Lead generation
Ken is our productLead Generation for Solar Companies
Ken's database lists 233,219 companies that fit the buyer profile for solar companies, as of Oct 17, 2026. With a typical deal of $83,000-$830,000 (estimate) and that many buyers, volume outbound in Campaigns fits best.
Buyer counts come from Ken's company database. Ken is our product.
Search These Buyers in Ken
In short 233,219 companies in Ken's database match this buyer filter, as of Oct 17, 2026.
Ken Search
Query
US companies with 11-5,000 employees with large roofs or land and high power bills: manufacturers, warehouses, farms, property owners, retailers, hospitality and wholesalers.
- Companies in Ken's database
- 233,219
- 11-50 employees
- 177,438
- 51-200 employees
- 41,972
- 201-500 employees
- 8,516
Snapshot of Oct 17, 2026, refreshed weekly. Counts only, no company records.
Who Buys From Solar Companies?
In short Owners of warehouses, factories, cold storage, farms, schools and apartment buildings buy commercial solar to cut electricity costs, and the CFO or owner signs; this page covers that commercial side, not residential solar sold to homeowners.
| Buyer trait | Typical buyer |
|---|---|
| Industries | Warehousing and storage, Manufacturing, Food and beverage manufacturing, Farming, Primary and secondary education, Real estate, Hospitals and health care |
| Company size | 11-50, 51-200, 201-500, 501-1,000 employees |
| Titles to contact | Chief Financial Officer, Owner, Director of Facilities, VP of Operations, Sustainability Director, Asset Manager |
How Many Buyers Can You Reach?
In short 233,219 companies in Ken's database, as of Oct 17, 2026.
233,219 companies in Ken's database match the buyer filter for solar companies as of Oct 17, 2026. The filter: US companies with 11-5,000 employees with large roofs or land and high power bills: manufacturers, warehouses, farms, property owners, retailers, hospitality and wholesalers.
These are companies in Ken's database (250M people and 24M companies), not every company that exists. The count refreshes weekly.
| Employees | Companies | Share of buyers |
|---|---|---|
| 11-50 | 177,438 | 76.1% |
| 51-200 | 41,972 | 18.0% |
| 201-500 | 8,516 | 3.7% |
| 501-1,000 | 2,837 | 1.2% |
| 1,001-5,000 | 2,456 | 1.1% |
Companies in Ken's database. Bands come from each company's listed employee count.
Plays That Work
In short 5 outbound plays for solar companies, each tied to a trigger you can spot.
| Play | Channel | Trigger | Angle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utility rate increase | The state utility commission approves a rate increase for the buyer's utility. | Write to the CFO of a manufacturer or cold storage operator with heavy daytime load about cutting the cost per kWh after the utility raises rates. | |
| Example first lineWith [Company]'s utility rate increase approved, a rooftop system sized to your daytime load is worth pricing against the new tariff. | |||
| New or expanded warehouse | The company buys, builds or leases a large warehouse or distribution building. | Write to the VP of Operations or Director of Facilities about putting the new roof to work before the building fills up. | |
| Example first lineCongrats on the new warehouse - its roof can likely carry a system sized to [Company]'s daytime load, and I can send a layout and estimated output. | |||
| Roof replacement | A roof replacement permit is filed or a roofing project is announced for the building. | Write to the facilities manager while the roof is being replaced, so the panels go on a new membrane and never have to come off for a re-roof. | |
| Example first lineWith a new roof going on [Company]'s building, now is the time to add solar, so the panels never sit on an old membrane. | |||
| New emissions target | Email and LinkedIn | The company publishes a sustainability report or emissions target, or hires a sustainability lead. | Write to the sustainability director about on-site generation toward the target the company just published. |
| Example first lineI read [Company]'s new emissions target, and on-site solar cuts purchased electricity in a way you can report from the first month of operation. | |||
| Farm or food processor expansion | The operation announces a new barn, cold storage building or processing line. | Write to the owner of a farm, dairy or packing house adding cold storage, irrigation pumps or a processing line about solar sized to the new load. | |
| Example first lineThe new cold storage at [Company] adds load that runs all day, which a rooftop or ground-mount system can offset. | |||
Campaigns or 1:1 Accounts?
