What Northwind Solar does

Northwind Solar is a worker-owned cooperative solar installation company headquartered in Amherst, Wisconsin, serving residential, commercial, agricultural, and tax-exempt customers across six Central Wisconsin counties (Marathon, Lincoln, Portage, Waushara, Waupaca, and Wood). Founded in 2007, the company delivers end-to-end PV services — consultation, custom system design, permitting, utility interconnection, installation, and post-installation monitoring/maintenance — under a 10-year workmanship warranty, with a stated 30+ year expected system lifespan. The team holds NABCEP installer certifications, MREA certification, Focus on Energy Trade Ally status, and is a certified installer for Tesla Powerwall, ChargePoint EV chargers, and energy monitoring platforms from Emporia, eGauge, and SPAN.

The core product portfolio comprises residential grid-tied solar, solar plus battery backup systems (Tesla Powerwall 3), commercial solar arrays (minimum 100,000 kWh/year customers), and EV charging infrastructure, alongside a dedicated tax-exempt vertical that supports Direct Pay (Elective Pay) ITC filings for nonprofits, schools, churches, and municipalities. Technology is built on industry-standard components (SolarEdge/SMA inverters, ChargePoint chargers, Emporia/eGauge/SPAN monitoring) with no proprietary hardware; the differentiator is integration expertise and incentive navigation (Federal ITC, USDA REAP, Focus on Energy rebates up to $25,000, MACRS depreciation).

The business model is sales-led and referral-driven: free consultations, site visits, and custom proposals feed a project pipeline priced via one-time/perpetual license quotes. Revenue streams are project-based installation work plus recurring maintenance and monitoring services. The company is also the exclusive installer for the 2026 Grow Solar Central Wisconsin group buy program, a community-organized channel that layers group-discounted pricing on top of standard incentives. Ownership is structured as a worker cooperative with no external investors, with Woody Bolton serving as Design & Sales lead and Co-op Board President.

Name

Northwind Solar

Legal name

Northwind Solar

Website

https://northwindre.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Northwind Solar is a worker-owned cooperative solar installer based in Amherst, Wisconsin, designing and installing residential, commercial, agricultural, and tax-exempt PV systems, battery storage, and EV charging across six Central Wisconsin counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Solar Installation Services

SIC

Electrical Work (1731)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Solar Roofing & Roof-Mounted PV Systems (IMADAFAO), Distributed & Commercial Renewable O&M (Rooftop Solar, C&I Wind, Small Hydro) (EUAMAGAB)

Keywords

• Residential solar installation
• Commercial solar systems
• Solar battery storage
• EV charging stations
• Energy monitoring solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Amherst

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Solar Panel Installation: One-time purchase and installation of solar PV systems for residential, commercial, and tax-exempt organizations. Includes system design, permitting, equipment procurement, installation, and utility coordination.
2. EV Charging Station Installation: Installation of Level 1, Level 2, and DC fast EV chargers for residential and commercial applications.
3. Energy Monitoring Services: Installation and configuration of energy monitoring solutions (Emporia, eGauge, SPAN) for ongoing energy visibility.
4. Maintenance and Repair Services: Ongoing monitoring, preventative maintenance, inspections, and repair services for installed solar systems.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Northwind Solar is a worker-owned cooperative solar installer that designs, sells, and installs grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) systems, solar-plus-battery backup systems (Tesla Powerwall), EV charging stations (ChargePoint), and energy monitoring solutions (Emporia, eGauge, SPAN) for residential homeowners, commercial businesses, and tax-exempt organizations across Central Wisconsin. The company delivers end-to-end services from free consultation and custom system design through permitting, installation, utility interconnection, and ongoing monitoring and maintenance.

Product overview

Northwind Solar is a worker-owned cooperative solar installation company serving Central Wisconsin, offering a portfolio of interconnected solar energy products. The core offerings are Residential Solar Power and Commercial Solar Power systems, complemented by Solar Plus Storage Systems (grid-tied systems with Tesla Powerwall battery backup), Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (ChargePoint-certified installation), and Solar Power for Tax-Exempt Organizations. Supporting the core products are add-on modules including Solar Power Incentives (grant and rebate application assistance), Solar System Benefits (educational resources), and Energy Monitoring (Emporia, eGauge, and SPAN Smart Panel integration). The company provides end-to-end services from free consultation through installation, permitting, utility interconnection, and ongoing monitoring with a 10-year labor warranty. As a certified installer of ChargePoint EV chargers, Tesla Powerwall, Emporia, eGauge, and SPAN products, Northwind Solar integrates third-party energy management and storage platforms with their solar installations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Solar Power
• Commercial Solar Power
• Solar Plus Storage Systems
• Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
• Solar Power for Tax-Exempt Organizations
• Solar Power System Maintenance and Monitoring

