Rethink Electric
Rethink Electric is a privately held, full-service solar EPC and electrical contractor based in Wood Dale, Illinois, delivering commercial and residential photovoltaic installation, commissioning, O&M, and financing services to developers, businesses, and homeowners across Illinois and the broader Midwest.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersWood Dale, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Rethink Electric does
Rethink Electric is a full-service merit-shop electrical and solar EPC contractor headquartered in Wood Dale, Illinois, founded in 2014 and operating primarily across Illinois and the broader Midwest. The company delivers end-to-end commercial and residential solar services spanning site assessment, engineering design, equipment procurement, installation, third-party commissioning, and ongoing operations and maintenance, with additional offerings in solar financing and expert legal/consultation services for solar-related disputes. Its technical scope covers rooftop, carport, and ground-mount photovoltaic systems ranging from roughly 34 kW single-roof installations to over 1 MW commercial arrays, using both string inverter and microinverter architectures and supporting net metering, SREC market participation, and grid interconnection across Illinois utility territories including ComEd.
The company serves three primary customer segments: commercial solar developers and EPC firms seeking a local installation subcontractor, commercial and industrial businesses procuring their own on-site generation, and residential homeowners in the Chicago metropolitan area. It is an authorized dealer and installer for multiple hardware OEMs including SunPower, Panasonic Solar, LG Chem, Tesla (Solar Roof, EV Charger, Battery), Enphase, and SolarEdge, allowing it to offer multi-vendor solutions without proprietary hardware investment. Named customers span large enterprises (Rivian, Home Depot, Fellowes Brands) across diverse industries alongside smaller commercial and nonprofit accounts, indicating a portfolio approach rather than anchor-customer dependence.
Rethink Electric operates a direct field-sales and inside-sales GTM motion, supported by content marketing, active social media presence, and listings on EnergySage and SolarReviews. Workforce development is a strategic pillar: the company operates REAP, an in-house apprenticeship program launched in 2017 that has grown to a record 23-apprentice cohort in 2023 against a total headcount of 96 employees, with 60% of the workforce from diverse backgrounds. The company is privately held, founder/owner-operated (owner Mike Nicolosi, CEO Marc van Dongen joined November 2021, CEO Dawn Heid), has no disclosed external funding, and does not publicly report revenue. No AI, software platform, or API capabilities are present in the offering, which is delivered entirely through direct installation labor and project management.
Rethink Electric firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rethink Electric
- Legal name
- Rethink Electric
- Website
- https://rethinkelectric.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Rethink Electric is a privately held, full-service solar EPC and electrical contractor based in Wood Dale, Illinois, delivering commercial and residential photovoltaic installation, commissioning, O&M, and financing services to developers, businesses, and homeowners across Illinois and the broader Midwest.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rethink Electric industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Solar Installation Services
- NAICS
- Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)
- SIC
- Electrical Work (1731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System) (EUAMABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Solar Balance-of-Plant EPC (Piles/Foundations, Trenching, Combiner Networks) (EUAEADAJ)
Keywords
Where Rethink Electric is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wood Dale
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Rethink Electric 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
- Commercial Solar Installation: Full-service commercial solar panel installation including design, engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and maintenance services for commercial and industrial properties.
- Residential Solar Installation: Solar installation services for residential homeowners including panel installation, electrical work, and system maintenance.
- SREC Market Facilitation: Assistance connecting customers' solar systems to the SREC market, helping them sell Solar Renewable Energy Credits and maximize financial returns on their solar investment.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Rethink Electric product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rethink Electric is a full-service merit shop solar and electrical contractor that designs, engineers, procures, installs, commissions, and maintains commercial and residential solar PV systems. The company delivers end-to-end EPC services for commercial and industrial properties, residential solar installations for homeowners, and ongoing operations and maintenance for existing solar assets across the Midwest region.
