Planet Solar
Planet Solar is a privately held California solar and battery installer founded in 2007, serving residential and commercial customers across the Central Valley and Coachella Valley from offices in Clovis and Palm Desert. The company provides turnkey PV systems, battery storage, EV chargers, and orphan-system service on a project-based, sales-led model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersClovis, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Planet Solar does
Planet Solar, Inc. is a privately held California solar installation contractor founded in 2007 and headquartered in Clovis, with a second office in Palm Desert. The company designs, sells, permits, and installs photovoltaic systems and battery storage for residential and commercial customers across California's Central Valley (Atwater to Tulare) and Coachella Valley (Palm Springs to Hayfield), supplemented by EV home charger installation and new-construction solar integration. Its revenue model is project-based: one-time installation fees for residential and commercial systems (up to 5 MW), with add-on revenue from battery storage (Tesla Powerwall, Enphase Encharge, LG Chem RESU, Generac) and EV chargers, plus a service and maintenance stream that includes specialized servicing of "orphan" systems whose original installers have closed. Planet Solar operates a sales-led, consultative go-to-market model via in-house solar consultants, custom site-specific proposals, and a stated ~90-day contract-to-activation cycle, using tier-1 equipment from QCells, REC, Panasonic, SolarEdge, Enphase, and others under California Contractor's License 938313 (General B and C46 Solar).
The company is small (~15-20 named staff across two offices) and is led by CEO Dennis Cox, who became principal stakeholder in July 2021 after a 2.5-year COO tenure and prior SolarCity executive experience. Its competitive positioning rests on regional longevity in an industry where most installers fold within two years, manufacturer-authorized service capabilities, and an orphan-system niche that generates recurring service revenue from competitors' defunct customers. No public funding, M&A, or institutional ownership is disclosed; the business is bootstrapped and California-only, with go-to-market primarily through direct sales, content marketing, and the EnergySage comparison marketplace.
Planet Solar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Planet Solar
- Legal name
- Planet Solar, Inc.
- Website
- https://planetsolar.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Planet Solar is a privately held California solar and battery installer founded in 2007, serving residential and commercial customers across the Central Valley and Coachella Valley from offices in Clovis and Palm Desert. The company provides turnkey PV systems, battery storage, EV chargers, and orphan-system service on a project-based, sales-led model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Planet Solar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Solar Installation Services
- NAICS
- Roofing Contractors (23816), Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)
- SIC
- Electrical Work (1731), Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System) (EUAMABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Solar Inverters, Power Electronics & MLPE (String/Central Inverters, Optimizers, Microinverters) (EUAMABAE), Solar Balance-of-Plant EPC (Piles/Foundations, Trenching, Combiner Networks) (EUAEADAJ), Solar Panel Cleaning (HSAEAJAL)
Keywords
Where Planet Solar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Clovis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Planet Solar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
Revenue model
- Residential Solar Installation: One-time installation revenue from residential rooftop solar panel systems. Sales consultants design custom systems based on home energy needs, roof suitability, and customer goals. Process includes permitting, installation, and utility interconnection. Revenue recognized at point of installation completion.
- Commercial Solar Installation: One-time installation revenue from commercial solar systems ranging from small commercial to substantial 5 MW installations. Commercial projects offer savings through demand charge reduction and time-of-use pricing optimization. Extended 30% tax credit available for commercial projects under Section 48E.
- Battery Storage and Backup Systems: Additional revenue stream from home battery systems, either as add-ons to new solar installations or retrofits to existing systems. Battery storage for cost optimization and battery backup for outage protection are separate offerings, though the same physical unit can provide both functions.
- Service and Maintenance: Ongoing revenue from servicing 'orphan' solar customers whose original installers have closed. Services include diagnostic assessments, system health checks, warranty claim processing, inverter/panel/battery replacement, and maintenance for systems installed by other companies.
- EV Home Charger Installation: One-time installation revenue for EV home charging stations, often paired with solar and battery systems to enable off-peak vehicle charging using self-generated solar energy.
- New Home Construction Solar: One-time installation revenue for solar systems integrated into new home construction projects in their California service areas.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Residential Solar Installation - Custom Quote Required |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Planet Solar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Planet Solar designs and installs residential and commercial rooftop solar panel systems across California, integrating home battery storage (Tesla Powerwall, Enphase Encharge, LG Chem RESU, Generac), EV charging stations, and new home construction solar. The company manages the full lifecycle from custom system design and utility bill analysis through permitting, installation, interconnection, and ongoing service, with a specialty in servicing orphaned solar customers whose original installers have closed.
