Kailua-based Sunetric, one of Hawaii’s leading renewable energy and solar installation companies, said sales in 2011 rose fivefold to $132 million from a year earlier. Sunetric said it was the company’s strongest year since launching in 2004.

“By focusing on exceptional customer service and the use of the most efficient and affordable photovoltaic modules, we anticipate continued strength in 2012, especially with our expansion to the mainland U.S.,” said Sunetric CEO Alex Tiller.

Sunetric recently became the first and exclusive Hawaii dealer of Suniva, considered one of the most affordable and efficient photovoltaic systems available.

In November, Sunetric opened three new mainland offices in Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh and Denver. Due in part to this expansion, as well as continued growth in Hawaii, the company expects to have 240 full-time employees by the end of 2012, a 71 percent increase from its current 140 employees.

Sunetric installed 505 residential and 42 commercial photovoltaic systems in 2011, which are estimated to generate 45,911 kilowatt-hours daily, totaling $2.3 million in savings per year, bringing its total customer savings for 2011 to $12 million.

Sunetric recently installed its sixth PV system on an auto dealership in the state and second BMW location. The 153-kilowatt solar array at BMW’s 777 Kapiolani Blvd. location will generate more than 21,000 kilowatt hours of energy per month and offset 20 percent of the dealership’s electrical use, saving an estimated 420 barrels of oil annually.

The article may also be read on the Star-Advertiser website.

The U.S. Department of Commerce could enact a tariff on Chinese-made silicon modules and cells as soon as next month that would raise the price of the raw material used for photovoltaic panels by as much as 200 percent. As a result, many Hawaii PV contractors are considering new panel suppliers, and some industry leaders say any increase in prices or disruption of crucial materials will slow the state’s fastest-growing industry.

Sunetric CEO Alex Tiller explained Sunetric’s position:

“Right now we do not offer Chinese-made panels,” said Alex Tiller, CEO of Sunetric, the state’s largest PV provider, according to PBN research. “We pulled back because of this issue, and we have such a variety of other panels we offer.” The dispute began last year when some U.S. PV manufacturers accused Chinese companies of getting subsidies from their government that resulted in unfair competition.

Tiller was also quoted later in the article:

For Kailua-based Sunetric, it expects the tariff to be a nonissue for the local market, except for larger-scale utility work. “Our energy prices in Hawaii are high enough that price parity can be achieved with non-Chinese panels, unlike on the Mainland where they have to have the cheapest panel,” Tiller said. “We’re quite fortunate here that it shouldn’t be a problem, as we have always been a fan of carrying an American-made product.”

The article may be read in full here.

Hawaii’s solar-energy industry had its best year ever in 2011 as the state’s top 25 photovoltaic providers installed about 44,000 kilowatts of solar power, more than double what was reported in 2009.

Revenue also increased by up to 400 percent from 2010 to 2011 for companies such as Sunetric, one of Hawaii’s largest photovoltaic system providers. Sunetric’s revenue increased from $24 million in 2010 to $132 million last year.

The article may be read in full here.

Kailua, HI – February 1st, 2012 – Kupu is proud to announce that Sunetric, Hawaii’s leading solar design and installation company, will continue sponsoring solar installation training for corps members of Kupu’s programs. Kupu seeks to train and educate Hawaii’s youth in the growing green job sector. Having completed orientations on product safety and installation protocol, corps member will be on site all day (8am to 4pm) with Sunetric installation teams on the following days:

• February 1st: Whole Sale Unlimited in Waipahu
• February 8th: residential apartment complex in Makiki
• February 16th: residential apartment complex in Makiki
• February 29th: Pacific Fish Instruction off of Nimitz Highway

If you’re interested in doing a site visit, please contact Laura Poirier, Sunetric Marketing Coordinator, at 262-6600 ext. 233.

This partnership will run until May 11, 2012. Kupu and Sunetric launched a pilot program last year, with Sunetric donating materials and staff time to run weekly labs that introduced corps members to a range of job opportunities at Sunetric, from initial sales to actual installations. After corps members gained foundational skills, they joined Sunetric field crews to assist with residential and commercial installations.

“Kupu is excited to be continuing our partnership with Sunetric,” said Kupu Executive Director John Leong. “Our pilot partnership last year with Sunetric revealed numerous benefits for our corps members including character building as well as on the job skills training; we thank Sunetric for their commitment and look forward to another successful year.”

“Sunetric continues to explore opportunities to invest in our local community” said Sunetric CEO Alex Tiller. “Partnerships with organizations like Kupu is especially important because while we’re providing real life jobs training for corps members, we’re also educating them about the importance of creating a clean, renewable energy future for Hawaii.”

Sunetric is currently conducting a weekly job training class that consists of 10 youth from Kupu programs. The youth receiving this training are being educated on the installation of photovoltaic panels. Members from Kupu’s Urban Corps and Youth Energy Assessment Hawaii (YEAH) programs are gaining a unique experience through this Sunetric training. Provided that positions are available, there may be the possibility of employment when the class is completed.

SunPower Lease is made possible through funding from Citi, the leading global financial services company with approximately 200 million customer accounts in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Because SunPower has over 25 years of experience and a proven record of industry leadership, homeowners can rest assured knowing they will have the best solar technology from one of the most financially stable solar companies in the world powering their home.

