To Matt Young and his team at Revolution Solar, everyone deserves to benefit from renewable energy.
“Unfortunately, not everyone can afford the upfront cost of rooftop solar, especially in underserved communities,” said Connor McFadden, Director of Strategy at Revolution Solar, in a recent conversation with Enphase. “We’re trying to change that.”
Since 2017, the installer has deployed approximately 28 megawatts of solar across more than 3,500 residential and small commercial projects in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. With a pioneering business model that improves access to affordable solar solutions, Revolution Solar is leading the way toward an inclusive, equitable clean energy future.
Making solar accessible for all
At the heart of Revolution Solar’s business is its innovative $0-lease program, which removes financial barriers that often prevent underserved communities from accessing solar energy.
“Thanks to local incentives, as well as our in-house expertise and operational efficiencies, we are fortunate to be able to offer homeowners true zero-dollar leases, with no escalator,” explained Connor. “We front the installation cost and handle system maintenance, while our customers enjoy free electricity for the rest of their lives.”
The program is straightforward: Revolution Solar covers all upfront costs to build the system, owns and maintains it throughout the lease term, and then transfers ownership to the homeowner when the lease ends.
Many homes in underserved communities require significant upgrades like roof repairs and electrical fixes, which can present additional financial hurdles to going solar. Revolution Solar includes these necessary home repairs at no initial cost in its lease program, typically amounting to $50-100 per month. This enables homeowners to go solar without the burden of additional upfront costs.
The impact of Revolution Solar’s work is best illustrated through the stories of the families its team serves. One particularly memorable project for Connor involved a family whose home had significant wiring issues. For no upfront cost, Revolution Solar completely rewired the house to meet modern safety standards and installed solar on the roof. “In the end, it amounted to a $30 monthly payment,” Connor said. “These kinds of projects are truly the most rewarding ones for us.”
Building trust through family values
Despite its prominence in the Greater D.C. Area, Revolution Solar maintains a family-owned, grassroots identity with an integrated approach to customer service. “It would be easy to silo employees as we grow,” Connor commented. “But we like everyone to be experts in fostering long-term relationships with our customers.” The company recognizes the unique challenges faced by the communities it serves and prioritizes building trust through transparency, clear communication, and a genuine, personalized experience.
“The reality is that underserved communities have historically been taken advantage of,” Connor noted. “We are sensitive to this and encourage our employees to be proactive with their communication, so our customers understand exactly what we are doing and why, every step of the way.”
“Ours is not a difficult product to sell; you just have to convince people that it’s real and there is no catch to our program,” he added. “It’s pretty special that we get to offer it to our customers.”
A partnership grounded in reliability
A key element in Revolution Solar’s business model has been its strategic partnership with Enphase, which began in 2018. Since Revolution Solar shoulders all upfront project costs and manages systems long-term, the installer wanted reliable technology that wouldn’t require repeated repairs or manual servicing.
“The superiority of Enphase’s products was obvious to us from the start,” said Connor. “The microinverter’s architecture translates to more uptime and better reliability. We trust Enphase microinverters so much that we could connect just about any panel to one with the confidence that it will perform flawlessly.”
“We also love Enphase because it provides the best end-user experience, bar none,” he added. “The Enphase App helps us ‘walk the walk’ by giving us the ability to remotely monitor system performance, anticipate issues, and provide timely support to our clients.”
Starting this year, Revolution Solar will exclusively use American-made Enphase microinverters in all its installations. “Locally produced equipment aligns with our values and mission to support our nearby communities,” Connor commented. “We like that we can tell our customers that along with our expert services, we’ll be providing top-quality equipment that was made just a few hundred miles away.
Powering an equitable and sustainable future
In 2024, Revolution Solar invested in a fully electric fleet of vans, powered in part by Enphase commercial EV chargers. This reduced its environmental footprint and dramatically lowered maintenance costs, eliminating expenses associated with gas, oil changes, and filter replacements.
Looking ahead, Revolution Solar plans to continue to expand its $0-lease program into Maryland and Virginia. As its reach and impact grow, the company remains guided by its founding principle: Everyone deserves to benefit from clean, renewable energy.
