Vincent Battaglia founded Renova in 2006 upon his return from consulting in Russia on sustainable building practices. While there, he observed firsthand the inefficient centralized delivery of utilities and knew there was a better way. When he returned to the desert, he embarked on his MBA, and the business plan for Renova (short for ”renovable” or “renewable” in Spanish) served as his thesis.
As many great companies have, he began in his garage and grew the company organically, with no outside investment. He struggled through the Great Recession, skilled labor shortages, and regulations introduced by electric utilities, unable to compete with solar’s benefits for several years while the Rooftop Solar Industry found its tipping point.
Fast forward 17 years and Renova Energy is a $70+ million rooftop solar and battery storage company with more than 300 employees that was named to Inc. Magazine’s 500/5000 List of Fastest Growing Privately Held Companies three years in a row. In 2022, SunPower Corporation (SPWR), a billion-dollar American solar industry products and services company, invested in Renova specifically to expand the Renova brand into new markets. Renova has been honored through the past decade as a SunPower Residential National Dealer of the Year, Commercial Dealer of the Year, and Regional Top Producer of the Year, having repeated this honor in 2022, a SunPower Residential Customer Excellence honoree (out of 450 dealers nationwide), and most recently, a 2022 Excellence in Solar Design and Installation award.
Renova Energy also currently sits at #5 in the total volume of kilowatts installed for residential solar in California, according to Solar Power World. Renova is also listed as #22 in the entire nation. Renova was also the first company in the country to be accredited by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) in 2012, following a two-year vetting process. Many local awards and honors have been bestowed over the years as well.
As an employee-centric company that leads to exceptional employee satisfaction, loyalty, and retention, great customer service has garnered the company a 60% referral rate for new business. Renova has also become known as the Desert Solar Specialist, with customized installation methods and materials designed to withstand harsh weather and maximize energy production. This valuable knowledge and know-how have now led Renova to Arizona’s deserts and soon to Nevada’s. Since its founding, Renova Energy has installed more than 70 MW of rooftop solar for both residential and commercial buildings.
Vincent is also the author of the book “Cut the Cord: How to Achieve Energy Independence by Joining the Solar-Powered Microgrid Revolution,“ now in its second edition and available on Amazon.
On a regular basis, Vincent shares his knowledge of the industry with local and statewide elected officials, often collaborating with the California Solar and Storage Association. At the federal level, Vincent also dedicates his time to meeting with members of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucuses and Energy Committee in Washington, D.C.
