ALTERNATIVE POWER ENTERPRISES, INC.

What ALTERNATIVE POWER ENTERPRISES, INC. does

Alternative Power Enterprises, Inc. (APE) is a privately held, founder-owned solar energy contractor operating in Western Colorado. Founded in 1992 and led by NABCEP-certified owner Josh Shipley, the company specializes in custom design, permitting, installation, maintenance, and technical support for ground-mounted and roof-mounted photovoltaic systems, both grid-tied and off-grid. It has completed over 350 PV installations across Western Colorado communities including Ridgway, Montrose, Telluride, Gunnison, and Silverton, including one of the largest off-grid microgrids on Colorado's Western Slope (84.42KW at Hidden Rocks Ranch). The business operates from a Ridgway headquarters and Montrose office with a small team of NABCEP-certified, factory-trained installers.

APE's revenue model blends one-time system sales and installation with ongoing maintenance contracts and tech-support services. Pricing is quote-based, with battery backup adders of $6K-$12K per typical household and customer financing facilitated through federal tax credits, Colorado RENU Loans, C-PACE, and SMPA utility rebates. GTM motion is direct sales-led: free site visits, 24-hour quotes, and a hybrid in-person/virtual consultation model adopted during 2020. Core equipment partnerships span OutBack Power, Schneider Electric, Tesla Powerwall, Blue Planet Energy, SimpliPhi, SolarEdge, LG, and SMA, with a clear 2020 strategic pivot toward Solar + Storage solutions. The customer base is primarily long-tail residential with select commercial projects (e.g., Citizen's State Bank) and a push into rural/agricultural customers via USDA REAP grant facilitation. No AI/ML capabilities, no external funding, no M&A activity, and no public listing are evidenced in the source data.

Name

ALTERNATIVE POWER ENTERPRISES, INC.

Legal name

Alternative Power Enterprises, Inc.

Website

https://alternative-power.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Alternative Power Enterprises is a privately held Western Colorado solar installer founded in 1992 that designs, installs, and services grid-tied and off-grid photovoltaic systems plus battery storage for residential, commercial, and rural customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Solar Installation Services

NAICS

Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)

SIC

Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Solar PV Power Plant EPC (Utility-Scale) (EUAEAAAG)

Keywords

• Solar installation services
• Photovoltaic system design
• Off-grid solar power
• Solar maintenance repair
• Battery backup systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Ridgway

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Solar System Sales and Installation: APE designs, installs, and services solar power systems. They offer custom solar system design, installation, maintenance and repair services. They specialize in ground and roof-mounted photovoltaic solar power systems, both grid-tied and off-grid.
2. System Maintenance and Repair Services: Ongoing maintenance and repair services for solar systems, including battery maintenance, generator servicing, and component replacement. They handle all warranty claims regardless of where the system was purchased.
3. Technical Support and Consultation: Solar technical support to get systems back up and running. They offer technical consultation, online monitoring and diagnostic services for system performance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Alternative Power Enterprises (APE) is a solar energy company offering custom solar system design, installation, maintenance and repair, and technical support services to residential and commercial customers in Western Colorado. The company specializes in ground and roof-mounted photovoltaic solar power systems, both grid-tied and off-grid, with battery backup options. APE also services all brands of solar equipment, providing complete lifecycle support including permitting, engineering documentation, and rebate paperwork processing.

Product overview

Alternative Power Enterprises is a full-service solar energy company offering a comprehensive suite of services including custom Solar System Design, Solar Installation, System Repair & Maintenance, and Solar Tech Support. Their core product offerings include Grid-Tied Solar Systems and Off-Grid Solar Systems, with add-on modules for Battery Backup Systems (Tesla Powerwall, Blue Planet Energy, SimpliPhi), Ground-Mounted Solar Systems, and Roof-Mounted Solar Systems. They specialize in both ground and roof-mounted photovoltaic systems serving Western Colorado residential and commercial customers since 1992. The company has installed over 350 photovoltaic systems and employs NABCEP certified professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Solar System Design
• Solar Installation
• System Repair and Maintenance
• Solar Tech Support
• Grid-Tied Solar Systems
• Off-Grid Solar Systems
• Battery Backup Systems