In short With 233,219 buyers and a typical deal of $83,000-$830,000 (estimate), volume outbound in Campaigns fits best.
| Check | Solar Companies | Points to Accounts (Coming) when |
|---|---|---|
| Typical deal (estimate) | $83,000-$830,000 (installed price of one commercial solar system), midpoint $456,500 | Over $15,000 |
| Buyer companies in Ken's database | 233,219 | Fewer than 25,000 |
| Suggested lane | Campaigns | Both checks pass |
Ken's estimate: a 50-500 kW system at the $1.66 per watt 2024 commercial PV price in the Annual Technology Baseline, which models a 200 kW system. Prices vary with site, equipment and incentives.
Ken's view: when one deal is worth more than $15,000 and there are fewer than 25,000 buyers, each account is worth researching and writing to one by one. Otherwise volume wins: a Campaign of short email and LinkedIn sequences reaches more of the market for the same effort.
Objections
In short What buyers tend to say back to solar companies, and how to answer.
| Objection | How to answer |
|---|---|
| The payback is too long. | Let me run it on your actual bills and rate, not averages. If the payback doesn't work on your own numbers, I'll tell you and we stop there. |
| We lease the building. | Then the owner has to agree, and the lease may need a roof access amendment. I can draft the proposal for your landlord or talk to them directly. |
| We heard the tax credits ended. | The federal investment credit rules changed in 2025. Per the IRS, wind and solar facilities placed in service after 2027 get no credit if construction began after July 4, 2026, so have your tax adviser confirm what your project qualifies for, and I'll show you the numbers with and without it. |
FAQ
How do solar companies get clients?
In Ken's view, on the commercial side, projects come from referrals, energy consultants, roofing contractors and outbound to owners whose bills or buildings just changed. Outbound works when you can point to a reason, like a rate increase, a new building or a roof replacement. This page covers commercial solar; sales to homeowners are outside its buyer counts.
Does the federal tax credit still apply to commercial solar?
Per the IRS instructions for Form 3468, the 2025 law ended the clean electricity investment credit for wind or solar facilities placed in service after 2027 where construction began after July 4, 2026, so a project that starts construction now has to be placed in service by the end of 2027 to qualify. The same law added restrictions related to prohibited foreign entities. The rules on when construction begins are technical, so have the buyer's tax adviser confirm eligibility before a credit goes in your proposal; this is not tax advice.
Which businesses should I target first?
Start with large roofs or open land and heavy daytime use, like warehouses, manufacturers, cold storage, schools and farms. The national lab cost model behind the deal range on this page uses a 200 kW commercial system, so a site that can host that size is a good first filter.
What does the CAN-SPAM Act require of a cold email?
In the US, the CAN-SPAM Act covers commercial email, and the FTC says it makes no exception for business-to-business email. Its requirements: no false or misleading header information, no deceptive subject lines, identify the message as an ad, include your valid physical postal address, tell recipients how to opt out, honor opt-outs within 10 business days, and monitor anyone who sends email on your behalf. Other countries have their own rules. This is general information, not legal advice.
Do This in Ken
Find These Buyers in Ken
Open Ken Search with the buyer filter for solar companies, narrow it to your territory and best-fit size, then send the plays above as a Campaign over email and LinkedIn.
- Search companies with this filter: US companies with 11-5,000 employees with large roofs or land and high power bills: manufacturers, warehouses, farms, property owners, retailers, hospitality and wholesalers. Searching is free.
- Narrow the list to your territory and size band, then pick the titles to contact: Chief Financial Officer, Owner, Director of Facilities.
- Find valid emails at 1 credit ($0.02) each and add the list to a Campaign.
- Module
- Ken Search
- Open in Ken
- /waitlist
- API
POST /v1/search/companies- MCP tool
search_search_companies- Cost
- Free to search, 1 credit ($0.02) per valid email
The new Ken opens to the waiting list in batches.
Related
Sources
| Source | Checked |
|---|---|
| Annual Technology Baseline 2025, Commercial PV | |
| IRS, Instructions for Form 3468 (2025) | |
| FTC, CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business | |
| Ken pricing (credit costs) |
Changelog
- Page published.