Solar Power World, the industry’s leading source for technology, development and installation news, successfully held its first Top Solar Contractors Gala at the Drake Hotel in Chicago on Oct. 21. The event was held to honor the solar contractors that made the 2013 Solar Power World Top 250 Contractors list.
Over 300 people attended the event from around the United States, from New York to Hawaii. The event coincided with the 2013 Solar Power International exhibition with the help of the Solar Energy Industries Association.
“We took great pleasure in recognizing the hard work and dedication of the solar installers who make up the backbone of this industry,” says Frank Andorka, Editorial Director of Solar Power World. “The night was theirs — deservedly so. I’m just glad our magazine could make it happen.”
The companies on the Solar Power World Top 250 Contractors list were compiled through an online application and ranked by megawatts installed in 2012. All companies in attendance at the Gala received an award for making the list. Three specific companies were called on stage to accept awards for ranking first in each solar market segment:
Top Residential U.S. Solar Contractor: OneRoof Energy (35 MW in 2012; San Diego, California)
Top Commercial U.S. Solar Contractor: SolarCity (157 MW in 2012; based in San Mateo, California)
Top Utility U.S. Solar Contractor: First Solar (763 MW in 2012; based in Tempe, Arizona)
First Solar also received an award for Overall Top U.S. Solar Contractor on the Solar Power World Top 250 Contractors list.
Colorado-based Quanta Power Generation was also named Best New U.S. Solar Contractor (since 2008), and Black Rock Solar from Reno, Nev., won a special award for its selfless solar advocacy, installations and education work. Eileen Robertson, widow of former Amonix CEO Brian D. Robertson, presented this award, named for her husband, in memory of the work he did for the solar industry.
Solar Power World would like to thank all companies that helped sponsor the event:
“This is the kind of event that the solar industry needed,” says Christie McCarthy, director of marketing for Creotecc US. “We have Solar Battle of the Bands as the annual industry bash, and now we finally have a quality black-tie affair.”
The 2013 Top 250 Solar Contractors list was released in October and represents companies that have installed more than 7.8 GW of solar capacity combined — 3 GW in 2012 — and employ 73,000 people. The Top 250 Solar Contractors list highlights the accomplishment of contractors across the United States, while also showing how they stack up against one another according to megawatts installed in 2012. The list builds on the 2012 version, which featured 100 companies. The application form for the 2014 Solar Power World Top Contractors list will be available next spring on www.solarpowerworldonline.com.
Solar Fuel Blog says
Congrats to the winners. It’s no surprise that Solar City is on the list. They are everywhere.
Scott Bowden, Solectria says
What a wonderful event. Eileen Robertson’s presentation of the Brian D. Robertson Award was so well received. Congratulations to all the award winners.