What Twende Solar does

Twende Solar is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Portland, Oregon, that designs and installs solar photovoltaic (PV) energy systems for underserved schools, community centers, and healthcare facilities in the United States and internationally. Founded in 2010 by John Grieser, Brandon Little, and other employees of Elemental Energy, the organization has completed projects in at least 10 countries, including Cambodia, Guatemala, Peru, Haiti, Colombia, Ethiopia, Ecuador, Ghana, Puerto Rico, and the US, with installed systems ranging from roughly 6 kW to 100 kW. Its core technical offering is turnkey solar PV system design and installation, with one notable specialized capability in hurricane-resistant agrivoltaic system design developed in partnership with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and MT Solar in Puerto Rico.

The organization's business model is donation-funded rather than revenue-generating. Twende Solar raises capital through individual donations, corporate giving via its "Give a Watt" program (with partners including Sol-Ark, Rolls, Heliene, IronRidge, K2 Systems, FlexGen, and Elemental Energy), donor-advised funds, employer matching, stock donations, and merchandise sales (a 500-piece puzzle). Project execution is enabled by donated equipment from solar industry sponsors, volunteer professional labor from solar PV practitioners, and in-country partnerships with locally embedded nonprofits such as PACE Ghana, El Terreno (Ecuador), WINTUKWA IPSI (Colombia), and Global ADE (Cambodia). The organization operates with 1-10 employees, supplemented by a 9-member board of directors that includes veterans of First Solar, Sunrun, PosiGen, Prologis, and other commercial solar firms.

Twende Solar's go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven, driven by mission alignment, volunteer engagement, and local partnerships rather than traditional sales. The organization maintains a long-standing partnership with the IESNA Solar Games competition, which donates competition equipment for repurposing in underserved-community installations, and a school-to-school fundraising program called Be Cool! Connections. Its claimed impact includes 11,000+ community members served across 300+ communities.

Name

Twende Solar

Legal name

Twende Solar

Website

https://twendesolar.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Twende Solar is a Portland-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that designs and installs solar PV systems for underserved schools, community centers, and healthcare facilities across 10+ countries, funded by donations, corporate sponsorships, and volunteer labor from solar industry professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Solar Installation Services

NAICS

Solar Electric Power Generation (221114), Roofing Contractors (238160), Electric Power Generation (22111)

SIC

Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Renewable Distributed Generation (Rooftop/Onsite Solar, Small Wind, Small Hydro) (EUACALAJ), Next-Gen Photovoltaics R&D (Perovskite, Tandem, Organic, BIPV Materials) (EUAMAOAA), Solar Roofing & Roof-Mounted PV Systems (IMADAFAO)

Keywords

• Solar PV installation
• Off-grid solar systems
• Community solar projects
• Rural electrification
• Nonprofit energy access

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Twende Solar is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that generates revenue through tax-deductible donations from individuals, corporations (via Give a Watt corporate giving program), and foundations. The organization accepts donations online, stock donations, donor-advised funds, and employer matching gifts.
2. Corporate Giving Program (Give a Watt): Corporate partners make tax-deductible donations to Twende Solar in exchange for partnership recognition, marketing assets, and impact stories. Partners include Elemental Energy, FlexGen, Green Tech Renewables, K2 Systems, New Leaf Energy, PAE Engineers, Power Northwest, Rolls, Sol-Ark, and Vista.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Twende Solar is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that designs and installs solar photovoltaic (PV) energy systems for underserved schools, community centers, and healthcare facilities worldwide. Projects are funded entirely through donations, equipment contributions, and volunteer labor from solar PV industry professionals, and delivered to beneficiary communities at no cost.

Product overview

Twende Solar is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that empowers under-resourced communities with renewable energy systems. The organization operates as a single unified service offering—designing and installing solar PV systems—rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Core activities include the Solar Energy Systems Installation service for schools, community centers, and healthcare facilities. Supporting programs include Be Cool! Connections (school-to-school solar partnerships with cultural exchange), the Give a Watt Corporate Partnership Program (corporate giving), and merchandise (Solar Farms in America Puzzle). Projects span multiple countries including Ecuador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, Peru, Cambodia, Guatemala, Colombia, Puerto Rico, and the United States, with installed capacity ranging from 5kW to 100kW per site.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Give a Watt: Twende Solar's corporate giving program that allows companies to partner with the organization through tax-deductible donations, providing them with marketing assets and partnership recognition.

