Sol Systems.
US Solar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- US Solar
- Legal name
- United States Solar Corporation
- Website
- https://us-solar.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- US Solar is a Minneapolis-headquartered community solar developer that finances, builds, owns, and operates solar gardens, offering a "Sunscription" subscription service that delivers utility bill credits to residential, commercial, government, and utility subscribers across Minnesota, Colorado, Illinois, and New Mexico.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
US Solar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Solar Energy Services
- NAICS
- Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)
- SIC
- Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991), Electric Services (4911)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Solar Financing, Leasing & Ownership Platforms (Tax Equity, PPA, Securitization) (EUAMABAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System) (EUAMABAB), Solar Plant Components Supply & Manufacturing (Modules, Cells, Wafers, Mirrors, Heliostats) (EUACAGAK)
Keywords
Where US Solar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
US Solar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations
Revenue model
- Community Solar Subscriptions (Sunscription): Residential and commercial customers pay US Solar for the energy produced by their Sunscription. Customers receive bill credits from their utility based on the solar garden's output, resulting in net savings on electricity costs. No upfront cost to subscribers; US Solar finances, builds, and operates the solar gardens.
- Solar Project Development and Ownership: US Solar develops, owns, operates, and finances solar generation and storage projects. Revenue generated from energy production sold to utilities through power purchase agreements or grid distribution.
- Corporate Partnership Programs: Enterprise clients like Wells Fargo and T-Mobile subscribe to large MW capacity for employee benefit programs, providing predictable subscription revenue streams.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Residential Sunscription - No upfront cost, savings on electric bills |
| Subscription | Annual | Corporate/Enterprise Sunscription - Custom pricing based on MW capacity |
| Subscription | Monthly | Low-to-Moderate Income (LMI) Program - Income-qualified household savings |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
US Solar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
US Solar (United States Solar Corporation) develops, owns, operates, and finances utility-scale community solar gardens and storage projects across emerging state markets (Minnesota, Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico). Its flagship "Sunscription" offering lets residential, commercial, government, and utility customers subscribe to a share of a local solar garden and receive bill credits on their electricity bills from their utility, with no upfront cost and no equipment installed on their property.
Product overview
US Solar operates a unified community solar platform centered on its Sunscription service, which enables residential, commercial, governmental, and utility customers to subscribe to locally-generated solar energy without installing panels on their property. The core offering consists of Solar Gardens—utility-scale solar installations that US Solar finances, builds, owns, and operates—paired with the Sunscription subscription model that delivers bill credits to subscribers. Additional products include Energy Storage systems for grid flexibility, Agrivoltaics programs combining solar with agriculture, and the Sunscription Partner Program for employer-sponsored sustainability initiatives. The company serves customers across Minnesota, Colorado, Illinois, and New Mexico through state-specific programs, with individual project entities (USS [Name] Solar LLC) representing each solar garden location.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Sunscription: Community solar subscription program allowing customers to subscribe to solar energy through community solar programs, purchase renewable energy credits, and receive utility bill credits.
Products and services
- Sunscription Subscription product allowing residential, commercial, governmental, and utility customers to subscribe to a share of a US Solar community solar garden and receive monthly bill credits from their utility, without installing panels on their property.
- Solar Gardens Utility-scale community solar projects that US Solar develops, finances, owns, and operates; generation feeds the local grid and is allocated to subscribers through Sunscriptions.
- Energy Storage Distributed energy storage offering for utilities, businesses, and communities seeking peak demand reduction, energy shifting, supply firming, capacity contribution, and demand response capabilities.
- Agrivoltaics Program that combines solar generation with agricultural use of project land, including crop cultivation, beekeeping, sheep grazing, and pollinator-friendly habitat across solar sites.
- Sunscription Partner Program Employer-sponsored channel through which companies can offer community solar Sunscriptions to their workforce, with co-branded marketing and full-service program management by US Solar.
- Equity Solar Illinois (Joint Venture) Joint venture focused on equity-focused community solar development in Illinois, expanding clean energy access to underserved communities through state-specific CSG programs.
Quantifiable outcome
- Residential subscribers save $30-60 per month on electric bills
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use US Solar
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
US Solar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
US Solar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Prairie Five and United Community Action Partnership (UCAP)coreCommunity Action Partners that help US Solar reach income-qualified households for the Minnesota LMIA CSG program. These partnerships enable enrollment of low-income subscribers who save $250-300 annually on electric bills.
- T-MobilecoreT-Mobile partnered with US Solar on 14 community solar gardens in Minnesota, enabling the telecom company to offer renewable energy benefits to its workforce and meet sustainability objectives.
