Tampa Bay Solar

What Tampa Bay Solar does

Tampa Bay Solar is a veteran-owned solar engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) firm headquartered in Tampa, Florida, founded in 2010 by Steve Rutherford, a retired Navy SEAL Commander. The company designs, installs, and services photovoltaic (PV) systems across four end-markets: residential, commercial, agricultural/industrial, and nonprofit. Its service territory covers five Florida Gulf Coast counties — Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, and Pasco — and the company has completed more than 2,000 installations since inception.

The technical stack is composed of established, premium-tier hardware rather than proprietary technology. Core components include Mission Solar 310-Watt monocrystalline panels (manufactured in Texas with a 25-year warranty), SMA Sunny Boy string inverters, and Iron Ridge racking systems rated to withstand 150 mph Category 5 hurricane winds. Battery backup is delivered through Solar Sol-Ark products, and the firm also offers off-grid solar container solutions for grid-independent applications. The hurricane-rated mounting and American-made panel sourcing are positioned as reliability differentiators relevant to the Florida Gulf Coast climate.

Revenue is generated primarily through upfront system sales and financed installations (zero-down options), with additional revenue from battery and storage upgrades, agricultural and nonprofit grant-advisory services (REAP, Direct Pay), and federal-program participation (Florida Solar for All). Customer acquisition is conducted via direct field sales rather than subcontracted lead-purchase channels, supporting tighter margin control. The company holds Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) CVE certification, which provides access to set-aside contracting at federal, state, and local levels. The customer base is diversified across named accounts including Manatee School for the Arts, Pasco County Schools, The Florida Aquarium, Suncoast Federal Credit Union, and MAACO, alongside a long tail of residential installations.

Name

Tampa Bay Solar

Legal name

Tampa Bay Solar

Website

https://tampabaysolar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tampa Bay Solar is a veteran-owned solar EPC firm founded in 2010 in Tampa, Florida. It designs and installs residential, commercial, agricultural, and nonprofit photovoltaic and battery backup systems across five Florida Gulf Coast counties, with 2,000+ completed installations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Solar Installation Services

NAICS

Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)

SIC

Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)

akta.pro primary industry

Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System) (EUAMABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Solar Financing, Leasing & Ownership Platforms (Tax Equity, PPA, Securitization) (EUAMABAJ)

Keywords

• Solar installation services
• Residential solar systems
• Commercial solar panels
• Solar battery backup
• Rooftop photovoltaic systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Tampa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Solar Panel Hardware Sales: Sale of solar photovoltaic panels, inverters, mounting equipment, and complete solar systems to residential and commercial customers
2. Installation Services: Professional solar system installation including site assessment, system design, permitting, and installation
3. Battery Backup Systems: Whole-home battery backup systems including Solar Sol-Ark battery installations for storm protection and energy independence
4. Solar Financing: Zero-down commercial solar loans with no equity requirements and no prepayment penalties; company facilitates financing partnerships

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Tampa Bay Solar designs, sells, and installs solar photovoltaic (PV) power systems and battery backup solutions for residential, commercial, agricultural, industrial, and nonprofit customers across the Florida Gulf Coast region. The company provides end-to-end services including site assessment, system design, permitting, and installation using American-made panels and hurricane-rated mounting systems. They also facilitate zero-down solar financing and assist customers with REAP grants and the federal 30% solar tax credit.

