Colorado Solar and Storage Association

What Colorado Solar and Storage Association does

The Colorado Solar and Storage Association (COSSA) is a Denver-based nonprofit trade association that has represented Colorado's solar industry since 1989, originally as the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA) before rebranding in 2025. The organization serves 280+ member companies across the solar and storage value chain, including residential installers, commercial and industrial developers, community solar garden developers, utility-scale developers, manufacturers and distributors, professional service firms, and clean energy advocates. COSSA's core offerings center on tiered membership with annual dues ranging from $895 to $11,995 based on company sector and Colorado revenue, generating recurring subscription revenue supplemented by event sponsorships and partnerships.

COSSA's core technology is its regulatory and policy advocacy infrastructure rather than a software product. The organization maintains a full-time lobbyist at the Colorado State Capitol throughout the 120-day legislative session and engages in 15+ regulatory cases per year at the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, with legal teams logging thousands of hours annually. Product surfaces include policy subcommittees (Residential, C&I, Community Solar Gardens, Large-Scale, Partner, Executive, Land Use Code), the COSSA Institute subsidiary for education and community engagement, signature events (annual conference, Topgolf tournament, monthly happy hours, legislative luncheons), and consumer-facing resources like Going Solar 101.

The go-to-market is sales-led through a membership exploration and application process managed by a Membership Director, complemented by an event-driven acquisition motion anchored on signature gatherings. Distribution is exclusively within Colorado via direct enrollment, event sponsorships, and the COSSA Institute's community programming. Notable outcomes include securing $10.7M in battery rebates, passage of HB26-1007 legalizing plug-in solar, and improved Xcel Energy renewable procurement contract terms for members.

Name

Colorado Solar and Storage Association

Legal name

Colorado Solar and Storage Association

Website

https://cossa.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

COSSA is a Denver-based nonprofit trade association founded in 1989 that represents 280+ solar and storage member companies in Colorado through policy advocacy at the state legislature and Public Utilities Commission, tiered membership dues, and signature industry events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: COSSA generates revenue through annual membership dues structured by company sector and annual revenue in Colorado. Membership tiers range from $895 for small residential/commercial companies and partners/startups, up to $11,995 for large-scale developers. Additional revenue comes from event sponsorships and optional subcommittee participation fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

COSSA is a member-driven nonprofit trade association that delivers solar and energy storage industry advocacy, policy representation, networking, and education. Its core offerings are structured annual memberships (12 tiers from $895 to $11,995) bundled with legislative advocacy during the 120-day Colorado session, regulatory engagement at the Public Utilities Commission, sector-specific policy subcommittees, signature events, and consumer education resources supporting 280+ member companies across Colorado's $8.4B solar economy.

Product overview

Colorado Solar and Storage Association (COSSA) is a trade association, not a product company. The organization operates as a membership-driven nonprofit offering advocacy services, educational programs, and industry events rather than a unified software platform. Its portfolio consists of membership services, policy advocacy at the state legislature and Public Utilities Commission, the COSSA Institute (education and land use guidance), COSSA Signature Events (conferences and networking), Going Solar 101 (consumer education), member committees, and news/publications. These offerings function as interconnected services that support the solar and storage industry ecosystem in Colorado.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• COSSA Membership Annual membership program offering tiered access (12 tiers ranging from $895 to $11,995) to policy advocacy, legislative representation, sector-specific subcommittee participation, networking events, and industry intelligence for solar and storage professionals operating in Colorado.
• COSSA Signature Events Portfolio of networking, educational, and advocacy events including the Annual Solar Power and Energy Storage Mountain West Conference, Topgolf Networking Tournament, Monthly Happy Hours, Energy Legislative Luncheon, and Lunch & Learn series, offered to members and prospective members with sponsorship opportunities for companies.
• COSSA Member Committees (Policy Subcommittees) Sector-specific policy subcommittees (Residential, Commercial & Industrial, Community Solar Gardens, Large-Scale, Partner, Executive, Land Use Code) providing sector-specific advocacy and strategic planning, with bi-weekly meetings and access included for large tier members or available as an add-on for smaller tiers.

