2019 In Review

For RPCS, 2019 has been a banner year.

The California-based solar project design and installation firm completed well over half a gigawatt in 2019 alone—an increase of more than 200% over 2018—and more than 200 projects in 19 different states. To date, RPCS has completed over one gigawatt of projects in 32 different states and Canada.

At the center of their accomplishments this year, RPCS successfully tripled its workforce, welcoming new staff members to help the company expand further into new regions and focus on building larger projects. The hiring of new staff required attention to training and development efforts to allow RPCS to grow safely, without compromising the company’s stellar reputation for quality.

“Employees are the most important asset in our organization,” says RPCS Executive Vice President of Operations Brendan Teague. “That’s why we believe in investing in their safety and development, both of which are foundational to continuing our success in the solar industry.”

RPCS expects the team to continue to evolve, innovate, and refine in the coming year as their pipeline for 2020 takes shape.

Earlier in the year, RPCS began offering customers a stocking services option with the opening of two locations in California and Texas, an endeavor that has already proved advantageous since its initiation in January. Bringing stocking operations in-house gives RPCS added levels of predictability, efficiency, and reliability to their business operations. RPCS is able to control the delivery schedule and material accuracy, eliminating schedule impacts as well as overall inefficiencies.

RPCS concurrently implemented their Safe Harbor strategy to help project developers, financers, and owners take advantage of the highest possible solar investment tax credit rate for projects built in the coming years. Their strategy allows customers to realize savings and maximize ROI by both purchasing materials directly from RPCS as well as storing them safely and cost effectively in RPCS’s storage facilities to serve projects nationwide—safeguarding project pipelines prior to the stepdown of the ITC to 26% beginning in 2020.

 

Among other notable achievements was the company’s recognition as a Top Solar Contractor for the second year in a row by Solar Power World Magazine, the industry’s leading resource for news and information regarding solar PV installation, development, and technology. RPCS achieved a rank of No. 15 overall out of 415 solar companies, moving up on the list from No. 18 the previous year. RPCS holds the reigning position in the state of Georgia at No. 1, in addition to being ranked the No. 15 Utility Contractor, the No. 4 Installation Subcontractor, and the No. 11 Contractor in their home state of California.

RPCS celebrated their landmark year by giving back, increasing involvement in charitable initiatives, namely helping fundraise for eReaders for the solar-powered SEGA Girls School in Tanzania, Africa, and donating to the efforts of the Youth Sports Alliance in support of RPCS Sales Director Jay Miles, whose daughter fights Leukemia with the help of the organization’s Utah chapter.

 

“This is such a great time to be part of RPCS,” says RPCS Chief Sales Officer Alex Smith, reflecting on the year’s successes. “We’ve been adding top talent to our team, building larger and more exciting projects, and we continue to innovate and improve the way companies design and build their single axis tracker projects. We’re very lucky to have such a strong team and a brilliant CEO leading the way.”

 

RPCS’s 2020 forecast is bright, with a number of projects scheduled to begin in early 2020, continuing their momentum and putting the company on schedule for another prolific year ahead.

RPCS Announces Safe Harbor Strategy in Preparation for ITC Stepdown

SAFE HARBOR WITH RPCS

 

July 2, 2019. MONTEREY, CALIF.—RP Constructions Services announced this week their Safe Harbor strategy that will allow project developers, financers, and owners to benefit from this year’s Investment Tax Credit (ITC) rate for projects built in the coming years.

safe harbor rpcs
RPCS’s stocking yard in Bakersfield, California.

Customers can realize savings by both purchasing solar tracker materials from RPCS and storing them safely and cost effectively in RPCS’s two tracker storage facilities, located in California and Texas, to serve projects nationwide.

RPCS’s strategy offers complete flexibility to future projects by selecting components that are universal product parts and aren’t module or project specific. RPCS has the experience of engineering solar tracker projects in-house to give project owners and developers a competitive edge when it comes to planning and purchasing projects in advance in order to obtain the highest value of the ITC.

As Array Technology’s trusted partner for over ten years, RPCS focuses solely on designing and building solar tracker projects using the DuraTrack® HZ v3 to deliver the highest returns through long-term asset performance. Array’s industry-leading design is verified by an unparalleled track record of high uptime, exceptional performance, and zero scheduled maintenance.

RPCS’s Safe Harbor strategy complements their growing suite of turnkey services, including site layout optimization, ancillary engineering, foundation post and tracker procurement, mechanical installation, and tracker commissioning. With over 360 projects and nearly 1GW completed throughout the US, RPCS’s deep history and product knowledge provides customers with a trusted choice for turnkey execution of single axis tracker projects.

“One comment that has been made universally among people we’re engaged with on the Safe Harbor opportunity,” says RPCS CSO, Alex Smith, “is that, financially, it makes too much sense not to pursue. The question is how to keep as few strings attached to the materials in Safe Harbor as possible so that everyone can maintain their flexibility and take advantage of future shifts in technology or project design that aren’t yet known. We’re able to show how the components we recommend accomplish both things: they ensure a successful Safe Harbor program and also keep the project costs down later at the time of NTP. We’re already designing, stocking, and shipping out projects using these components in our two facilities so it’s natural for us to help companies looking to Safe Harbor materials for projects starting in 2020 and beyond.”

By implementing their Safe Harbor strategy, RPCS helps customers secure the highest tax credit rate while minimizing risks from project or technology changes. RPCS has the experience and capabilities to guide this purchasing decision toward components that will not lose their value or become barriers to other BOS selections when the projects are ready to proceed.

 

 

RP Construction Services, Inc. designs and builds ground mount solar projects. With over 360 projects and nearly 1GW completed or under construction throughout the United States, RPCS provides full turnkey service and support for the industry’s most bankable and reliable tracker, the Array Technologies DuraTrack® HZ v3 single-axis tracker, including site layout optimization, ancillary engineering services, tracker supply, foundation post procurement, and complete mechanical installation. For more information about RPCS, please visit rpcs.com or call us at 831.620.2188.