Pivot Energy has seen incredible growth throughout our organization this year, and we wanted to take a moment to celebrate all the accomplishments and team collaboration it took to get there. At Pivot, our mission is to fight climate change by leading the transition to an equitable renewable energy economy. By the end of 2024 we anticipate having over 3.5 GW capacity of affordable, renewable energy completed or in development, creating job opportunities in the solar energy industry, making renewable energy accessible to communities nationwide, and more.
Since our inception, we have maintained our mission, values, and standards that make us a certified B Corp. That means bringing transparency to our company and prioritizing our social and environmental impact. This year, we captured new agreements, expanded initiatives, and spread our knowledge and experience to others in the solar industry.
We want to take a moment to celebrate these accomplishments. More importantly, we want to show our gratitude to our entire team – our administrative staff, those engaging with external stakeholders, those in the field, and our senior leaders. They have worked incredibly hard to uphold our values and culture and achieve these milestones. They make it possible to aim for even bigger goals in 2025.
Our mission is to fight climate change by leading the transition to an equitable renewable energy economy.
The companies and organizations we work with make our mission and growth possible. We are proud of our work and are excited to continue making strides as a solar developer. Through our unique approach to each relationship, we build tailor-made multi-product solutions that meet the goals of each partner. This year was critical to that mission, and we are excited about our partnerships.
Particularly momentous were landmark agreements with three Fortune 100 companies. These agreements allowed us to develop large solar projects across several states, support the sustainability efforts of some of the country's biggest companies, benefit local workers, and invest in equitable community initiatives.
We couldn’t be more excited to partner with forward-thinking brands like the ones mentioned here. We are excited to continue this momentum into the new year and continue building on our 2024 success.
Success isn’t just about the partnerships we build or the megawatts we produce. It is also about the initiatives we implement to positively impact the communities where we work and operate.
In 2024 alone, we are on track to donate roughly $450k to about 20 community partners. These donations will reduce the energy burden for low-income families and provide workforce development opportunities for local residents interested in a career in renewable energy. We also seek opportunities to work with land stewardship organizations to strengthen rural communities.
Being headquartered in Denver, we were especially proud to contribute a 50 kilowatt solar array and provide a community solar subscription to Clara Brown Commons, a new affordable housing complex in northeast Denver. Providing equitable energy access to local low- and moderate-income communities and easing their energy burden is an important part of our community engagement mission.
To further our workforce development goals, we launched the Pivot Energy Internship Program. This program gives participants first-hand experience working in the solar energy industry. We aim to cultivate the next generation of solar energy champions who can lead the industry into the future.
At the policy level, we strongly advocated for the passage of Colorado legislation that expanded and improved the state's community solar program.
We take pride in creating a more sustainable future, starting with the people we employ and work with. By reaching out and making a mark in the community, we can expand the knowledge and passion around solar energy.
We don’t silo land where our solar gardens are located just to produce renewable energy. Dual land use is crucial to positively impact the environment around our projects. Through “agrivoltaics” – the practice of combining agriculture and solar photovoltaics – we can maximize the land on which we operate.
We work with local partners to bring livestock to graze on the land where our solar projects stand. This initiative eliminates the need for mechanical moving around the solar arrays and generates additional income for sheep owners. We also develop habitats conducive to pollination by planting native crops and wildflowers. In addition, we partner with apiaries to house bee hives to pollinate the land and produce honey for the apiarist to sell.
The Kacie Peters Solar Project is our crown jewel in land stewardship, embodying our regenerative practices and agrivoltaics. Thanks to Flower Street Farm, our key partner who provides bee colonies, we’ve turned this project into a pollinator-friendly ecosystem.
Beyond the megawatts, local community engagement, and land stewardship, we make our mark on the community through volunteer work, sustainable office practices, and building a company of individuals who share those values.
We strive to engage with the local community in many different ways. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, one of the ways we engage with the community is by volunteering in events and initiatives throughout the state.
This year, we have reached nearly 800 hours of volunteer work across events ranging from prepping gardens to protecting wildlife and volunteering with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Here are several volunteer opportunities our employees participated in this year.
The Pivot team helped prep Sprout City Farms’ Jack’s Solar Garden for Colorado's first frost. Jack's Solar Garden is the largest agrivoltaic research site for vegetable production in the country.
Our leadership team alone possesses profound solar industry expertise. With such a depth of experience, we aim to share their knowledge through conference participation.
This year, our team members attended more than 30 conferences nationwide – from sponsorships, and speaking engagements, to panels. We believe participation and collaboration with fellow industry leaders are of utmost importance.
Annie Lappé, Pivot’s VP of Strategy and Impact, shared her expertise at RE+, America’s largest clean energy conference. She discussed how innovative business models can increase low-income communities' access to solar energy. Mat Elmore, Pivot’s Senior Vice President of Strategic Accounts, spoke at the Net Zero Forum, covering how companies can navigate the evolving renewables procurement landscape using corporate multi-year project development partnerships.
Two members of our leadership team lead discussions at the Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE) Leadership Forum. Melanie Kelly, VP of Marketing and Client Partnerships hosted a workshop about overcoming imposter syndrome for high-achievers. Jackie Murphy, the Chief Legal & ESG Officer at Pivot, led a breakout session on the changing landscapes of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and environment, social, and governance (ESG) that companies navigate today.
If this industry is going to achieve its goals and reach the levels of production needed to address climate challenges, open communication throughout the industry is crucial. We aim to be a leader and voice in the solar community, and sharing our knowledge through workshops and conferences is one piece of that process.
Thankfully, the industry recognizes Pivot’s leaders' contributions. We are thrilled to receive some of the highest honors in the solar industry and the broader renewable energy ecosystem.
Here are the awards we are honored to receive this year:
These individuals exemplify our team's commitment to Pivot’s growth and the solar industry's growth as a whole. When our team wins, we win as a company. This year, we are proud to accept awards recognizing our entire organization.
We would first like to thank everyone who helped us become a recipient of a Silver-Level Certification under the Solar Energy Industry Association’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Certification Program. This program encourages energy companies to implement evidence-based diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice practices within their organizations. We are also thrilled to be recognized as a 2024 Top Solar Contractor by Solar Power World for our dedication to accelerating the clean energy transition towards a more decentralized and equitable future by installing 75 solar projects in 2023 and producing more than 5.2 million kilowatt hours annually.
As we look back on 2024, we are proud of the incredible growth and milestones achieved. From providing affordable, renewable energy to communities and companies nationwide to creating job opportunities and supporting communities where we operate, we’ve expanded our impact in meaningful ways.
We want to close this chapter by expressing our deepest gratitude to our entire team. From those working behind the scenes to our senior leaders and everyone in the field, their dedication to our values and culture has driven our success. It is thanks to them that we are ready to reach even greater heights in 2025.
