California-based solar project design and installation firm RP Construction Services, Inc. (RPCS) is proud to announce their completion of more than 1GW of solar projects.
For RPCS, 2019 was a record year. The company 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.
“We’re thrilled to reach this gigawatt milestone—almost 400 projects of hard work and great memories, with many more to come,” says RPCS Chief Sales Officer Alex Smith.
Installing both individual projects and national portfolios, RPCS continues to establish itself as a relationship-based company focused on long-term partnerships—with customers, partners, and employees alike.
“The numbers are fun to celebrate, but the meaningful part is that our company has grown to well over 150 individuals, all dedicating their careers to our single focus of being the best team in the solar industry. In the next five years, we’ll see our numbers grow even more because our focus won’t ever change,” says Smith.
Headquartered in Monterey, California, RPCS provides leading turnkey design, engineering, and installation services for ground mount solar projects throughout the United States. The team specializes in site layout optimization, ancillary engineering services, tracker and foundation procurement, and complete mechanical installation. RPCS’s experience in the ground mount utility and distributed generation market ensures reliable support at every step of the project, delivering an unmatched level of quality and efficiency.
Despite market holdup due to the uncertainty surrounding tariffs and the stepdown of the solar investment tax credit, RPCS successfully grew its pipeline for 2019, 2020, and 2021. Early this 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.
Concurrently, RPCS implemented their Safe Harbor strategy to help project developers, financers, and owners to take advantage of the highest possible ITC rate for projects built in the coming years. Their strategy allows customers to realize savings by both purchasing solar tracker materials directly from RPCS as well as storing them safely and cost effectively in RPCS’s storage facilities to serve projects nationwide.
Among other notable achievements this year 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.
“Its’ an exciting time. The industry is thriving,” says RPCS CEO Eben Russell. “We feel a forever shift has happened, that a world that runs on renewable energy is now a matter of when, not if. Our team, at every level, continues to have enthusiasm to evolve, innovate, and refine. To our customers, vendors, and especially our employees, both past and present, thank you!”
With 2020 on the horizon, the company remains more committed than ever to advancing the growth of solar energy—for the next gigawatt and beyond.
RP Construction Services, Inc. designs and builds ground mount solar projects. With over 360 projects and more than 1GW completed or under construction throughout the United States, RPCS provides full turnkey service and support for solar tracker projects, 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.
Ahead of the show’s start, RPCS members participated in the Run with the Sun 5K on Monday, spending the morning with 1,000 of their fellow solar friends. It was an exciting start to the week, with waterfalls and inclines leading to a spectacular sunrise over Salt Lake City.
On Monday night, RPCS was among the honorary guests in attendance at the Top Solar Contractors Gala, hosted by Solar Power World, where they were presented with an award for achieving a rank of No. 15 overall on the Top Solar Contractors list. Among their other rankings, RPCS placed No. 1 in the state of Georgia, No. 15 Utility Contractor, No. 4 Installation Subcontractor, and No. 11 Contractor in their home state of California.
Throughout the show, there was lots of talk about RPCS’s Safe Harbor strategy with the end of the year–and the phase out of the solar investment tax credit–on the horizon. Earlier this summer, RPCS detailed their Safe Harbor strategy to allow project developers, financers, and owners to benefit from this year’s 