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 350 photovoltaic systems installed in Western Colorado
• +4 more outcomes

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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• OutBack PowercoreTechnology or IntegrationAPE services all brands of solar equipment including OutBack. They are factory trained in Outback Power products and use their inverters and charge controllers in many installations. Featured in multiple projects including Off Grid Microgrid systems.
• Schneider ElectriccoreTechnology or IntegrationAPE services all brands of solar equipment including Schneider Electric. They are factory trained in Schneider products and use their XW inverters and charge controllers in backup power systems. Schneider Electric is featured on their website as a partner.
• Blue Planet EnergycoreTechnology or IntegrationAPE is now installing Blue Planet Energy Lithium Ion batteries in Grid Tied systems with backup as well as Off Grid systems. Blue Planet batteries offer up to 5 times longer life than Lead Acid batteries with no maintenance and smart battery management.
• Tesla PowerwallcoreTechnology or IntegrationAPE is now a certified Tesla Powerwall installer. Tesla Powerwall is a great solution for whole house or essential loads backup power. They have been waiting for this technology to mature before offering it.
• San Miguel Power Association (SMPA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSMPA offers Renewable Energy Rebates for APE's customers: Residential solar PV at $0.10/watt up to 3kW ($300 maximum) and Commercial up to 10kW ($1,000 maximum). Homeowners in SMPA area can receive both a $2,250 SMPA Rebate and a 30% Federal Income Tax credit.
• Colorado Energy OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerColorado Energy Office sponsors the RENU Loan program in partnership with Elevations Credit Union. They also spearhead the Colorado C-PACE program overseen by the New Energy Improvement District (NEID). These programs help APE customers access financing for solar installations.
• New Energy Improvement District (NEID)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEID oversees Colorado C-PACE program, which offers up to 100% financing for existing building retrofit projects and up to 20% financing for new construction with terms up to 25 years.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Blue Raven Solar: Regional residential solar installer offering design, installation and financing across multiple U.S. states — comparable to APE in customer focus (residential rooftop PV with storage attach) though at larger scale.
• Trinity Solar: Regional residential solar installer operating across multiple U.S. states with full design, installation and service offerings — comparable to APE in business model and customer focus, but with broader geographic reach.
• Namaste Solar: Boulder, CO-based employee-owned solar installer offering design, installation and service for residential, commercial and off-grid systems — a close geographic and service-model peer to APE within Colorado.
• Sopris Solar: Carbondale, CO-based solar installer operating across Colorado's Western Slope — overlaps APE's exact service region and customer base with similar residential/commercial PV and off-grid offerings.
• A&R Solar: Portland, OR-based regional residential and commercial solar installer with a NABCEP-certified team and full design/install/service model — structurally analogous to APE as a mid-sized regional solar contractor.

Broad incumbents

• REC Solar: Established national commercial and residential solar EPC firm — overlapping offering with APE on PV system design and installation, but serving a much broader and larger-scale customer footprint.
• Sunrun: Largest U.S. residential solar installer with national footprint, leasing/PPA/loan products and battery storage offerings — directly overlaps APE's residential rooftop solar + storage customer, but at vastly greater scale and capital efficiency.
• Freedom Forever: Large national residential solar installer offering design, installation and financing across dozens of U.S. states — competes with APE for the same residential solar customer, but at much greater scale and with dedicated sales/marketing infrastructure.
• Tesla Energy: National solar + storage provider (Solar Roof, Powerwall) with Tesla's installer network — APE is itself a certified Tesla Powerwall installer, making Tesla both a partner and a competitive threat at the high end of the residential storage market.
• SunPower: National residential and commercial solar manufacturer and installer with established dealer/installer network — competes with APE on residential PV system sales while also supplying equipment into the channel.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Alternative.Power.Enterprises
• Instagraminstagram.com/alternative_power
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alternative-power-enterprises-inc.

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 ALTERNATIVE POWER ENTERPRISES, INC.