What Solar Austin does

Solar Austin is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2002 and headquartered in Austin, Texas. Its mission is to accelerate the transition to clean, renewable energy in Central Texas and expand access to the benefits of solar energy, with an explicit focus on environmental justice, equity, and inclusion. The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected programs: a donated photovoltaic (PV) installation program for local nonprofits, policy advocacy directed at Austin Energy and the Austin City Council, community education events (monthly happy hours, solar tours, and socials), and a volunteer program covering outreach, research, grant writing, and event organizing.

The organization's service offering is non-technological: it does not develop proprietary software or hardware, but instead coordinates donated solar arrays for nonprofit facilities and acts as an informational intermediary between residents, property owners, and solar installers. Documented installation beneficiaries include Vox Veniae, Keep Austin Fed, and BikeTexas (which received a 20kW solar canopy in 2026), alongside affordable housing developments such as the Guadalupe Saldaña Net-Zero Subdivision. Solar Austin's revenue model rests on individual donations (processed via an ActionNetwork fundraising link) and a tiered annual corporate sponsorship program (Kilowatt $500, Megawatt $1,000, Gigawatt $1,500 per year) that bundles event tickets, logo placement, and speaking opportunities.

Solar Austin employs between 1 and 10 staff and depends on a community-led go-to-market motion: volunteer-driven outreach, regional event programming, and direct collaboration with Austin Energy utility staff. It maintains a working relationship with Austin Energy (core partner), Knowbility, and other like-minded local organizations. As a mission-driven nonprofit without disclosed revenue figures or institutional funding rounds, Solar Austin's financial scale is small, and its geographic footprint is intentionally limited to Central Texas.

Name

Solar Austin

Legal name

Solar Austin

Website

https://solaraustin.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Solar Austin is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2002 that accelerates clean energy adoption in Central Texas through donated solar installations for local nonprofits, policy advocacy with Austin Energy, and community education events, serving Central Texas residents, nonprofits, and policy stakeholders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clean Energy Advocacy and Community Solar Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Distributed Generation (DG) Solar & Small Wind (EUAMAJAD)

Keywords

• Community solar advocacy
• Nonprofit solar installations
• Clean energy education
• Solar policy advocacy
• Renewable energy nonprofits

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Solar Austin accepts financial contributions from individuals and organizations to support community education, donated solar installations for nonprofits, events, and advocacy programs.
2. Annual Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorship program with tiered levels (Kilowatt $500/year, Megawatt $1,000/year, Gigawatt $1,500/year) offering event tickets, logo placement, t-shirts, and speaking opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Solar Austin is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that donates solar panel installations to local nonprofits, advocates for improved solar policies with Austin Energy and Austin City Council, and runs community educational events and volunteer programs. Its offerings include donated photovoltaic (PV) projects, policy advocacy, community events, and a volunteer program supporting the rapid transition to clean, renewable energy in Central Texas.

Product overview

Solar Austin operates as a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs focused on accelerating clean energy adoption in Central Texas. The core offerings include a donated photovoltaic installation program for nonprofits, policy advocacy services to improve local solar programs, and community education through events and volunteer engagement. The organization connects these programs through its mission to expand access to solar benefits and support a rapid transition to renewable energy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PV (Photovoltaic) Projects - Donated Solar Installations Donated solar energy installations delivered to local nonprofits, enabling community organizations to reduce operating costs and access clean energy without upfront capital expenditure. Also includes informational assistance for Austinites interested in purchasing or hosting solar at their property, including information about local programs, incentives, and proposal reviews.
• Policy Advocacy Program Advocacy service working to expand and improve solar policies and programs run by Austin Energy and other local utilities. Engages collaboratively with utility staff and advocates directly at the Austin City Council to achieve improved clean energy outcomes for the Austin community.
• Community Events Program Educational and networking community-building events such as happy hours, solar tours, and solar socials that connect curious neighbors with local solar industry experts and leaders. The events function as a platform for the solar community to learn, relate, network, and grow.
• Volunteer Program Diverse volunteer engagement opportunities supporting Solar Austin's mission, including community outreach, photography, social media marketing, grant writing, policy advocacy, research, and event organizing. Volunteers serve as an extension of Solar Austin's operational capacity for outreach, events, and policy work.
• Donated Solar Installation Program Targeted program that assists community-based nonprofits — particularly those serving affordable housing and community services — in accessing rooftop solar through donated installations, reducing operating costs and enabling those dollars to flow toward mission services.

Named customers3 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

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• KnowbilityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKnowbility is listed on Solar Austin's contact page, indicating a collaborative relationship in the Austin community for accessibility and technology initiatives.
• Austin EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolar Austin works collaboratively with Austin Energy staff to expand and improve local solar policies and programs run by the utility.
• Local Organizations and Like-Minded GroupsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSolar Austin partners with other organizations to share events and promote the healthy solar industry through community-building activities.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• GRID Alternatives: GRID Alternatives is a nonprofit that installs no-cost solar for low-income households and nonprofits while providing workforce training. Its donated-installation program for mission-aligned nonprofits is directly analogous to Solar Austin's PV Projects offering.
• Vote Solar: Vote Solar is a national nonprofit advocacy organization that works at the state level to expand solar policy and equitable access to distributed solar. Like Solar Austin, it is a 501(c)(3) that combines policy advocacy with community-building to accelerate clean energy adoption, making it a directly comparable mission-aligned peer.
• Solar United Neighbors: Solar United Neighbors is a nonprofit that helps residents and small businesses go solar through group purchasing, education, and advocacy. It mirrors Solar Austin's blend of community education, events, and grassroots solar promotion while operating at greater scale.
• Texas Solar Energy Society: TXSES is a Texas-based nonprofit that promotes solar and renewable energy through education, events, and advocacy. Like Solar Austin, it operates regionally in Texas and emphasizes community engagement and education programs.

Others

• Clean Energy States Alliance: CESA is a nonprofit coalition of state clean energy funds and programs that supports community solar and equitable clean energy deployment. It is an ecosystem peer to Solar Austin in advancing community renewables, but at a multi-state programmatic level.

Regional players

• Environment Texas: Environment Texas is a statewide environmental advocacy nonprofit that campaigns on clean energy issues including rooftop solar and utility policy. It operates in the same Texas geography and overlaps with Solar Austin on solar advocacy and civic engagement.

Broad incumbents

• Solar Energy Industries Association: SEIA is the national trade association for the U.S. solar industry, advocating for solar policy and market growth. It operates in the same solar advocacy space as Solar Austin but at a much larger, industry-wide scale rather than a community/nonprofit focus.

Emerging players

• Coalition for Community Solar Access: CCSA is a nonprofit coalition advancing community solar policy and program design across multiple states. Its mission to expand community solar aligns with Solar Austin's donated installation and community renewable work, though it operates more at the policy-coalition level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@solaraustintx581
• Xx.com/solar_austin
• Facebookfacebook.com/SolarAustin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Solar Austin