Lightstar Renewables
Lightstar Renewables is a Boston-based independent power producer that develops, builds, owns, and operates community solar, agrivoltaics, and battery storage projects across 12+ US states, serving landowners, residential and small-business subscribers, and municipalities, and is owned by Eagle Creek Renewable Energy / Ontario Power Generation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Lightstar Renewables does
Lightstar Renewables is a Boston-based independent power producer (IPP) founded in 2019 by Paul Wheeler. The company develops, builds, owns, and operates three integrated clean-energy product lines: community solar projects that allow residents, businesses, and public entities to subscribe and receive savings on utility bills without rooftop installation; agrivoltaics and dual-use solar projects that co-locate energy generation with crops, livestock grazing, and pollinator habitats using single-axis tracker systems with 16 ft row spacing engineered for farm equipment; and battery energy storage solutions intended to provide resilient clean power and grid stabilization. Underlying technology is conventional and standardized (single-axis trackers, standard equipment, pollinator-friendly seed mixes with pre/during/post soil testing), with the principal proprietary elements being the agrivoltaic system design and a subscriber-acquisition partnership with Arcadia that connects over 200,000 homes to community solar farms via zip code and utility details.
The business model combines three revenue streams: recurring revenue from community solar subscriptions, recurring land-lease payments from ~40-year landowner agreements, and managed-services-style revenue from developing, constructing, and owning projects long-term as an IPP. Customer segments are landowners (farmers/families hosting projects), community members (residential and small-business subscribers), municipalities (host communities receiving tax revenue), and developers (potential co-development partners). Lightstar's GTM blends direct landowner engagement, consultative municipal relationships, government program participation (e.g., NJ Dual-Use Pilot), and Arcadia's PLG-style platform for subscribers. Since March 2024 the company has been a portfolio company of Eagle Creek Renewable Energy (a wholly owned subsidiary of Ontario Power Generation), which provides balance-sheet financing and long-term asset management.
By the most recent disclosures, Lightstar has developed or has in development over 1 GW (with a pipeline exceeding 1,200 MW) across 12+ states including New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Colorado, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, Wisconsin, and New Mexico. Named customers and projects include DiMartino Farm (Plains Road Agrivoltaics, NY), Nesler Road Solar LLC (4.95 MW Illinois hay project), Town of Ulster NY (Tuytenbridge Road), Lewistown/Fulton County, Detroit Solar Neighborhoods, and eight conditional awards totaling 27.3 MW under NJ Solar 2000 LLC in New Jersey's Dual-Use Solar Pilot.
Lightstar Renewables firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lightstar Renewables
- Legal name
- Lightstar Renewables LLC
- Website
- https://lightstar.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Lightstar Renewables is a Boston-based independent power producer that develops, builds, owns, and operates community solar, agrivoltaics, and battery storage projects across 12+ US states, serving landowners, residential and small-business subscribers, and municipalities, and is owned by Eagle Creek Renewable Energy / Ontario Power Generation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lightstar Renewables industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Solar Development
- NAICS
- Solar Electric Power Generation (221114), Electric Power Generation (22111)
- SIC
- Electric Services (4911), Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Solar Project Development & IPP (Utility-Scale & Rooftop) (EUAMABAA)
Keywords
Where Lightstar Renewables is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Lightstar Renewables business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Community Solar Subscriptions: Lightstar develops, builds, and operates community solar projects. Local residents, businesses, and public entities subscribe to projects and receive direct savings on their utility bills. The company generates revenue from the electricity generated by these projects.
- Land Lease Agreements: Lightstar provides landowners with reliable income streams through land lease arrangements for solar project hosting. These agreements help mitigate annual crop risks and provide financial stability for landowners.
- Project Development and Ownership: As an independent power producer (IPP), Lightstar develops, constructs, and owns solar projects long-term, generating revenue from energy sales and project operations.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Lightstar Renewables product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lightstar Renewables is an independent power producer (IPP) that develops, builds, owns, and operates community solar, agrivoltaics, and battery energy storage projects across the United States. The company partners with landowners for land leases, develops dual-use solar projects that co-locate agriculture with photovoltaic generation, and sells electricity subscriptions to local residents, businesses, and municipalities. With over 1 GW of projects completed or in development since 2019, Lightstar operates across 12+ U.S. states and is backed by Eagle Creek Renewable Energy and Ontario Power Generation.
Product overview
Lightstar Renewables is an independent power producer (IPP) that develops, builds, and operates three interconnected clean energy product lines: community solar projects that provide energy savings to subscribers, agrivoltaics and dual-use solar that combines agricultural production with solar energy generation, and battery energy storage solutions that deliver resilient clean power. With over 1 GW developed since 2019, their portfolio spans multiple states and serves landowners (through partnership and leasing programs), community members (via subscriptions), municipalities, and developers. The company operates a full lifecycle model from land acquisition through construction and long-term ownership and operation, backed by parent company Eagle Creek Renewable Energy and grandparent Ontario Power Generation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Community Solar Projects
- Agrivoltaics & Dual-Use Solar
- Battery Energy Storage Solutions
- Landowner Partnership Program
- Municipal Solar Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1 GW of projects developed since 2019
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Lightstar Renewables
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Lightstar Renewables technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature3 records
Lightstar Renewables partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ArcadiacoreArcadia is a climate technology company that provides customer acquisition and management services, connecting over 200,000 homes to community solar farms. Their platform enables consumers to connect using just zip code and utility details. The partnership helps connect underserved communities to Lightstar's clean solar energy projects.
