Solar Connection

What Solar Connection does

Solar Connection is a Midwest-focused solar photovoltaic (PV) installer founded in 2010 and headquartered in Rochester, Minnesota. The company designs, procures, and installs grid-tied solar PV systems for four distinct customer segments: residential homes (4-12 kW systems), commercial businesses and farms (20 kW to 39+ kW and larger), schools and non-profit institutions, and agricultural operations. Its technical stack comprises Tier 1 solar panels with micro-inverters or power optimizers, string inverters, and optional battery storage, supplemented by a drone-based site surveying and 3D modeling workflow that produces shading analysis and production forecasts before installation. Since founding, the company has installed 900+ systems totaling 28.3+ MW across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa.

The business model is primarily project-based revenue from one-time installations, priced on a quote basis and benefiting from the 26% federal Investment Tax Credit plus state and utility incentives (Xcel Energy Solar Rewards, Rochester/Austin/Owatonna Public Utility rebates). Customers access financing through an exclusive partnership with Home Federal Bank of Rochester or PACE financing via the St. Paul Port Authority. A secondary recurring revenue stream comes from the Solar Maintenance Program, an annual subscription providing monthly monitoring, annual inspections, and emergency service. Go-to-market combines direct field sales with energy consultants performing site assessments, a self-serve "See Your Savings" online calculator, community event participation (farm shows, home shows), and a strong word-of-mouth referral network. In 2022, Solar Connection acquired Kuntz Electric (founded 1984) as a wholly-owned division, bringing full-service electrical contracting (new construction, repairs, service panel upgrades) in-house and eliminating the need for subcontractors on solar projects.

Customer value propositions center on energy cost reduction (50-100% bill reduction, $20K-$40K+ lifetime residential savings), 25-30 year equipment warranties, an uncommon 2-year "anything happens" plus 10-year structural warranty, and NABCEP-certified installer credentials. The company holds MN General Contractors License #BC638967, MN Electrical Contractors License #EA690288, and WI Building Contractors License #DC-092000985. Solar Connection is privately held, self-funded (no disclosed venture capital or private equity), founder-led, and operates with 11-50 employees across its Rochester, MN headquarters and Onalaska, WI sales office.

Name

Solar Connection

Legal name

Solar Connection Inc.

Website

https://solarconnectioninc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Solar Connection is a Midwest solar PV installer founded in 2010 serving residential, commercial, agricultural, and institutional customers across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa, with 900+ systems and 28.3+ MW installed.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Solar Panel System Installation: One-time installation revenue from designing, procuring, and installing solar PV systems for residential, commercial, agricultural, and institutional customers. Systems range from small residential (4-12 kW) to large commercial/agricultural installations (39 kW+). The company also serves as a general electrical contractor through its Kuntz Electric division, providing new construction, routine repairs, remodeling, and service panel upgrades.
2. Solar Maintenance Plans: Annual solar maintenance program offering monthly monitoring and reporting, annual maintenance visits including visual inspection, inverter testing, and electrical checks, plus standard and emergency service calls. Customers enroll for ongoing support and performance optimization.
3. Financing Partnership Revenue: Exclusive financing partnership with Home Federal Bank of Rochester enables customers to finance solar installations. The company facilitates PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) financing through the St. Paul Port Authority. While the company does not offer financing directly, it derives installation revenue from financed projects.
4. Full-Service Electrical Contracting (Kuntz Electric): Kuntz Electric, a division of Solar Connection, provides full-service electrical contracting including new construction, maintenance, repairs, service panel upgrades, landscape lighting, and more for commercial and residential customers in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Designs, sells, and installs grid-tied solar photovoltaic systems for homes, businesses, farms, schools, and non-profits across the Midwest. The company also offers annual solar maintenance plans, battery storage integration, EV charging integration, and full-service electrical contracting through its Kuntz Electric division, with all installations performed by in-house NABCEP-certified staff and no use of subcontractors.

