JP Electric & Solar founders Jesse and Ann Pacheco started the firm in 1978 as an electrical contracting company, but have expanded into the solar industry.

A view of the SunPower E-Series Helix Tracker Systems at Mid Summer Farms in Hanford, California.

When JP Electric & Solar launched in 1978 as JP Electric, the husband-and-wife team of Jesse and Ann Pacheco focused on providing electrical services for new commercial construction. In the past decade, though, they have become increasingly invested in the solar industry.

“We were inspired to add the solar part of the company in 2009,” Ann says, “after my husband was doing an electrical project and saw the poor quality of solar work while he was installing electrical. We knew that we could do better work than what we saw being installed.”

Today, the bulk of the firm’s business focuses on providing solar panels and installation to commercial, residential and agricultural clients to help them maximize energy efficiency and see bigger savings by using solar energy. Through planning and building staff, the company is prepared to double its sales volume over the next two years serving solar needs for California’s Central Valley and Central Coast.

The company’s commercial solar division offers complete solar and battery storage solutions and installs solar rooftop, ground mount, tracking systems, carports and other solar structures. “Our experience includes installations for small-business owners and large-scale commercial systems,” says Ann, President of JP Electric & Solar, based in Visalia, California. “Our team has decades of knowledge and will design and build systems to the industry’s highest standards.”

The company installs SunPower solar panels and is a SunPower Elite Dealer, which means the company installs the highest efficiency solar. The company completed a rigorous selection and training process in design and installation to achieve a SunPower Dealer partnership and is required to maintain exceptionally high levels of customer satisfaction, performance design, quality and service, which, as Ann notes, is quite an achievement.

According to Ann, “SunPower is the industry’s leading solar manufacturer and produces the most powerful solar. On March 5, 2019, SunPower announced the release of the new A-Series 415-watt solar panel. This is a huge jump in efficiency.”

Guiding Consumers

The firm continues to transition toward more solar projects, limiting the number of electrical projects.

“Our work culture is one of integrity and teamwork, while taking an educational approach to empower consumers to make the best choice when going solar,” Ann explains. “We recently wrote our third edition to our solar buyer guides—one for residential consumers and one for commercial customers—to help them navigate the technical process of buying solar and how to work through multiple quotes for the best solution.”

They created the solar buyer’s guide after hearing horror stories from customers who made bad buying decisions because they didn’t know better, Ann says. “That influenced the JP Electric & Solar team to take an educational approach because the average consumer doesn’t know what they don’t know, and many are taken advantage of,” she says.

The firm’s in-house engineering team drafts a set of custom blueprints based on the customer’s goals, architecture and electrical infrastructure. The custom plan allows customers to get the best return on their investment by energy offset, government rebates and local subsidies.

There are multiple ways to use solar, including tracker systems that combine high-performance, high-efficiency panel technology, single-axis tracking, comprehensive warranties and operations and maintenance services to maximize energy production. That means more savings on electric bills now and in the decades to come with a 40-year use life for solar panels, Ann says.

Carports are another innovative way to bring solar savings to customers with little to no roof space. Carports can be constructed using almost any type of solar panel and can be built to virtually any dimension. Similarly, a shade structure canopy is composed of the solar panels being used as roofing material. These systems can be used to cover equipment and livestock or as patio covers.

Ann says that ground-mount solar can be an effective product to use if the business, farm or homeowner has the space to accommodate it. Not only can the system be built for optimum tilt and azimuth for best production, it is also easier to clean and maintain the panels. Additionally, the Helix Roof system—designed by SunPower—is a fully integrated solution designed for efficiency, reliability and rapid installation so customers can quickly realize the benefits of solar with minimal business disruption.

No Shortcuts

“We put our customers first,” Ann says. “We are perfectionists, and our installers and electricians take great pride in their work. We always strive for the most aesthetically pleasing and efficient design. We’ve driven past homes or businesses with solar panels, and when we see crooked rows of panels or exposed pipes and wire, it is frustrating because we would never do that to a client.”

The quality workmanship comes from hiring and retaining highly skilled people, she says. One of the team’s leading certified electricians has been working for the firm for 19 years.

“Everyone on our team feels a part of the organization, and they know we have high standards, a good reputation and we do things right the first time. If you do things right and efficiently, people appreciate it and refer you,” Ann says. “And our employees know that every part of the team is an important part of the complex process, from answering the phone, to design and estimating, the sales process, installation, interconnection and monitoring the systems production.

Looking Ahead

The company has been intentional in its growth efforts, Ann says, by carefully adding staff to the current group of about 30. The firm recently relocated to a larger facility with higher visibility. The company has added a marketing team and has a list of commercial projects scheduled.

To reach that goal of doubling solar sales volume, Ann anticipates more projects with car dealerships, hotels, medical buildings, multifamily housing and manufacturing facilities. “Finance options have changed over the last two years, and now both small and large commercial customers can benefit from solar without the large outlay of cash,” Ann says. “We have several options with no money out of pocket with lease, loan and solar purchase power agreement (PPA) options.

“The bottom line for most of our customers is saving money,” Ann says. “Some want to be more sustainable and help the environment, but it can be a really sound investment and green, too.”