Celebrating Top Solar Companies: Renu Energy Solutions

Like many industries, the solar industry faces a persistent challenge: finding and retaining skilled workers who can grow with rapidly changing companies. While many organizations struggle with high turnover and difficulty scaling their workforce, Renu Energy Solutions has cracked the code on building a culture where employees choose to stay, grow, and advance within the company for years.

Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Renu Energy Solutions has grown into a regional powerhouse with additional brick-and-mortar locations in Asheville and Cary, North Carolina and Columbia, South Carolina. What makes them stand out isn’t just their impressive track record of over 6,500 solar installations across the Southeast, but their unwavering commitment to developing talent from within.

Building Careers While Installing Solar

Brandon Herman, Senior Director of Field Operations at Renu, embodies the company’s promote-from-within philosophy. Starting as an entry-level installer at age 32 after changing careers, Brandon has spent 10 years with the company, working his way up through every level of field operations. His journey reflects what Renu calls “the Renu way” – a systematic approach to professional development that creates clear pathways for advancement.

The company operates on a principle of reciprocal investment, where they match employee commitment with equal company support. This philosophy drives their approach to providing pathways for professional growth at every level, recognizing that meaningful advancement requires genuine investment from the organization.

This isn’t talk without substance. Renu has developed what they call an “opportunity pathway” that clearly spells out expectations, requirements, and compensation for each role from entry-level through leadership positions. Employees know exactly what they need to accomplish to advance, and the company follows through on these commitments.

The Power of Peer Learning

What makes Renu’s approach particularly effective is that every person in field leadership on the residential team started at the ground level. When new hires look around, they see living proof that advancement is possible – colleagues who have walked the same path and can speak authentically about the journey.

“People can see that, and we can refer back to actual practitioners that started where they were,” Brandon notes. “Don’t underestimate how much people actually look up to leaders in an organization and want to follow in their footsteps.”

The company pairs new employees with experienced team members for 4 weeks of intensive mentoring. While not a formal mentorship program, this approach ensures new hires have a consistent point of contact who can guide them through both technical skills and company culture.

Success Stories From the Team

The results speak for themselves. Brandon highlights employees like Elijah Ratliff, now Residential Field Operations Manager, who joined from the Army Reserves five years ago as an entry-level rooftop technician. Despite commuting an hour and a half each way, Elijah advanced to Tech 2 within three months, Team Lead within nine months, then moved through electrical roles before becoming the Residential Field Operations Manager last year. He’s currently preparing to get his unlimited electrical license.

Similarly, Zach Mercer started as an Appalachian State graduate in an entry-level rooftop role and is now an unlimited electrical license holder serving as Field Supervisor for their Asheville office after six years with the company.

“We’ve got multiple instances of folks that have come into the organization as recent college graduates in an entry level role, and now they’re licensed electricians,” Brandon says proudly.

Investment in Professional Development and Recognition

Renu backs up their commitment with real investment. While there are guidelines, the company covers costs for professional certifications including OSHA 10/30, NABCEP credentials, and electrical licensing courses, and provides time for comprehensive manufacturer training. They also require all employees to have OSHA 10 certification before entering the field.

Understanding that recognition is crucial, Renu has developed a hard hat sticker program that has proven highly effective. Employees earn stickers for years of service that they can display proudly on their PPE. The program includes tangible rewards like gift cards and PTO days, distributed through a fun dartboard contest at each office location. Teammates are also recognized for certifications, safety achievements, and peer nominations. 

Looking Beyond Today’s Workforce

Renu’s vision extends beyond their current employees. Brandon is passionate about positioning the company as a platform for workforce development in the broader solar industry. Through partnerships with Solarize the Triad and connections with Appalachian State University’s internship program, they’re working to create pathways for the next generation of solar professionals.

The company recognizes that solar installation work requires dedication and effort, but they’ve proven there’s a clear pathway to building a meaningful career while contributing to environmental progress. This dual purpose – professional growth and environmental impact – creates a compelling value proposition for potential employees.

The Results Speak For Themselves

The proof of Renu’s approach is evident in their retention rates. When you see field technicians with five years of service still actively installing, proudly displaying years-of-service stickers on their hard hats, you know the company is providing professional value that keeps people engaged and building something meaningful.

As the solar industry continues to rapidly change, companies like Renu demonstrate that success goes beyond just generating revenue – it’s about building sustainable organizations where people can grow, advance, and make meaningful contributions to the clean energy transition.

Their formula is straightforward but requires genuine commitment: set clear expectations, provide real pathways for advancement, invest in people’s professional development, recognize achievements, and most importantly, follow through on promises. When companies genuinely walk the walk about developing from within, they create the kind of workplace culture that attracts and retains the skilled workforce our industry desperately needs.

Interested in joining the team at Renu? Check out their Careers page here.