SunPower Acquires Sunder Energy, Becomes 5th-Largest U.S. Residential Solar Company, Doubling Salesforce To 1,734 Reps

SunPower, a leading solar technology, services, and installation company, has completed its strategic acquisition of Sunder Energy, a top residential solar sales company. The acquisition positions SunPower as the fifth-largest company in the U.S. residential solar market by installed megawatts, according to data from Ohm Analytics. The acquisition immediately boosts SunPower’s revenue to pre-ITC levels and is expected to generate record operating income in the fourth quarter of 2025. The deal brings Sunder’s 893-person 1099 dealer sales force under SunPower’s management, supported by only 20 permanent Sunder employees who have already joined the company.

SunPower CEO T.J. Rodgers described the acquisition as transformational, noting that the combination of a highly efficient, low-overhead sales team and Sunder’s advanced sales management processes will drive rapid growth and profitability. Sunder President Eric Nielsen expressed enthusiasm about the integration, highlighting strong interest from Sunder salespeople in joining the combined organization. Since the acquisition announcement, 72 sales team invitations have already been issued, positioning SunPower for accelerated market expansion across the U.S.

The acquisition process was carefully designed to retain Sunder’s independent 1099 salesforce while integrating their systems and processes. SunPower conducted a one-quarter trial with 64 Sunder deals to study how their sales team interacted with SunPower’s systems, ensuring a smooth transition. The acquisition effectively doubles SunPower’s salesforce from 841 to 1,734 representatives while adopting Sunder’s sales software and methods.

Rodgers emphasized that the integration leverages lessons from his previous experience at Cypress Semiconductor, where 26 company acquisitions were successfully integrated using a structured playbook. SunPower has established a 10-person leadership team overseeing 10 integration tracks, each managed by paired senior managers from both companies. In just one week, a database of 60 integration deliverables has been created, expected to grow to approximately 310 deliverables within a month.

The full integration, including all permanent Sunder employees, is projected to be complete within a quarter, capturing the full value of the acquisition for shareholders. Rodgers concluded that the careful planning and rapid execution of the Sunder acquisition demonstrates SunPower’s ability to integrate strategic assets efficiently, replicating the success of previous acquisitions while accelerating growth and operational performance.