Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association

What Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association does

Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association (MnSEIA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association founded in 2009 and headquartered in Minnesota. The organization represents more than 139 member companies across the state's solar and storage value chain, segmented into manufacturers and distributors (11), developers (31), installers (49), solar supporters (44), and individual "Friends of MnSEIA" (20). An additional 30 members hold the premium President's Circle tier, which carries enhanced visibility, quarterly meetings, and priority access to staff and leads.

MnSEIA's core offerings are membership services, policy and regulatory advocacy before the Minnesota Legislature and the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, and a calendar of industry events anchored by the annual Gateway to Solar Conference and Clean Energy Business Day at the Capitol. The association operates four formal stakeholder working groups (Distributed Generation Advisory Group, Distributed Generation Working Group, Interconnection Process Working Group, and the Solar*Rewards Community Implementation Work Group) and a consumer-facing Find an Installer directory.

The business model is a tiered annual subscription: small businesses ($2,570), medium businesses ($4,340), large businesses ($7,670), associations and government entities ($3,500), nonprofits and educational organizations ($950), and individuals ($260), with a 25% premium applied to President's Circle members. MnSEIA is a formal state affiliate of the national Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), an affiliation established in 2019, and is governed by a member-elected Board of Directors under Executive Director Logan O'Grady, who has led the organization since June 2021.

Name

Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association

Legal name

Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association

Website

https://mnseia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association (MnSEIA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association representing 139+ member companies across Minnesota's solar and storage value chain through tiered membership, policy advocacy at the state legislature and PUC, and industry events including the annual Gateway to Solar Conference.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Minnesota City

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: MnSEIA generates revenue through annual membership dues from solar and storage businesses. Membership tiers are structured by company revenue size: small business ($0-2M revenue) pays $2,570/year, medium business ($2-10M) pays $4,340/year, and large business (over $10M) pays $7,670/year. Additional revenue comes from individual members ($260/year), nonprofits ($950/year), associations and government entities ($3,500/year). President's Circle premium membership adds 25% to dues.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

MnSEIA is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association that provides tiered membership services, policy and regulatory advocacy, educational events, and networking opportunities to solar and storage businesses across Minnesota. Its core offerings center on representing the state's solar industry before the Minnesota Legislature and Public Utilities Commission, providing members with policy intelligence, interconnection and community solar program support, and operating the annual Gateway to Solar Conference and various working groups.

Product overview

MnSEIA is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association that does not offer a software product. Its offerings consist of membership services (with tiered levels: Small Business, Medium Business, Large Business, Association, Nonprofit & Education, and Individual), advocacy and regulatory work before the Minnesota Legislature and Public Utilities Commission, educational events including the annual Gateway to Solar Conference, the Young Professionals in Clean Energy networking group, and informational resources such as one-pagers on solar topics. The association also maintains a Find an Installer tool linking consumers to member companies and manages several working groups addressing distributed generation, interconnection standards, and solar rewards programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Young Professionals in Clean Energy: A networking group for young professionals working in the clean energy industry in Minnesota, providing professional development and networking opportunities.
• Gateway to Solar Conference
• Clean Energy Business Day
• President's Circle

Products and services

• Membership Programs Tiered membership program for solar and storage businesses and supporters, with annual dues scaled by company revenue size. Provides advocacy representation, regulatory intelligence, networking opportunities, and event access.
• President's Circle Premium Membership Premium membership tier adding 25% to base dues. Members receive prominent logo placement on the MnSEIA homepage, exclusive quarterly meetings with staff and board, first option on leads, and enhanced visibility benefits.
• Gateway to Solar Conference Annual trade conference providing networking, education, and industry insights for Minnesota's solar and storage market.
• Policy & Regulatory Advocacy Advocacy representation before the Minnesota Legislature and Public Utilities Commission, including regulatory docket commenting, legislative testimony, and policy development work to advance solar and storage market growth.
• Working Groups Collaborative forums addressing interconnection standards, distributed generation rules, and community solar program implementation in coordination with utilities, the Minnesota PUC, and other stakeholders.
• Find an Installer Directory Online directory tool connecting consumers with MnSEIA member solar installers who abide by the association's Code of Conduct.

