Distributed Energy Partners

What Distributed Energy Partners does

Distributed Energy Partners (DEP Hawaii) is a Honolulu-based, privately held LLC founded in 2009 that designs, develops, and installs commercial-scale photovoltaic solar projects across the Hawaiian islands. The firm's core offering is end-to-end EPC services for ground-mounted and covered-parking solar installations, supplemented by owner's representative services, system selection and optimization, and financing facilitation spanning PPAs, leases, bank-financed projects, and cash purchases. DEP executes primarily through a joint venture with American Piping and Boiler Co., which provides construction capacity, and has completed more than 100 commercial projects totaling approximately 20 MW across Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Big Island.

The customer base is diversified across commercial verticals including retail (ABC Stores, Ace Hardware, Hagadone), banking (Bank of Hawaii across five branches), education (Kapiolani and Leeward Community Colleges, Seagull Schools, Hawaii Preparatory Academy), healthcare (Wilcox Memorial Hospital), hospitality (Kauai Beach Resort), and food & beverage (Honolulu Cookie Company). Revenue mechanics are project-based fees for engineering, procurement, and construction, with the firm facilitating but not directly originating financing for end customers. Leadership is concentrated among three principals — Mark Duda (President of the Hawaii PV Coalition), Todd Georgopapadakos (business development and strategic growth), and Rod Braunthal (design and permitting) — whose combined domain expertise and policy influence function as the firm's primary competitive assets.

DEP's go-to-market is direct enterprise sales to Hawaii commercial clients, supported by industry leadership and advocacy rather than digital marketing. The firm operates from a single Honolulu headquarters (3660 Waialae Avenue, Suite 310) with a reported 1-10 employee headcount, suggesting most execution labor is carried by the JV partner. No external institutional funding, M&A activity, or geographic expansion beyond Hawaii has been disclosed; growth appears to have peaked during an earlier phase (one source claims $30M revenue achieved over 18 months) and the current operating tempo is unclear.

Name

Distributed Energy Partners

Legal name

Distributed Energy Partners LLC

Website

https://dephawaii.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Distributed Energy Partners is a Honolulu-based private LLC that designs, develops, and installs commercial-scale photovoltaic solar projects for Hawaiian commercial customers across retail, banking, education, healthcare, and hospitality, delivering 100+ projects totaling approximately 20 MW via a joint venture with American Piping and Boiler Co.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Solar Installation Services

NAICS

Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Solar Project Development & IPP (Utility-Scale & Rooftop) (EUAMABAA)

Keywords

• Commercial solar installation
• Solar EPC services
• Photovoltaic project development
• Renewable energy systems
• Solar financing facilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Solar EPC Services: Design, develop, and install commercial-scale solar projects. Revenue is generated through project-based fees for engineering, procurement, and construction services. The company works with various financing arrangements including power purchase agreements (PPAs), leases, bank-financed projects, and cash purchases on behalf of clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Distributed Energy Partners is a Hawaii-based solar EPC firm that designs, develops, and installs commercial-scale photovoltaic solar projects throughout the Hawaiian islands, including ground-mounted systems and covered parking structures. The company works directly with commercial customers and partners with financing providers to offer multiple payment structures, including power purchase agreements (PPAs), leases, bank-financed projects, and cash purchases. DEP also acts as an owner's representative during project development to oversee design, permitting, and installation.

Product overview

Distributed Energy Partners is a Hawaii-based, owned, and operated firm specializing in the development of commercial-scale solar energy projects. The company offers a comprehensive suite of services including solar installation (the core product), owner's representative services, system selection and optimization, and financing facilitation through power purchase agreements, leases, and bank financing. Through its joint venture with American Piping and Boiler Co., DEP has designed and installed more than 100 commercial solar projects in Hawaii totaling approximately 20 MW of photovoltaic capacity. Projects span ground-mounted systems and covered parking installations across the Hawaiian islands, serving diverse commercial sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercial-Scale Solar Installation Services End-to-end design, development, and installation of commercial-scale photovoltaic solar projects throughout the Hawaiian islands, including ground-mounted systems and covered parking structures. Targeted at commercial property owners, retailers, institutions, and organizations seeking to deploy on-site solar generation.
• Owner's Representative Services Acting as the owner's representative during solar project development, overseeing the design, development, and installation processes on behalf of the client.
• Solar Project Financing Facilitation Facilitation of multiple solar financing arrangements for commercial clients, including power purchase agreements (PPAs), leases, bank-financed projects, and cash purchases.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ commercial solar projects installed in Hawaii totaling approximately 20 MW
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• American Piping and Boiler Co.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture construction partner for designing and installing commercial solar projects in Hawaii. American Piping and Boiler Co. works alongside DEP to deliver complete solar installation services.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• RevoluSun Hawaii: RevoluSun is a Hawaii-based residential and commercial solar EPC firm with multi-island operations. It competes head-to-head with DEP for Hawaii commercial accounts and shares the same state-specific regulatory and grid-interconnection expertise.
• RYLA Solar (formerly Sunetric): RYLA Solar is one of Hawaii's largest locally-rooted solar EPC firms, offering commercial and residential PV across the islands. It is a direct competitor to DEP for commercial-scale solar design-build work in the same Hawaiian market.
• Rising Sun Solar: Rising Sun Solar is a Hawaii-based solar installer with commercial and residential offerings across the islands. It competes with DEP for the same Hawaii commercial customer base and local utility incentive programs.
• ProVision Solar: ProVision Solar is a Hawaii solar EPC serving residential and commercial customers across Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Big Island. It is a comparable direct peer to DEP in the local commercial solar design-install market.
• Hawaii Energy Connection: Hawaii Energy Connection is a Hawaii-based solar EPC focused on residential and commercial installations across the islands. It is a direct local competitor to DEP in commercial PV design and installation.
• Alternate Energy Hawaii: Alternate Energy Hawaii is a Hawaii-based solar PV design and installation firm serving commercial and residential customers. It competes with DEP in the same Hawaii commercial solar EPC market.
• Greenpath Technologies: Greenpath Technologies is a Hawaii-based renewable energy firm providing commercial and residential solar EPC services. It is a comparable local peer operating in the same Hawaii commercial solar market as DEP.
• Blue Pacific Solar: Blue Pacific Solar is a Hawaii-based solar installation company providing commercial and residential PV across the islands. It directly competes with DEP for Hawaii commercial solar projects.

Broad incumbents

• Tesla Energy: Tesla Energy offers commercial-scale solar PV and storage through Solar Roof, Powerwall, and Megapack products, with national coverage including Hawaii operations. It is a broader incumbent competitor with substantially greater capital, scale, and standardized commercial offerings than DEP.
• SunPower (Maxeon Solar): SunPower (and its spin-off Maxeon) is a national residential and commercial solar PV and storage provider with established operations in Hawaii. It competes with DEP for Hawaii commercial accounts but offers a wider portfolio including financing and panel manufacturing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/distributed-energy-partners

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Distributed Energy Partners