MadiSUN

What MadiSUN does

MadiSUN is a municipal solar initiative owned by the City of Madison, Wisconsin, and administered by RENEW Wisconsin, a statewide nonprofit renewable energy advocacy organization. The program was launched in 2007 when Madison was named one of 25 U.S. Department of Energy Solar America Cities and was created to expand rooftop solar adoption among local residents, businesses, and nonprofit organizations. MadiSUN operates two core products: the Group Buy for Homes program, which aggregates household demand across Dane County to negotiate discounted rooftop solar installations with vetted contractors, and the Backyard Solar Grant program, which provides grants of $250 per kilowatt installed (capped at $10,000 for systems under 100 kW and $20,000 for systems 100 kW or larger) to community organizations, affordable housing providers, and local businesses serving Madison residents.

The business model is government-funded program administration; MadiSUN does not generate direct commercial revenue. Operations are sustained through City of Madison appropriations and grant funding. Program delivery relies on a competitive installer RFP process that selects three Wisconsin-based solar contractors — Full Spectrum Solar, Arch Solar, and Midwest Solar Power — to handle site assessments and installations. Layered customer incentives include the 30% federal residential solar tax credit, Focus on Energy utility rebates up to $2,400, and 100% solar financing offered through Clean Energy Credit Union. Between 2016 and 2025, the program has helped approximately 400 Madison-area homes install rooftop solar, generating over $3.5 million in local solar investment and more than 1,000 kilowatts of new renewable generation capacity.

MadiSUN's go-to-market is community-led rather than commercial: prospective participants encounter the program through neighborhood information sessions, solar walking tours (co-hosted with Madison Public Library and Dane County), social media (Facebook, Instagram), and direct word-of-mouth referrals. Interested homeowners submit an interest form on the program website, receive virtual home assessments, and are connected to pre-selected installers for site visits and proposals. The program operates exclusively in Dane County, Wisconsin, carries no disclosed headcount or proprietary technology stack, and has no funding rounds, M&A activity, or commercial revenue. Its competitive position rests on its municipal sponsorship, the community validation network built across nearly 400 installed homes, and its 2007 Solar America City and 2017 SolSmart Gold designations.

Name

MadiSUN

Legal name

MadiSUN (City of Madison Solar Initiative)

Website

https://madisunsolar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Short description

MadiSUN is a City of Madison municipal solar initiative, administered by RENEW Wisconsin, that runs group-purchase and grant programs to help Dane County homeowners, nonprofits, affordable housing providers, and local businesses install rooftop solar through vetted installers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Solar Energy Programs

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Distributed Generation (DG) Solar & Small Wind (EUAMAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Demand Response & Load Flexibility Services (EUAMAJAF)

Keywords

• Solar group purchase
• Residential solar programs
• Solar grants
• Community solar initiatives
• Renewable energy programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Government-funded program administration: MadiSUN is a City of Madison initiative administered by RENEW Wisconsin. The program does not generate direct revenue but is funded through City of Madison appropriations and grant funding to expand solar access for the community.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MadiSUN is a City of Madison municipal initiative administered by RENEW Wisconsin that helps Madison-area residents, businesses, nonprofits, and affordable housing providers adopt solar energy. It operates two core programs: a Group Buy for Homes program that aggregates household buying power and vets solar installers through a competitive RFP, and a Backyard Solar Grant program that provides per-kilowatt grants to community organizations and businesses serving Madison residents.

Product overview

MadiSUN is the City of Madison's solar energy initiative, administered by RENEW Wisconsin, offering two programs: the Group Buy for Homes (a collective purchasing program connecting homeowners with vetted solar installers) and the Backyard Solar Grant (financial grants for community organizations and businesses). The programs provide vetted contractor selection, financing options, and connection to state/federal incentives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Group Buy for Homes: A solar group purchase program that brings together households across Dane County to use collective buying power for rooftop solar installation at reduced costs.
• Backyard Solar Grant

Products and services

• Group Buy for Homes A solar group purchase program that brings together households across Dane County to use collective buying power for discounted rooftop solar installations. The program vets multiple solar installers through a competitive RFP process, with an Advisory Committee of community members reviewing competing bids and selecting a trusted partner to install systems, saving homeowners time and money.
• Backyard Solar Grant A grant program for Madison-based community organizations, affordable housing providers, and local businesses that serve City of Madison residents. Grants provide $250 for every 1 kilowatt of solar installed, with a maximum grant of $10,000 for systems under 100 kilowatts and $20,000 for systems 100 kilowatts or larger, fostering access to solar power for Madison-area organizations.