Product overview
Rethink Electric offers a unified suite of solar energy services rather than discrete software products. The core offering is solar panel installation spanning two segments: Commercial Solar Installation (including EPC, O&M, and Commissioning) and Residential Solar Installation. These services are delivered alongside electrical services for both segments. The company also provides specialized services including Solar Legal Consultation and Solar Financing as add-on offerings. All services are provided directly by their installation teams rather than through software platforms or self-service tools.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- REAP (Rethink Electrical Advanced Program): The company's merit-based apprenticeship cohort education program developed in 2017 to train their own workforce in solar construction and electrical work.
Quantifiable outcome
- 26% federal tax credit (ITC) available for solar installations
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Rethink Electric
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Rethink Electric technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Rethink Electric partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Rethink Electric competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- StraightUp Solar: Illinois-based full-service solar EPC and installer serving residential and commercial customers across the Midwest. Most direct regional competitor, operating a similar NABCEP-certified, design-to-install model in overlapping geography.
- Renu Energy Solutions: Midwest-headquartered solar EPC contractor providing design, installation, and maintenance services for residential and commercial projects. Comparable in scale, service breadth, and customer base to Rethink Electric.
- GRNE Solar: Regional full-service solar installer serving the Midwest with commercial and residential solar EPC services. Similar integrated project delivery model and Illinois/Midwest footprint.
- Solar Service Inc. Illinois-based (Niles, IL) solar design, installation, and service company serving residential and commercial customers. Direct overlap in geography, customer profile, and service offering.
- Iconic Energy: Residential and commercial solar installer serving Illinois and surrounding states with design-to-install services. Comparable C&I and residential project mix in the same regional market.
Broad incumbents
- Sunrun: National residential solar lease/PPA and installation company with significant Illinois presence. Competes for the same residential customer base but with a much larger, vertically integrated national footprint and capital base.
- Tesla Energy: National energy business offering Tesla Solar Roof, solar panels, Powerwall, and EV chargers through authorized dealer networks. Rethink is itself an authorized Tesla dealer, and Tesla's national reach sets the competitive ceiling.
- SunPower: National solar panel manufacturer and installer offering residential and commercial systems through a dealer/installer network. Rethink is an authorized SunPower dealer; SunPower's national brand competes for the same Illinois end customers.
- Freedom Forever: Large national residential and commercial solar installer operating across multiple states. Competitor for C&I and residential pipeline in Illinois with greater scale and capital resources.
Others
- Enphase Energy: Leading microinverter manufacturer whose products Rethink installs. Enphase is a key upstream technology supplier and ecosystem participant rather than a direct install competitor, but its installer network shapes demand for Rethink's services.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Rethink Electric social profiles
Digital presenceRethink Electric financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rethink Electric leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Rethink Electric funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rethink Electric 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 Rethink Electric
What does Rethink Electric do?
Rethink Electric is a full-service merit shop solar and electrical contractor that designs, engineers, procures, installs, commissions, and maintains commercial and residential solar PV systems. The company delivers end-to-end EPC services for commercial and industrial properties, residential solar installations for homeowners, and ongoing operations and maintenance for existing solar assets across the Midwest region.
Is Rethink Electric a public or private company?
Rethink Electric is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Rethink Electric founded?
Rethink Electric was founded in 2014. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Rethink Electric based?
Rethink Electric is headquartered in Wood Dale, United States, in the North America region.
How does Rethink Electric make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Commercial Solar Installation is the primary driver. The others are residential Solar Installation and SREC Market Facilitation.
Who are Rethink Electric's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are StraightUp Solar, Renu Energy Solutions, GRNE Solar, Solar Service Inc. and Iconic Energy. Broad incumbents are Sunrun, Tesla Energy, SunPower and Freedom Forever. Enphase Energy is listed as an others.
Does Rethink Electric have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rethink Electric.
What industry is Rethink Electric in?
Rethink Electric'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 EUAEADAJ, Solar Balance-of-Plant EPC (Piles/Foundations, Trenching, Combiner Networks). Its NAICS code is 221114 and its SIC code is 1731.