Product overview
Planet Solar is a California-based residential and commercial solar installation company serving Central and Southern California. The company operates a single-service business model centered on solar panel installation, with add-on modules including home battery storage systems, EV charging stations, and new construction solar integration. The core product offering consists of Residential Solar and Commercial Solar installation services, complemented by Home Battery Systems (Tesla Powerwall, Enphase Encharge, LG Chem RESU) and EV Home Chargers as optional add-ons. Service & Maintenance is offered as a separate support module, including specialized support for orphaned solar customers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Residential Solar Installation
Quantifiable outcome
- PG&E average rates at 44 cents/kWh with peak pricing up to 60 cents/kWh; SCE average 31.2 cents/kWh rising to 35.3 cents/kWh; IID rates jumping from 11.69 to 19.8 cents/kWh in 2025
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Planet Solar
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Planet Solar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Planet Solar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- QCellscoreEquipment partner for solar panels. Planet Solar is a QCells installer offering their solar panels as part of residential and commercial installations.
- RECcoreEquipment partner for solar panels. Planet Solar is an REC installer offering their solar panels as part of residential and commercial installations.
- PanasoniccoreEquipment partner for solar panels. Planet Solar is a Panasonic installer offering their solar panels as part of residential and commercial installations.
- SolarEdgecoreEquipment partner for inverters. Planet Solar is a SolarEdge installer offering their inverter technology for solar system optimization and monitoring.
- EnphasecoreEquipment partner for inverters and battery systems. Planet Solar is an Enphase installer offering their microinverter technology and Encharge battery storage products.
- GeneraccoreEquipment partner for battery backup systems. Planet Solar offers Generac battery backup system installations as part of their product lineup.
- EnergySageminorSolar marketplace platform where Planet Solar is listed as a certified installer. Customers discover Planet Solar through EnergySage's comparison marketplace.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Planet Solar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tesla Energy: Tesla's solar and Powerwall division is the most direct national competitor, selling rooftop solar, battery storage and EV charging in California with vertically integrated hardware and captive financing — overlapping with Planet Solar on every product line.
- Sunrun: Largest US residential solar, storage and battery-backup installer with deep California penetration; competes head-to-head for the same homeowner segment and offers similar lease/PPA/loan financing options.
- SunPower (now Complete Solar / Maxeon split): Long-standing premium residential and commercial solar installer in California, marketing high-efficiency panels and storage; competes for the same quality-conscious homeowner Planet Solar targets.
- Momentum Solar: National residential solar installer offering in-house design, installation and financing — comparable sales-led model and equipment partner set to Planet Solar.
- ADT Solar (formerly Sunpro Solar): National residential solar installer with significant California operations offering solar, battery storage and roofing; comparable product bundle and sales-led GTM.
Regional players
- Semper Solaris: California-based residential and commercial solar and battery installer focused on Central and Southern California — directly comparable regional footprint to Planet Solar's Clovis/Palm Desert offices.
- Baker Electric Home Energy: Southern California-based solar and battery installer and electrical contractor; comparable local service model and equipment brand mix for the residential and small-commercial segment.
Broad incumbents
- Enphase Energy: Manufacturer of microinverters and Enphase Encharge batteries that Planet Solar installs; adjacent incumbent shaping the equipment ecosystem in which the installer competes.
- SolarEdge: Leading string-inverter and power-optimizer vendor that Planet Solar integrates; a broad incumbent whose product roadmap and pricing directly affect Planet Solar's margin and offering.
Emerging players
- Blue Raven Solar: Fast-growing regional residential solar installer expanding in Western US markets; comparable sales-led model with strong financing partnerships, increasingly competing in California's value tier.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Planet Solar social profiles
Digital presencePlanet Solar compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Planet Solar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Planet Solar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Planet Solar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Planet 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 Planet Solar
What does Planet Solar do?
Planet Solar designs and installs residential and commercial rooftop solar panel systems across California, integrating home battery storage (Tesla Powerwall, Enphase Encharge, LG Chem RESU, Generac), EV charging stations, and new home construction solar. The company manages the full lifecycle from custom system design and utility bill analysis through permitting, installation, interconnection, and ongoing service, with a specialty in servicing orphaned solar customers whose original installers have closed.
Is Planet Solar a public or private company?
Planet Solar is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Planet Solar founded?
Planet Solar was founded in 2007. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Planet Solar based?
Planet Solar is headquartered in Clovis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Planet Solar make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Residential Solar Installation is the primary driver. The others are commercial Solar Installation, battery Storage and Backup Systems, service and Maintenance, EV Home Charger Installation and new Home Construction Solar.
Who are Planet Solar's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tesla Energy, Sunrun, SunPower (now Complete Solar / Maxeon split), Momentum Solar and ADT Solar (formerly Sunpro Solar). Regional players are Semper Solaris and Baker Electric Home Energy. Broad incumbents are Enphase Energy and SolarEdge. Blue Raven Solar is listed as an emerging player.
Does Planet Solar have an API?
No public API is recorded for Planet Solar.
What industry is Planet Solar in?
Planet Solar'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 EUAMABAE, Solar Inverters, Power Electronics & MLPE (String/Central Inverters, Optimizers, Microinverters). Its NAICS code is 23816 and its SIC code is 1731.