Solar for 45 Million Renters: How Shine Gets Building Owners to Say ”Yes”

Forty-five million Americans live in apartments. Almost none have solar—not because the technology doesn't work, but because building owners pay for installation while tenants get the savings. It's the split incentive conundrum holding the sector back.

Owen Barrett saw this problem when he started investing in apartment buildings. Nobody in multifamily was thinking about energy—just paint colors and new countertops. He tried consulting. Nobody listened. So he raised capital, bought buildings, and installed solar himself.

The breakthrough: software that tracks each tenant's solar usage and bills them for it. Owners earn revenue. Tenants save money.

That became Shine, a company that installs solar on apartment buildings and handles everything from design to maintenance.

Shine went from 100 units in 2024 to 3,000 in 2025, projecting 20,000 in 2026. They're working with two of the five largest apartment owners in America.

Owen and Josh discuss why execution beats innovation, how rising electricity prices make subsidies irrelevant, and why doing what you promise became a competitive advantage.

Show Notes

Guest: Owen Barrett, CEO

Company: Shine

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