Products and services

• Solar Energy Systems Installation
• Solar Farms in America Puzzle

Quantifiable outcome

• 11,000+ community members impacted by solar installations
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IESNA (Intersolar North America)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Long-standing partnership since 2015 for Solar Games competition equipment repurposing. Equipment sponsors donate competition equipment (Sol-Ark inverters, Rolls Batteries, Heliene modules, IronRidge racking) for clean energy projects.
• El TerrenocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrass roots organization serving rural marginalized Kichwa communities in Bolívar province, Ecuador. El Terreno has been working in partnership with these communities for 3.5 years to co-create solutions for sustainability, prosperity, and resilience. They connect international interns and volunteers with local mentors.
• PACE GhanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPeople in Action for Cultural Enrichment - Ghanaian-led nonprofit organization that has been partnering with rural communities in the Oti Region of Ghana since 2002 to improve education and health access. Partnering with Twende Solar for Bompaso solar project.
• The Community Project: EthiopiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteer-driven nonprofit founded by Colleen Kaleda and Angelique Kidd Smith that emerged from requests for a public school by residents of Chole Village, Ethiopia. Recognized by the United Nations as a model for Ethiopia.
• Global ADE / Spitler School FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization dedicated to strengthening education in developing countries, particularly in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Has built three schools and helps operate two additional schools, providing education to over 3,000 students.
• Adopt-a-VillagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with Mayan villages in isolated northwestern Guatemala to improve education, health, and economic conditions. Has been working in northwestern Huehuetenango for 20 years.
• Educate HaiticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmerican nonprofit focused on educating two generations of Haitians by fostering human capital through primary education. Has constructed two schools in Durissy area enrolling 400+ students.
• WINTUKWA I.P.S.IcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional level non-profit organization providing health services to Arhuaco indigenous communities in Colombia. Built Gunchukwa health clinic providing free services including maternity care, immunizations, dental care, and emergency services.
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)coreTechnology or IntegrationU.S. Department of Energy laboratory that bridges research with real-world applications. Twende Solar partnered with NREL's InSPIRE initiative to install a first-of-its-kind disaster-prepared agrivoltaic system in Puerto Rico.
• Aireko Energy GroupminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSpecializes in electrical contracting and engineering of distributed energy resources. Partnered on Puerto Rico agrivoltaics project for electrical work.
• GRID Alternatives Puerto RicominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit organization providing solar installations for low-income communities. Partnered on Puerto Rico agrivoltaics project.
• Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortland-based nonprofit working at intersection of renewable energy, energy education, watershed restoration, and climate solutions. Has been working with Quinault Indian Nation since 2018 on energy goals and climate resilience plans.
• Portland Rescue MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded 1949, nonprofit dedicated to breaking cycle of homelessness, addiction, and despair. Twende Solar installed solar on Shepherd's Door facility serving women and children in recovery.
• Elemental EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortland-based solar installation company founded by John Grieser. Co-founder company of Twende Solar. Provides volunteer labor, technical expertise, and corporate partnership.
• DSV Air & SeaminorOthersCovered cost of shipping batteries to Wintukwa for Gunchukwa health clinic project.
• AprotecminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal PV installer in Colombia that helped with Gunchukwa health clinic installation.
• Give a Watt PartnerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate giving program partners including: Elemental Energy, FlexGen, Green Tech Renewables (GTR Portland), K2 Systems, New Leaf Energy, PAE Engineers, Power Northwest, Rolls, Sol-Ark, Vista, Empowers, and others committed to advancing energy access and equity.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Barefoot College: Nonprofit that trains rural community members, particularly women, to install and maintain solar electrification systems in off-grid villages. Direct peer in deploying community-led solar in underserved geographies with a similar volunteer and partnership-driven model.
• Solar Sister: Nonprofit that recruits and trains women entrepreneurs in sub-Saharan Africa to distribute solar products in last-mile communities. Direct peer in solar energy access for underserved African communities, with overlapping geographies and a community-empowerment model.
• GRID Alternatives: Nonprofit solar installation organization serving low-income and underserved communities in the US and internationally. Direct peer — Twende Solar already partners with GRID Alternatives Puerto Rico on the agrivoltaic project, and both rely on volunteer-driven solar EPC for community facilities.
• Green Empowerment: Nonprofit working with local partners to deploy renewable energy and clean water infrastructure in underserved communities worldwide. Direct peer — Twende Solar has previously partnered with Green Empowerment on the Cambodia school project, and both target schools and community centers in developing countries.
• EarthSpark International: Nonprofit building decentralized solar mini-grids in Haiti to deliver electricity access to households and businesses. Direct peer addressing the same off-grid community electrification problem in one of Twende Solar's active geographies (Haiti).
• SELCO Foundation: India-based nonprofit focused on sustainable energy access for underserved communities through solar home systems and decentralized energy. Direct peer targeting rural schools, clinics, and households with off-grid solar — overlapping beneficiaries and use cases with Twende Solar.
• SolarAid: International nonprofit focused on solar energy access in African communities, distributing solar lights and small systems. Direct peer in the energy-access nonprofit space, serving overlapping beneficiary populations in Ghana and Ethiopia where Twende Solar also operates.
• WeShare Solar / We Care Solar: Nonprofit that deploys solar power systems to maternal and newborn health clinics in underserved regions. Direct peer specifically focused on solar for healthcare facilities in off-grid areas — closely matching Twende Solar's healthcare facility use case.

Emerging players

• M-KOPA: Pay-as-you-go solar home system company serving off-grid households in East Africa. Emerging player in solar energy access for underserved communities — overlapping mission and beneficiary segments in East Africa, but operating as a commercial business rather than a nonprofit.

Broad incumbents

• Engineers Without Borders USA: Larger nonprofit organization deploying volunteer engineers to build infrastructure including renewable energy in developing countries. Broad incumbent in the volunteer-engineering-for-underserved-communities space, with overlapping project models but broader scope beyond solar.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/7797086

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Twende Solar