Quantifiable outcome

• Drastically reduce or eliminate electricity bills with payback over system lifetime
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Grow Solar Central WisconsincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthwind Solar is the selected installer for the 2026 Grow Solar Central Wisconsin group buy program serving Marathon, Lincoln, Portage, Waushara, Waupaca, and Wood Counties. Program offers free Solar Power Hour education sessions and group-buy discounted pricing up to $0.15/watt.
• Focus on EnergycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerApproved Focus on Energy Trade Ally for both residential and commercial solar installations. Northwind Solar helps customers navigate and obtain Focus on Energy rebates including up to $2,400 for residential and $25,000 for commercial projects.
• TeslacoreTechnology or IntegrationTesla certified installer for Powerwall battery storage systems. Offers $500 rebate per Powerwall 3 unit (up to $1,000 total) for installations with signed contracts by June 30 and installed by December 31.
• ChargePointcoreTechnology or IntegrationCertified ChargePoint installer for Level 2 and DC fast EV charging stations. ChargePoint delivers power up to 6x faster than standard 110V outlet chargers, providing up to 25 miles of range per hour.
• RENEW WisconsincoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-host of Grow Solar Central Wisconsin program and operator of Solar for Good grant program for nonprofits. Helps non-profit organizations access solar through grant funding.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Sunrun: Largest U.S. residential solar, battery, and EV charging installer with national presence and a national dealer/installer network. Competes with Northwind in the residential rooftop segment with much larger scale, standardized financing products, and broader geographic reach.
• Tesla Energy: National solar and battery storage provider selling Powerwall, Solar Roof, and large-scale PV systems. Northwind is a certified Tesla Powerwall installer but also competes with Tesla Energy for residential solar customers in Wisconsin; the overlap is on storage and rooftop PV.

Regional players

• All Energy Solar: Multi-state Midwest solar installer (Minnesota and Wisconsin offices) offering residential and commercial PV, battery storage, and EV charging. Comparable product breadth, but larger scale and broader geographic reach than Northwind's single-region focus.
• IPS Solar: Regional Midwest solar EPC (Wisconsin/Illinois) with residential, commercial, and utility-scale capabilities. Comparable to Northwind in customer mix and product offering, but operates at a larger scale and across multiple Midwest states.

Direct peers

• SunVest Solar: Wisconsin-based residential and commercial solar installer with NABCEP certification. Comparable product offering and Wisconsin footprint, though SunVest is a privately held (non-cooperative) company — useful as a structural comparison point for the worker-co-op model.
• Legacy Solar: Wisconsin-based worker-owned solar cooperative offering residential and commercial PV installation across the region. Structurally and operationally nearly identical to Northwind — both are co-ops serving Wisconsin with NABCEP-certified installers — making it the closest direct peer in the market.
• Midwest Solar Power: Eau Claire, WI-based solar installer focused on residential and small commercial PV with battery backup. Comparable Wisconsin regional installer serving overlapping customer types with similar product offerings (grid-tied, grid-tied+storage).
• H&H Solar Energy Services: La Crosse, WI-based solar EPC serving residential, commercial, agricultural, and municipal customers across western Wisconsin. Comparable customer mix, NABCEP-certified team, and focus on Wisconsin incentives — directly overlaps with Northwind's value proposition in a neighboring region.
• Full Spectrum Solar: Madison, WI-based solar installer offering residential, commercial, and agricultural PV plus battery storage and EV charging. Comparable in product breadth, NABCEP certification, and Wisconsin focus, though headquartered in Dane County rather than Central Wisconsin.
• Arch Electric: Madison, WI solar and electrical contractor providing residential and commercial PV, battery storage, and EV charging. Comparable full-stack offering (solar + storage + EV), Wisconsin focus, and NABCEP-certified installer base — directly overlaps with Northwind's product portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/northwindre
• Instagraminstagram.com/northwindsolar
• Xx.com/northwindre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/north-wind-renewable-energy

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Northwind Solar