- Wells FargocoreWells Fargo subscribed to 8 MW of community solar capacity across five solar gardens in Colorado, serving nearly 100 retail and corporate locations. The partnership includes employee Sunscription offerings with guaranteed discounts and donations to Energy Outreach Colorado for low-income energy assistance.
- Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA)minorNational nonprofit coalition that facilitated partnerships between US Solar and Community Action Partners to advance clean energy access for low-income households.
- NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)coreLong-standing research partnership through the InSPIRE project and ASTRO group. US Solar collaborates with NREL on agrivoltaics research, including the Big River Farms partnership that combines solar with agriculture.
- Big River Farms / The Food GroupcoreAgrivoltaics partnership at the Big Lake site where US Solar provides land access for emerging farmer incubator program while conducting crop research under solar panels.
- Connexus EnergyminorMinnesota electric cooperative partnered with US Solar and NREL on the Big River Farms agrivoltaics pilot project.
- Minnesota Power and Grand Rapids Public UtilitiescoreJoint partnership for USS Itasca Clean Energy LLC - a 2.0 MW solar garden in Grand Rapids, MN serving customers of both utilities.
- Equity Solar IllinoiscoreJoint venture with Chicago business leaders to advance Illinois clean energy goals and expand equitable access to community solar, including state-first CSG projects in the Equity Eligible Contractor category.
- Energy Outreach ColoradominorFor every Wells Fargo employee who completes their Sunscription, US Solar donates to Energy Outreach Colorado to support low-income Coloradans' energy costs.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
US Solar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Nautilus Solar Energy: Community solar developer and owner/operator active in multiple US states. Directly comparable in community solar subscription model, subscriber acquisition, and asset ownership strategy.
- Clearway Community Solar: Community solar subscription business owned by Clearway Energy Group, operating community solar gardens in multiple states. Directly competes with US Solar in the Sunscription-style community solar subscription market.
- Sol Systems: Independent solar developer, owner, and operator with deep community solar and utility-scale development. Most direct comparable — Sol Systems acquired US Solar's 250 MW Wolf Creek project, confirming direct competition for project origination and capital.
- Borrego Solar: US-based solar developer and EPC with commercial, community, and utility-scale project experience. Comparable operating model across project development, ownership, and subscription services.
- Summit Ridge Energy: US community solar developer and owner-operator with one of the largest community solar portfolios in the country. Direct competitor in community solar subscription markets in IL and other shared geographies.
- Cypress Creek Renewables: One of the largest community solar developers in the US, with operations in many of the same states as US Solar (MN, IL, CO). Directly comparable community solar subscription model and customer segments.
Broad incumbents
- Avantus (formerly 8minute Solar Energy): Large-scale US solar developer with utility-scale and community solar development across multiple states. Significantly larger pipeline and competes for the same interconnection queue positions and utility offtake contracts.
- Lightsource bp: Global utility-scale solar developer with US operations developing community solar and utility-scale projects. Significantly larger capital base and competes for the same development sites and offtake contracts.
- ENGIE Distributed Solar: Utility-affiliated solar and storage developer with a substantial US community solar portfolio. Operates at much larger scale than US Solar and competes for utility RFPs and community solar program capacity.
Emerging players
- Arcadia: Clean energy data platform that enables community solar subscription management and household clean energy access. Partial overlap as a community solar channel, with technology rather than asset ownership as its core business.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
US Solar social profiles
Digital presenceUS Solar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
US Solar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
US Solar subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
US Solar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
US Solar 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 US Solar
What does US Solar do?
US Solar (United States Solar Corporation) develops, owns, operates, and finances utility-scale community solar gardens and storage projects across emerging state markets (Minnesota, Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico). Its flagship "Sunscription" offering lets residential, commercial, government, and utility customers subscribe to a share of a local solar garden and receive bill credits on their electricity bills from their utility, with no upfront cost and no equipment installed on their property.
Is US Solar a public or private company?
US Solar is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was US Solar founded?
US Solar was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is US Solar based?
US Solar is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does US Solar make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Community Solar Subscriptions (Sunscription) is the primary driver. The others are solar Project Development and Ownership and corporate Partnership Programs.
Who are US Solar's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Nautilus Solar Energy, Clearway Community Solar, Sol Systems, Borrego Solar, Summit Ridge Energy and Cypress Creek Renewables. Broad incumbents are Avantus (formerly 8minute Solar Energy), Lightsource bp and ENGIE Distributed Solar. Arcadia is listed as an emerging player.
Does US Solar have an API?
No public API is recorded for US Solar.
What industry is US Solar in?
US Solar's product category is Community Solar Energy Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAMABAJ, Solar Financing, Leasing & Ownership Platforms (Tax Equity, PPA, Securitization), with a secondary code of EUAMABAB, Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System). Its NAICS code is 221114 and its SIC code is 4991.