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• City of MadisonflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity of Madison is the founding parent organization behind the MadiSUN initiative. The City provides program funding and strategic direction, with the program expanding solar installations on City buildings while supporting residents.
• RENEW WisconsinflagshipImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRENEW Wisconsin is a nonprofit organization that administers the MadiSUN programs on behalf of the City of Madison. They work on policies and programs that expand solar, wind, renewable fuels, and clean energy solutions across Wisconsin since 1991.
• Full Spectrum SolarcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFamily-owned Wisconsin business serving the state for 20 years with over 1,300 installations. Founded by brothers and UW-Madison Mechanical Engineering alumni. Selected as trusted installation partner through competitive RFP process.
• Arch SolarcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBased in Plymouth, WI with offices in Milwaukee and Madison. Certified Women Business Enterprise with over 60MW of experience installing solar. NABCEP certified staff provides residential, commercial, and utility solar services.
• Midwest Solar PowercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDedicated to transforming homes in the Madison, Wisconsin area with state-of-the-art residential solar power systems. Over a decade of experience with customized solar solutions that integrate with home architecture.
• Focus on EnergycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWisconsin statewide energy program offering up to $2,400 in rebates for residential solar installations. Provides cash rebates of up to $500 and additional incentives for solar systems installed through the program.
• Clean Energy Credit UnionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides low-interest loan financing options allowing Madison homeowners to finance 100% of solar installation costs. Enables broader accessibility to solar adoption through favorable lending terms.
• Madison Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with MadiSUN to host solar walking tour events at the Pinney branch library location, providing community education about residential solar installations.
• Dane CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with Madison and RENEW Wisconsin on solar walking tour events showcasing residential solar electric installations in Madison neighborhoods.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Solar United Neighbors: National nonprofit that organizes solar group purchase programs across multiple states. Directly comparable community-led group-buy model for residential rooftop solar with vetted installer partnerships.
• GRID Alternatives: Nonprofit making solar accessible to low-income and underserved communities through installer partnerships and grant-funded installations. Comparable model of community-organized solar deployment with workforce and equity focus.
• Re-volv: Nonprofit that crowdsources community funding for solar projects through a revolving fund model. Comparable mission of expanding distributed solar access via community-based financing and education.
• Co-op Power: Community energy cooperative organizing group purchasing for renewable energy and weatherization. Directly comparable cooperative/membership-driven approach to aggregating residential solar demand.

Others

• EnergySage: Online solar marketplace connecting homeowners with vetted installers and incentives. Thematically adjacent as a solar education and contractor-vetting platform but not a direct competitor in group-buy administration.
• Generate Capital: Sustainable infrastructure investor and project developer focused on distributed clean energy. Thematically adjacent in distributed solar and community-scale project finance but not a direct group-buy operator.
• Vote Solar: Solar advocacy organization working on state-level policy for distributed solar. Thematically adjacent in solar market development without direct residential installation services.

Broad incumbents

• Sunrun: Largest U.S. residential solar installer offering leases and PPAs nationally. Overlaps in the residential rooftop solar customer segment but operates as a broad commercial player with nationwide scale and different business model.
• Tesla Energy: Major residential solar and battery storage provider with Powerwall integration. Comparable customer segment with broader product portfolio (solar, storage, EV) and substantially larger national reach.

Regional players

• NY-Sun (NYSERDA): New York state's flagship residential and commercial solar incentive program administered by NYSERDA. Comparable municipal/state-sponsored program promoting distributed solar adoption through incentives and contractor networks in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MadisunGoesSolar
• Instagraminstagram.com/madisungoessolar

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 MadiSUN