Product overview

Tampa Bay Solar is a veteran-owned solar installation company offering a portfolio of solar products and services across Florida. The core offerings include Residential Solar Florida, Commercial Solar Florida, Agricultural & Industrial Solar, Solar Battery Backup, and Nonprofit Solar. The company also provides Solar Financing Options as an add-on financing module. Their product portfolio features Mission Solar 310-watt photovoltaic panels (American-made, Texas-manufactured) as the recommended panel brand, with a 25-year warranty. Services range from rooftop solar arrays and ground-mount systems to off-grid solar containers and whole-home battery backup systems. The company partners with Florida Solar for All (FSFA) and assists with REAP grant opportunities for qualifying agricultural and commercial customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Solar Florida Rooftop solar PV installations and battery backup for Florida homeowners, with site assessment, system design, permitting, and installation; assists with federal tax credit eligibility.
• Commercial Solar Florida Commercial-scale solar installations including rooftop arrays, ground mounts, and off-grid solar containers for businesses, warehouses, retail centers, offices, restaurants, and manufacturing plants; includes REAP grant assistance.
• Agricultural & Industrial Solar Large-scale solar systems customized for farms, agricultural operations, manufacturing facilities, and high-demand industrial environments, including irrigation-powered solar and cold storage solutions; assists with REAP grant opportunities.
• Solar Battery Backup Whole-home battery backup systems including Solar Sol-Ark batteries that provide power during Florida storms and grid outages; available as an addition to grid-tied or off-grid solar systems.
• Nonprofit Solar Solar installations for schools, churches, charities, and community organizations; enables access to federal solar tax credits through Direct Pay provisions and reduces demand charges.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduce electricity usage by 50% to 90% or more for commercial properties
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Florida Solar for All (FSFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTampa Bay Solar is a proud partner of Florida Solar for All, a state initiative making solar more accessible to Florida residents. FSFA is a $156.1 million grant program from the Environmental Protection Agency focused on bringing solar energy to low-income communities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Tesla Energy: Tesla sells and installs the Tesla Solar Roof and Powerwall battery products plus traditional panels, offering a vertically integrated suite including EVs and energy storage. It overlaps with Tampa Bay Solar on residential solar + battery storage but is a much broader incumbent with national reach and stronger brand recognition.
• Sunrun: Sunrun is the largest U.S. residential solar installer, offering panels, battery storage, and solar leases/PPAs nationally. It is a broad incumbent that competes with Tampa Bay Solar in every Florida metro through both owned assets and direct sales channels while extending beyond with financing products.
• SunPower: SunPower is a long-established U.S. solar equipment and installation brand that sells premium panel products alongside its dealer-installed residential solar offerings. Overlaps with Tampa Bay Solar in residential and commercial rooftop installations across U.S. Sun Belt markets and competes on warranty, panel performance, and financing.

Direct peers

• Momentum Solar: Momentum Solar is a residential solar EPC operating across multiple Sun Belt and Northeast states with a direct door-to-door/in-home consultation model very similar to Tampa Bay Solar's enterprise field sales motion. They both target the same homeowner segment with panels, inverters, and battery storage solutions.
• Blue Raven Solar: Blue Raven Solar (acquired by SunPower in 2021, now operating as SunPower) is a residential solar installer focused on emerging Sun Belt markets using a direct in-home sales model similar to Tampa Bay Solar. Competes on same panel + inverter + financing stack to the same homeowner demographic.
• ADT Solar: ADT Solar (formerly Sunpro Solar) was one of the largest residential and commercial solar installers in the United States, with a particularly strong Florida presence alongside Tampa Bay Solar. It competes head-to-head on rooftop solar, battery backup, and financing for the same owner/tenant customer profile.
• Trinity Solar: Trinity Solar is one of the largest privately held residential solar installers in the U.S., primarily operating across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic with a direct field sales model. It shares Tampa Bay Solar's residential focus, in-house installation discipline, and emphasis on long-term warranties and customer reviews.
• Freedom Forever: Freedom Forever is a U.S. residential and commercial solar installer with a direct field sales model offering custom-designed systems and in-house crews. It targets the same homeowner and commercial segments as Tampa Bay Solar and competes on system design, in-house installation, and financing partnerships.

Emerging players

• Lumio HX: Lumio HX (formerly Vision Solar / Lumio) is a smaller, multi-state residential solar installer pursuing a direct sales model in select markets. Smaller scale than Tampa Bay Solar but a comparable emerging competitor in regional rooftop installations and battery attach.

Regional players

• Go Solar Power: Go Solar Power is a Florida-based residential and commercial solar installer serving South/Central Florida. While it covers different (more South Florida) counties than Tampa Bay Solar, it sells effectively the same product — rooftop solar, battery backup, and financing — making it the most direct in-state regional competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TampaBaySolar
• Facebookfacebook.com/tampabaysolar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tampa-bay-solar
• Instagraminstagram.com/tampa.baysolar

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Tampa Bay Solar