Quantifiable outcome

• $10.7M battery rebates secured for members, including $627K for low-income households through the Renewable Battery Connect program
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Colorado Rural Electric Association (CREA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 July 2025COSSA partnered with CREA on SB 299, comprehensive consumer protection legislation for residential energy systems. CREA Director of Policy and Strategy Craig Johnson and Taylor Ward were recognized as Solar Champions for their collaborative legislative efforts establishing rules for sales practices and disclosures.
• Independent Electrical Contractors Rocky Mountain Chapter (IEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOSSA collaborated with IEC to oversee passage of SB 165, ensuring solar installation professionals have a pathway toward electrical licensing. Marilyn Stansbury from IEC and Jason Sharpe from Namasté Solar received Champion awards for their work on this legislation.
• Governor Polis' OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOSSA worked with Governor Polis' office before he issued Executive Action to accelerate renewable energy deployment in Colorado.
• Colorado Attorney General Phil WeisercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerColorado Attorney General Phil Weiser spoke at the COSSA annual conference addressing state response to shifting federal energy policies, ongoing legal action protecting clean energy progress, and the importance of state and local collaboration.
• Colorado State LegislaturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOSSA advocates at the Colorado State Capitol during the 120-day legislative session, working with legislators on solar and storage policy including recent bills on plug-in solar, consumer protection, and electrical licensing.
• Colorado Energy OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on HB26-1007 legislation. Colorado Energy Office Director Will Toor released statement supporting the bill that legalizes plug-in solar and cuts interconnection barriers through meter collar adapters.
• Xcel Energy and Black Hills EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerColorado's investor-owned utilities (Xcel and Black Hills) are already using meter collar technology. HB26-1007 makes access universal and statewide. COSSA negotiated with Xcel to get better contract terms for companies bidding into renewable procurement.
• Permit PowerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization advocating for meter collar technology. Matt Kirby, Campaign Director, released statement supporting HB26-1007 that makes meter collars available to all Colorado families.
• GRID AlternativescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGRID Alternatives co-authored the Technical Guide to Community-Owned Agrivoltaic Solar Gardens with support from the Colorado Department of Agriculture. COSSA Institute's Jeremiah Garrick contributed to the guide. GRID Alternatives' Margaret Kral serves on the COSSA Board.
• Colorado Department of AgriculturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on the Technical Guide to Community-Owned Agrivoltaic Solar Gardens. The state defines agrivoltaics as integration of solar facilities with crop production, grazing, ranching, beekeeping, and cover cropping.
• Big PivotsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerColorado energy news outlet that has featured COSSA activities including articles on battery storage, coal plant retirements, and energy policy discussions at COSSA conferences.
• Colorado State University and University of ColoradominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOSSA is working with Colorado's universities to develop agrivoltaics programs, combining solar energy with agricultural activities on farmland.
• Conexus InsuranceminorOthersOfficial Insurance Agency of COSSA, providing insurance services to member companies.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Clean Power Association (ACP): National trade association representing wind, solar, storage, and transmission companies. ACP overlaps with COSSA's storage and utility-scale developer constituencies at the federal level and shares advocacy, events, and member services models.
• Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA): The national U.S. trade association for the solar and storage industry, representing thousands of member companies across all50 states. SEIA is the broader incumbent that sets federal advocacy priorities that state associations like COSSA implement locally.

Others

• Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA): Nonprofit organization focused on utility integration of clean energy, storage, and grid modernization. SEPA overlaps with COSSA's regulatory engagement at the PUC and shares member-utility stakeholders, but operates as a research and convening organization rather than trade association.
• NABCEP (North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners): National certification body for solar and storage professionals. NABCEP connects to COSSA's workforce development agenda (SB 165 licensing pathways) and shares an ecosystem role supporting installer quality, though it is not a competing advocacy body.
• Advanced Energy Economy (AEE): National business association advancing the entire advanced energy industry (solar, storage, EVs, efficiency). AEE's state-level policy work and member business model parallel COSSA's approach at a broader, multi-technology scope.
• Solar United Neighbors: National nonprofit helping communities and homeowners go solar through co-ops, education, and advocacy. Shares COSSA's mission of expanding solar adoption but operates via consumer engagement rather than industry trade association membership.

Regional players

• Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC): Massachusetts state agency that funds and accelerates clean energy deployment through grants, programs, and workforce initiatives. MassCEC plays a comparable ecosystem role in Massachusetts to what COSSA pursues through advocacy in Colorado, though as a government entity rather than member association.

Emerging players

• Vote Solar: State-focused clean energy advocacy organization active in multiple states including Colorado. Vote Solar overlaps with COSSA's policy advocacy mission but is grant-funded rather than dues-funded and emphasizes consumer-facing and equity-focused campaigns.

Direct peers

• New York Solar Energy Industries Association (NYSEIA): New York state's solar and storage industry trade association with a comparable membership-based advocacy model. Targets similar member segments (installers, developers, manufacturers) and engages the state PSC and legislature on parallel policy issues.
• California Solar & Storage Association (CALSEIA): California's statewide solar and storage trade association representing hundreds of member companies through policy advocacy, events, and member services. Operates the same business model as COSSA in a larger state market, making it the closest direct comparable.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cosolarstorage
• Facebookfacebook.com/COSolarStorage

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

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 Colorado Solar and Storage Association