Sullivan Solar shining at 10-year anniversary

June 5, 2014 10:09 AM PT

By Emily Sorensen

Looking to convert your house to “green” energy? Sullivan Solar might be the answer.

Sullivan Solar, which celebrated its 10th anniversary last month, says it is the largest solar power company in San Diego and one of the largest in California. The company provides solar power equipment and installation to residential, municipal and commercial buildings alike, from the smallest home to the Port of San Diego and SDSU.

It was started in 2004 by owner Daniel Sullivan, a life-long resident of Rancho Bernardo who graduated from Rancho Bernardo High School. After graduating and marrying his high school sweetheart, Sullivan said he needed to find a well-paying job, and began working as an electrician.

“During my training, I learned about solar power,” said Sullivan. “I was dumbfounded that this technology wasn’t everywhere in San Diego county. It’s green, it’s clean and it doesn’t require importing fossil fuels.”

Taking a risk, Sullivan quit his job in 2004 and started Sullivan Solar with only a pickup truck and limited funds. Now, the company has 100 employees, and has its main office in Miramar, and two satellite offices in Riverside and Irvine.

Sullivan Solar provides and designs its equipment for its clients. “We take the project from concept to completion,” said Sullivan. “We custom-tailor [the equipment] to suit the client’s needs.”

The company also provides financing, if the client requires it. “These systems aren’t cheap,” said Sullivan. “But financing over the years is cheaper than sticking with SDG&E.”

Though Sullivan Solar has worked with a number of big names in San Diego, their residential business has also been picking up steam over the years. “We do between 80 and 100 residential homes a month,” said Sullivan. “We’ve grown each year. Sales have increased an average of 40 percent year over year over the past five years.”

Sullivan attributes solar energy’s growth in popularity to word of mouth and growing familiarity in the technology. “When we started the company 10 years ago, solar energy was a novel idea,” said Sullivan, “but one that most people didn’t understand or trust.” As residential solar energy use has grown more common, however, more people are able to see first-hand its effects. “Now in almost every neighborhood, there’s at least one house with solar panels,” said Sullivan. “People are sharing details with their neighbors, and people are jumping on the bandwagon in large numbers. People are fed up with SDG&E continually raising its rates, and solar power gives them an edge over that.”

While there are a lot of solar companies out there, Sullivan said potential buyers should be cautious about what company they use. “Not all solar companies are created equal,” said Sullivan, who said that many use high-pressure tactics to sell solar power to clients.

“We believe that solar sells itself,” said Sullivan. “You just need to educate people about it.” Education of their clients is a main focus for Sullivan Solar employees. “We’ve remained true to our company’s core values,” said Sullivan. “We choose to educate our customers about the costs and benefits of solar power, and about the financing options available to them.”

Sullivan Solar also only employs state-licensed electricians for installation, and uses only quality equipment. “We truly believe in the technology, and what it represents for the community,” said Sullivan.

To find out more about Sullivan Solar, call 858-271-7758 or visit