Brightstar Solar

What Brightstar Solar does

Brightstar Solar is a family-owned solar photovoltaic (PV) installation contractor founded in 2009 by Jon and Mona Reese, headquartered in Marlborough, Massachusetts. The company designs and installs grid-tied rooftop solar systems for residential and small commercial customers across Central and Eastern Massachusetts, covering Middlesex, Worcester, Norfolk, Essex, Bristol, and Plymouth counties. Since founding it has installed 700+ systems comprising more than 30,000 panels, with technology built around Tier 1 high-efficiency modules, Enphase microinverters or DC optimizers (Module-Level Power Electronics with per-panel MPPT), and IronRidge FlashFoot2 integrated flashing mounts that the company credits with a zero-leak track record. It differentiates on aesthetics (all-black panels, flush mounting, hidden conduit), durability, and an owner-managed sales-to-construction workflow with no commissioned salespeople.

The business operates as a direct-to-consumer installer, reaching customers primarily through its website, content marketing, Google reviews (4.9/5 across 77 reviews), and word-of-mouth referrals. Revenue is generated one-time per installation via custom quotes (a sample residential contract was just over $25,000), supplemented by professional-services revenue from helping customers navigate Massachusetts-specific incentive programs such as SMART 3.0, net metering, federal ITC, and a stack of financing partnerships including C-PACE (MassDevelopment), UMassFive MySolarLoan, the Energy Saver Home Loan Program (ESHLP), SELCO, and Shrewsbury Credit Union. The company holds Massachusetts contractor license #166783 and has been ranked on Solar Power World's Top Solar Contractors list for 13 consecutive years. Operations remain lean (1–10 employees) with owner involvement throughout the customer lifecycle and no external investors, parent company, or venture funding disclosed.

Name

Brightstar Solar

Legal name

Brightstar Solar

Website

https://brightstarsolar.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Brightstar Solar is a family-owned Massachusetts solar installer founded in 2009, designing and installing rooftop PV systems for homeowners and small businesses across Central and Eastern Massachusetts, with 700+ systems installed to date and 13 consecutive years on Solar Power World's Top Contractors list.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Solar Installation Services

NAICS

Roofing Contractors (23816)

SIC

Electrical Work (1731)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Residential solar installation
• Commercial solar installation
• Photovoltaic systems
• Solar panel contractor
• Rooftop solar services

Headquarters

HQ city

Marlborough

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Residential Solar Installation: One-time installation revenue from designing and installing rooftop solar panel systems for homeowners. The company offers customized solar solutions with complimentary site evaluations and provides financing guidance through various local programs.
2. Commercial Solar Installation: One-time installation revenue from business solar projects including commercial rooftops for businesses, non-profits, childcare facilities, dental practices, and funeral homes. Services include handling permitting, utility interconnection, and coordinating federal tax credits and state incentives.
3. SMART 3.0 Program Assistance: While not direct revenue, the company helps customers navigate the SMART 3.0 program which provides fixed monthly incentive payments from utilities for every kilowatt-hour produced, creating ongoing customer value and competitive differentiation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Brightstar Solar is a family-owned Massachusetts solar contractor that markets, designs, and installs rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems for residential and commercial customers in Central and Eastern Massachusetts. The company handles the entire process from complimentary site evaluation through system design, permitting, utility interconnection, installation, and post-installation support, including navigation of Massachusetts-specific incentive programs such as SMART 3.0, net metering, C-PACE financing, and federal Investment Tax Credits.

Product overview

Brightstar Solar is a family-owned residential and commercial solar installation company serving Central and Eastern Massachusetts since 2009. Their core offering is rooftop solar panel installation for homes and businesses, supplemented by comprehensive services including free site evaluation, permitting coordination, utility interconnection, and incentive program navigation. They specialize in working with Massachusetts-specific programs including SMART 3.0, net metering, and C-PACE financing. The company offers both standard installations and premium all-black aesthetic panels, using Tier 1 equipment with module-level power electronics for maximum efficiency. For commercial clients, they provide specialized tax optimization services including ITC credits, bonus depreciation, and multi-incentive stacking strategies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Solar Installation End-to-end rooftop solar PV system installation for homeowners in Central and Eastern Massachusetts, including site evaluation, system design, permitting, utility interconnection, installation, and post-installation support, with navigation of Massachusetts SMART 3.0 incentives, net metering, and federal tax credits.
• Commercial Solar Installation Rooftop solar PV system installation for Massachusetts businesses, non-profits, and commercial property owners, leveraging federal 30% Investment Tax Credit, SMART 3.0 incentives, C-PACE financing covering 100% of project costs, 100% bonus depreciation, and net metering to maximize ROI and lock in 25-year fixed electricity costs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 700+ systems installed across Massachusetts since 2009
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SMART 3.0 ProgramcoreOthers · 1 January 2026Massachusetts state program providing fixed monthly incentive payments from utilities (National Grid, Eversource, Unitil) for every kilowatt-hour solar systems produce over 20 years. Brightstar helps customers navigate and qualify for SMART incentives.
• MassSaveminorOthers · 1 January 2026Funded by Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil, MassSave offers no-cost home energy assessments. Brightstar refers customers to identify heat bypasses and insulation improvements that complement solar installations.
• Municipal Light Plants (Concord, Hudson)minorOthers · 1 January 2026Local municipal utilities offering rebates ranging from $0.50 to $1.25 per watt for solar installations in Concord and Hudson.
• National GridcoreOthers · 1 January 2026Electric utility serving portions of Brightstar's service area. The company has established relationships for utility interconnection, net metering credits, and navigating approval processes.
• EversourcecoreOthers · 1 January 2026Electric utility serving portions of Brightstar's service area with experience navigating interconnection standards and SMART incentive approvals.
• UnitilminorOthers · 1 January 2026Electric utility serving portions of the service area with established interconnection requirements and incentive processing.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sunrun: Largest US residential solar installer offering rooftop PV systems, battery storage, and leases/PPA financing. Competes directly with Brightstar for Massachusetts homeowner customers.
• Momentum Solar: Residential solar installer with a direct-sales model operating in multiple Northeast states including Massachusetts, competing for similar homeowner customers.
• Borrego Solar: National commercial and residential solar installer with active Massachusetts operations, competing for similar commercial rooftop and small business solar projects.
• Trinity Solar: Large regional residential solar installer operating across the Northeast including Massachusetts, using a similar direct-to-consumer rooftop PV model.
• SunPower: Residential and commercial solar installer and panel manufacturer with operations in Massachusetts, offering comparable rooftop PV solutions and dealer/installer models.

Regional players

• Clean Energy Design: Smaller Massachusetts residential and commercial solar installer operating in an overlapping service area with comparable local contractor positioning.
• Nexamp: Boston-based solar developer and installer with significant community solar and commercial project presence across Massachusetts and the broader Northeast.
• BlueWave Solar: Massachusetts-based solar developer and installer focused on community solar, commercial, and select residential projects in the same geography as Brightstar.
• ReVision Energy: Employee-owned New England solar installer serving Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts with residential and commercial rooftop PV, directly comparable in size and service model.

Broad incumbents

• Tesla Energy: National residential and commercial solar plus energy storage provider through Solar Roof and traditional panels. Competes in the same Massachusetts market as a broad incumbent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/brightstarsolar
• Facebookfacebook.com/264015956409
• Instagraminstagram.com/BrightstarSolar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brightstar-solar

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Brightstar Solar