SunPower Lease Benefits

• Homeowners are having the planet’s most powerful solar, installed on their home- backed by a financially sound, stable company that is the number one choice of U.S. homeowners and businesses.
• System maintenance, insurance and performance is guaranteed by SunPower.
• Low monthly payments with a zero down option.
• Option to buy your system after six years or at the end of your lease term.
• Most offer the ability to expand your system later to meet your future energy needs (electric vehicles, home addition).
• Flexible end of lease options: Renew the lease, purchase the system, or request removal at no cost.
• Professional installation with the highest standard of quality and customer service from Hawaii’s largest locally owned and operated solar company

In order for Sunetric to earn their Elite Dealer title, they achieved a 90% or greater customer satisfaction scores on past installations and successfully completed two advanced certification courses in topics such as the installation and design of SunPower products. Sunetric has demonstrated its dedication to customer service with fast turnaround on customer inquiries, customer satisfaction tracking, and a post- installation site inspection program.

“SunPower Elite Dealers are selected for their commitment to providing customers with outstanding service in delivering the most efficient and reliable solar technology available today,” said SunPower President Jim Pape. “Together, Sunetric and SunPower Elite Dealers are raising the bar in the solar industry with unparalleled, high quality products and services.”

Partnership offers Hawaii customers one of the highest quality modules on the market made with U.S. technology.

NORCROSS, Ga., Jan 18, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) – Suniva, Inc., a U.S. manufacturer of high-efficiency crystalline silicon solar cells and modules, today announced that Sunetric has been named as Hawaii’s first Elite dealer of the Optimus line of Suniva’s solar modules.

“We’re excited to be Hawaii’s only dealer of Suniva’s modules, which contain some of the most sought after technology in the industry,” said Alex Tiller, Sunetric CEO. “We’re especially proud to be promoting modules made with more than 80 percent American materials. Our customers are the true beneficiaries of this partnership with Suniva, because of their record setting efficiencies and affordability.”

Read the press release in full at WSJ MarketWatch.

Last Friday, we traveled to Waialae Elementary Public Charter School to meet with the students who use the school every day to show them photos of their new PV system and explain how it works, teaching about the importance of renewable energy and why energy conservation is so important to our islands and to the world.

We also kicked off and will be sponsoring a school-wide art and poetry contest and will be awarding students and displaying entries at the school’s annual Fun Fair in February!

The Energy Art & Poetry Contest for the school’s 460 students, from kindergarten to fifth grade. Students will compete on a grade level basis and will be asked to submit either a poster or poem that portrays environmental problems related to energy and what they can do be part of the solution. A Sunetric team will judge the entries and the winner for each grade level will be announced at the school’s annual Fun Fair on Saturday, February 25th; each winner will receive an iPod, courtesy of Sunetric. In addition, the company will donate $500 of referral fees to the school for each Waialae Elementary family that goes solar with Sunetric this school year.

“This partnership with Sunetric enables us to put our words into action and help demonstrate to our students the importance of being socially and environmentally responsible,” said Waialae Elementary School Principal Wendy Lagareta, “and with our recent PV system installation, we want our students to take pride in our school’s efforts in being green.”

The photovoltaic energy system at Waialae Elementary generates an average of 19,500 kWh of electricity per month, yielding monthly savings of nearly $1,000. With energy and cost savings, the school is estimated to prevent annual greenhouse gas emissions from 32 passenger vehicles and CO2 emissions from 375 barrels of oil each year.

“We’re extremely grateful for partnerships such as these. Having the opportunity to educate Hawaii’s youth is a vital step in helping to create a more sustainable future.” — Sunetric CEO Alex Tiller

KHON2: Be Green 2: Public charter school sets example for going green

[Jordan] will be responsible for the management and implementation of the firm’s safety program, including training for employees, equipment inspections, and managing installation processes and procedures to ensure the safety of the team members. Prior to joining Sunetric, Abrell worked for White Construction in Clinton, Indiana.

See the blurb in Building Industry Magazine’s NewsMakers column.

The non-profit Blue Planet Foundation is leading the effort to build an 8-foot diorama of Santa’s workshop and village that will use light-emitting diode or LED lights. The Lego Enthusiasts Association of Hawaii and the University of Hawaii Solar Decathlon Team Hawaii are building the display, which will be powered by a solar panel canopy designed and built by Sunetric. The display will be on the lawn next to Honolulu Hale from Dec. 2 to Dec. 31.

Strategically located regional offices will allow the company to effectively pursue public and private-sector opportunities throughout the country while staying based in Hawaii, where it will continue to grow its existing residential, commercial, and government business.

In addition to installing photovoltaic (PV) solar systems, Sunetric will offer a new range of services on the mainland, including energy audits and total building energy-efficiency upgrades. As the only fully integrated solar company in Hawaii, Sunetric designs, builds and maintains its projects, serving 2,000 customers to date. “There are a growing number of renewable energy opportunities across the country for a company with the experience and versatility of Sunetric,” said CEO Alex Tiller. “We are excited to bring our 8 years of experience to the mainland market and execute renewable energy solutions on a larger scale, while bringing this additional benefit back to Hawaii.”

Sunetric is Hawaii’s solar market leader, with 140 employees and estimated 2011 sales of more than $130 million.

Coverage

• Honolulu Star Advertiser: Sunetric announces mainland expansion
• Pacific Business News: Sunetric starts Mainland expansion
• Denver Business Journal: Hawaiian solar firm Sunetric expands to Denver
• Solar Novus Today: Hawaii’s Sunetric Expands to Mainland
• Energy Boom: Hawaii’s Sunetric Enters Mainland U.S. Solar Market
• Hawaii News Now: Alex Tiller interview on Howzit Howard
• Pacific Business News: My list of the year’s biggest business stories