Product overview

Solar Connection is a solar energy installation company offering a modular portfolio of products and services centered on solar panel system design, installation, and maintenance. The core offering consists of Solar Installation & Maintenance for residential, commercial, agricultural, and institutional properties, supplemented by add-on modules including Solar + Battery Storage for backup power and grid independence, and Solar + EV Car Charging for electric vehicle owners. The company also provides Full-Service Electrical Contracting through its Kuntz Electric division. A distinguishing service feature is Drones & 3D Modeling, which enables accurate site assessments and system design visualization. An optional Solar Maintenance Program provides ongoing monitoring and support. All offerings are delivered by a single dedicated team without subcontractors, ensuring accountability from consultation through long-term support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Solar Installation & Maintenance End-to-end design, permitting, and installation of grid-tied solar photovoltaic systems for residential, commercial, agricultural, and institutional customers, with accompanying long-term maintenance support. Targeted at homeowners, businesses, farms, schools, and non-profits in the Midwest.
• Solar + Battery Storage Integration of solar PV systems with battery storage to provide backup power and energy independence for homes, businesses, and farms facing grid reliability concerns.
• Solar + EV Car Charging

Quantifiable outcome

• 900+ solar systems installed since 2010, totaling 28.3+ MW of installed capacity across the Midwest
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers18 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kuntz ElectriccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Kuntz Electric, founded in 1984, joined the Solar Connection family in 2022 as a division of Solar Connection. Together they offer a full spectrum of energy solutions including solar and electrical services. The partnership enables Solar Connection to handle all aspects of solar installation internally — including electrical work — eliminating the need for outside subcontractors. Kuntz Electric provides full-service electrical contracting (new construction, maintenance, repairs) under the Solar Connection umbrella.
• Xcel EnergycoreOthersXcel Energy is the primary utility provider in parts of Solar Connection's service territory. Their Solar Rewards program offers a production rebate of $0.07/kWh for the first 10 years of a solar system's life (approximately $1,000/year for average homes). Funding pool is $5 million each year, awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Xcel also administers net metering for grid interconnection.
• Rochester Public Utility (RPU)minorOthersRochester Public Utility serves electricity customers in Rochester, MN. Offers a rebate of up to $5,000 ($0.50/watt up to 10,000 watts) for residential and commercial solar installations. Example: a 7.2 kW system qualifies for $3,600 in RPU rebates. Programs are limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Austin Public Utilities (APU) and Owatonna Public UtilitiesminorOthersAPU and Owatonna Public Utilities offer similar solar rebate programs to Rochester Public Utility — up to $5,000 ($0.50/watt up to 10,000 watts) for qualifying solar installations. Programs are limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, downsizing annually.
• Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional clean energy organization. Solar Connection displays the CERTs partnership logo on its 'Why Choose Us' page as a credential and community resource partner.
• Rochester Area Builders Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal building industry association. Solar Connection displays the Rochester Area Builders Inc. partnership logo on its 'Why Choose Us' page as a credential.
• Legacy Solar CoopminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSolar cooperative organization. Solar Connection displays the Legacy Solar Coop partnership logo on its 'Why Choose Us' page as a credential and community partner.
• Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association (MnSIA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerState trade association for the solar industry. Solar Connection displays the MnSIA partnership logo on its 'Why Choose Us' page as a credential and industry association partner.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Mortenson Construction: Major US contractor with a large utility-scale and commercial solar EPC practice based in Minnesota. Competes with Solar Connection on the commercial/utility side of the market.
• Trinity Solar: Largest privately-held US residential solar installer with strong presence across the Northeast and Midwest. Comparable residential focus but at meaningfully larger scale.
• Freedom Forever: National residential solar installer with rapidly expanding multi-state footprint. Increasingly entering Midwest markets with standardized sales funnels that compete with regional installers on lead cost.
• Sunrun: Largest US residential solar installer with national footprint and capital-intensive customer acquisition model. Competes for the same residential solar dollar but operates at significantly greater scale and with different capital structure.
• Tesla Energy: National residential and commercial solar + storage provider with branded panels, Powerwall, and integrated EV ecosystem. Represents aspirational competitor and pricing benchmark in residential solar.

Direct peers

• All Energy Solar: Minnesota-headquartered residential and commercial solar installer serving the same Midwest geography (MN, WI, IA) with similar customer mix and sales-led GTM. Most directly comparable Midwest regional peer.
• Arch Solar: Wisconsin-based solar installer serving residential and small commercial customers with rooftop PV and energy storage. Overlaps with Solar Connection in Wisconsin geography and customer profile.
• IPS Solar: Wisconsin-based solar EPC serving residential, commercial, and agricultural customers in the upper Midwest. Comparable product mix including rooftop PV and battery storage.
• Sundial Solar: Minnesota-rooted residential and commercial solar installer with similar Midwest service territory and comparable focus on customer education and high-touch sales.
• TruNorth Solar: Regional solar installer operating across Minnesota and Wisconsin with comparable residential, agricultural, and commercial offerings. Direct overlap in service territory, customer segments, and project types.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/solar-connection-inc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 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 Solar Connection