Quantifiable outcome

• Representing over 170 solar and storage businesses in Minnesota
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMnSEIA is a formal state affiliate of SEIA, the national trade association for the solar energy industry. This affiliation provides access to national research, advocacy resources, and policy coordination while MnSEIA represents Minnesota's solar interests at the state level.
• 1% for the PlanetcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEnvironmental partnership providing credibility for MnSEIA's sustainability mission. Members can participate in the environmental giving program.
• Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting workforce development and training initiatives for clean energy professionals in the Midwest region.
• SolarReviewsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to help Minnesota consumers find MnSEIA member solar installers through the SolarReviews platform.
• Solar-Estimate.orgminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to direct Minnesota consumers to MnSEIA member installers through the Solar-Estimate.org platform for solar cost estimates.
• Distributed Generation Advisory Group (DGAG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMnSEIA participates in the DGAG, a forum for dialogue between the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission and stakeholders including utilities, state agencies, and developers to address distributed generation issues outside formal PUC dockets.
• Distributed Generation Working Group (DGWG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMnSEIA participates in DGWG, a workgroup working with utilities, developers, and the PUC to update statewide interconnection standards and technical requirements for distributed generation resources.
• Interconnection Process Working Group (IPWG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMnSEIA participates in IPWG, a MISO stakeholder forum developing revised generator interconnection queue process procedures to reduce study time and increase certainty.
• Solar*Rewards Community Implementation Work GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMnSEIA works with Xcel Energy and stakeholders on Community Solar Garden matters through this implementation work group.
• Clean Energy Economy MinnesotacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Clean Energy Economy Minnesota to co-host Clean Energy Business Day at the Minnesota Capitol, bringing clean energy businesses together for advocacy and education.
• Solar United NeighborsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for homeowner solar education and HOA solar rights advocacy. Solar United Neighbors helps organize solar co-ops and provides resources for homeowners.
• Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing consumers with information on solar incentives, installers, and community solar gardens. CERTs manages the Minnesota Clean Energy Job Board.
• Minnesota Department of CommercecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMnSEIA works with the Minnesota Department of Commerce on Solar for Schools program implementation, incentive programs, and regulatory matters before the Public Utilities Commission.
• Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMnSEIA has issued joint statements with CCSA on community solar policy matters including Xcel Energy's Capacity Connect proposal and protecting the Minnesota community solar garden program.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• California Solar & Storage Association (CALSSA): California's state-level solar and storage trade association. CALSSA is the closest functional peer to MnSEIA — a state-level membership organization providing advocacy, regulatory representation, and member services for solar businesses.
• Illinois Solar Energy Association: State-level solar trade and advocacy organization in Illinois. Functionally comparable to MnSEIA in mission, membership tiers, and policy advocacy focus, though operating in a different regulatory environment.
• Massachusetts Solar Energy Industries Association (MSEIA): State-level solar trade association in Massachusetts with comparable advocacy, working group, and member services. MSEIA operates in a similarly mature state regulatory environment.
• Vote Solar: A nonprofit solar advocacy organization active across multiple states. Vote Solar is a peer in advocacy mission and operating model, though it functions more as a multi-state advocacy group rather than a single-state trade association.
• New York Solar Energy Industries Association (NYSEIA): New York's state solar trade association, with similar advocacy, working group, and member service offerings. NYSEIA is a strong comparable given its comparable state-level policy environment and member-driven model.
• Clean Energy Economy Minnesota: A broader Minnesota-based clean energy business coalition that partners with MnSEIA on Clean Energy Business Day. It is a peer organization operating in overlapping advocacy and member engagement space, though with a wider clean energy scope beyond solar.
• Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA): A national trade association dedicated to community solar, with state-level chapters and joint advocacy campaigns. CCSA is a partner on community solar garden issues in Minnesota and a comparable advocacy organization for solar industry members.

Broad incumbents

• Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA): The national trade association for the U.S. solar industry and MnSEIA's formal parent affiliate. SEIA operates at the federal level and through state affiliates like MnSEIA, making it the most directly comparable trade body, though at broader scope.

Regional players

• Texas Solar Power Association: Texas's state-level solar trade association. Comparable organizational structure and advocacy focus, but serves a much larger and differently-structured solar market than MnSEIA's Minnesota.
• Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA): Midwest regional clean energy and solar advocacy and training organization. MREA is a current MnSEIA partner and a peer in workforce development and clean energy education across the broader Midwest.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mn_seia
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@MnSEIA
• Facebookfacebook.com/MnSEIA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/minnesota-solar-energy-industry-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association