- American Farmland TrustcorePartnership to promote regenerative agricultural practices through agrivoltaics across the US. American Farmland Trust is a key partner in advancing smart solar practices that protect farmland while enabling clean energy deployment.
- Colorado Agrivoltaic Learning Center (CALC) / Jack's Solar GardenminorLightstar sponsors the Colorado Agrivoltaic Learning Center (CALC), an initiative of Jack's Solar Garden, as a Gigawatt Level Sponsor. CALC educates stakeholders about integrating sustainable agricultural land use management and clean energy generation.
- Renua EnergyminorRenua Energy partnership helps landowners keep their land in the family while earning reliable passive income through community solar.
- Solar Agricultural Services, Inc. (SolAg)minorAgricultural consultant on the Plains Road Agrivoltaics project in Montgomery, NY, providing expertise in integrating farming with solar energy production.
- Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT)minorLightstar volunteers at MCHT's Aldermere Farm and Erickson Fields preserves, supporting agricultural conservation and community education in Maine.
- Gallup SolarminorPartnership with Gallup Solar to support Navajo Nation members' access to solar energy, including rooftop installations and certificate training programs. Lightstar provides annual financial commitment over three years to double installation efforts.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Lightstar Renewables competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Nexamp: Nexamp is one of the largest community solar developers and owners/operators in the US, with a multi-gigawatt pipeline across the Northeast and Midwest. Like Lightstar, Nexamp builds, owns, and operates community solar projects serving subscribers, landowners, and municipalities through full-lifecycle development.
- Cypress Creek Renewables: Cypress Creek Renewables is a leading community and utility-scale solar developer/owner-operator with projects across the Eastern US. It directly competes with Lightstar for community solar pipeline, EPC resources, and landowner agreements in overlapping Northeast/Mid-Atlantic markets.
- Summit Ridge Energy: Summit Ridge Energy owns and operates the largest portfolio of community solar projects in the US, with over 250 MW operating and a multi-state footprint. It is a direct community-solar peer, competing for subscribers and project awards in many of the same states as Lightstar.
- Solar Landscape: Solar Landscape is a community solar developer focused on rooftop and brownfield projects in New Jersey and adjacent states. It overlaps directly with Lightstar in NJ community solar awards and landowner/subs go-to-market.
- Dimension Energy: Dimension Energy is a community solar developer/owner-operator with projects in Illinois, New York, and other Midwest/Northeast markets. It directly competes with Lightstar for community solar capacity, project awards, and Arcadia-style subscriber acquisition.
- Nautilus Solar Energy: Nautilus Solar Energy is a community solar and distributed generation IPP with a multi-state portfolio. It is comparable to Lightstar as a full-lifecycle developer/owner/operator competing in similar Northeast and Midwest community solar markets.
- Amp Solar Group: Amp Solar Group is a North American community solar and utility-scale developer/owner-operator with projects across multiple states. It is a comparable community solar peer, especially in Illinois and NY where Lightstar also has pipeline.
- U.S. Light Energy: U.S. Light Energy is a New York-based community solar developer/owner-operator with projects in NY and other Northeast states. It is a direct peer competing for the same community solar subscriber pools and project awards as Lightstar.
Emerging players
- Infrasol Capital: Infrasol Capital is a community solar financier and developer focused on LMI subscribers in underserved markets. While smaller in scale, it overlaps with Lightstar's community-solar subscriber-acquisition and low-to-moderate income focus.
Broad incumbents
- Clearway Community Solar: Clearway Energy Group operates one of the largest renewable energy generation portfolios in the US, including community solar assets via its Clearway Community Solar subsidiary. It is a broader incumbent with overlapping community solar capabilities and significantly greater capital scale than Lightstar.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Lightstar Renewables social profiles
Digital presenceLightstar Renewables financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lightstar Renewables leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Lightstar Renewables subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Lightstar Renewables funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lightstar Renewables M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Lightstar Renewables
What does Lightstar Renewables do?
Lightstar Renewables is an independent power producer (IPP) that develops, builds, owns, and operates community solar, agrivoltaics, and battery energy storage projects across the United States. The company partners with landowners for land leases, develops dual-use solar projects that co-locate agriculture with photovoltaic generation, and sells electricity subscriptions to local residents, businesses, and municipalities. With over 1 GW of projects completed or in development since 2019, Lightstar operates across 12+ U.S. states and is backed by Eagle Creek Renewable Energy and Ontario Power Generation.
Is Lightstar Renewables a public or private company?
Lightstar Renewables is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Lightstar Renewables founded?
Lightstar Renewables was founded in 2019.
Where is Lightstar Renewables based?
Lightstar Renewables is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Lightstar Renewables make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Community Solar Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are land Lease Agreements and project Development and Ownership.
Who are Lightstar Renewables's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Nexamp, Cypress Creek Renewables, Summit Ridge Energy, Solar Landscape, Dimension Energy, Nautilus Solar Energy, Amp Solar Group and U.S. Light Energy. Infrasol Capital is listed as an emerging player. Clearway Community Solar is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Lightstar Renewables have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lightstar Renewables.
What industry is Lightstar Renewables in?
Lightstar Renewables's product category is Community Solar Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAMABAA, Solar Project Development & IPP (Utility-Scale & Rooftop). Its NAICS code is 221114 and its SIC code is 4911.