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Community Solar Development

Unleashing the
Power of Solar
Across America

We develop and acquire high-quality community solar projects across strategic U.S. markets — partnering with landowners, cooperatives, and utilities from site control through commercial operation.

Learn What We Do Talk to Our Team
500+
MW Developed & Sold
141
Projects Completed
8
U.S. States
150+
MW in Pipeline
Who We Serve

Clean energy solutions
for every stakeholder

Cooperatives & Municipal Utilities

Deliver safe, affordable, carbon-free electricity to your members by adding solar + storage to your energy mix. We handle the complexity so you can focus on your community.

Explore Partnership →

Commercial & Industrial

Community solar and VPPA projects give businesses real opportunities to reduce energy costs, meet sustainability targets, and lock in predictable long-term pricing.

Commercial Solutions →

Residential Subscribers

Families and individuals can participate in community solar without rooftop equipment — simply subscribe and receive credits directly on your electric bill.

Learn More →

Landowners

Create stable, long-term cash flow from your property while delivering lasting environmental benefits to your community. Our program offers competitive lease rates and a streamlined process from start to finish.

Talk to Our Land Team →
About Us

Built on integrity,
driven by mission

Sunrise Energy Ventures is an originator and developer of high-value solar and battery energy storage assets. Since inception in 2014, Sunrise has developed and sold over 500 MW of solar and storage across the country — with experience owning projects during every phase of the lifecycle, including development, construction, and long-term ownership.

We work across the full development lifecycle — from initial site identification and landowner engagement through interconnection, permitting, financing, and construction. Our team brings deep expertise in each phase, allowing us to de-risk projects and create lasting value for all partners.

Our Mission

We develop exceptional quality solar, storage, and solar + storage projects that provide communities with clean, affordable energy and investors with a predictable ROI.

I

Honest & Transparent

Our relationships are based on trust built over decades in the energy business. We are honest, transparent, and ethical in everything we do.

II

Respectful of Others

We treat every partner, landowner, and community member with the same respect that has defined our relationships since day one.

III

Regulatory Compliance

We follow all laws and regulations across every market we operate in — no shortcuts, no compromises.

IV

Fulfilling Commitments

We deliver on our promises to investors, landowners, utilities, and communities — every project, every time.

Our People

Leadership

Dean Leischow

Dean Leischow

Chief Executive Officer

Dean is a seasoned professional with over 38 years of industry experience and 15 years as CEO of Sunrise, helping create over 150 individual solar projects across the U.S.

Joe Tierney

Joe Tierney

Chief Operating Officer

Joe has over 17 years of experience in solar development and energy management, bringing both practical expertise and intellectual command to every project at Sunrise.

Michael Cathcart

Michael Cathcart

VP, Community Solar

Michael has over 7 years of solar development experience paired with a 10-year background in business development and marketing — a strategic thinker who efficiently achieves project deliverables.

Joel Cipcic

Joel Cipcic

VP, EPC

Joel has over 16 years of construction and operations expertise in the Utility Electric Power industry, specializing in solar, wind, substation, and transmission line facilities.

Blake Leischow

Blake Leischow

Land Acquisition

Blake specializes in identifying, evaluating, and securing land parcels for solar development — negotiating contracts, managing due diligence, and optimizing land use for solar feasibility.

TJ Ozomoru

TJ Ozomoru

Land Acquisition

TJ brings 9 years of renewables experience specializing in land acquisition and community solar development across the U.S.

Track Record

A decade of proven results

Sunrise Energy Ventures has developed and sold over 500 MW of solar and storage across the country since inception in 2014 — with direct experience owning projects during every phase of the lifecycle, including development, construction, and ownership. We have a proven track record of executing value-accretive asset dispositions with a broad range of counterparties across an array of deal structures.

SEV has successfully sold 141 projects representing 583 MW across 8 different energy markets in its history, and maintains an active pipeline of 33 projects totaling 155 MW across 5 states. Structured financing partnerships — equity, debt, and hybrid — have allowed Sunrise to expand its portfolio without diluting founder equity.

500+

MW Developed & Sold

141

Projects Completed

150+

MW Active Pipeline

Minnesota
93 MW

50 completed projects — our deepest market and home state.

Illinois
52 MW

26 completed projects across Illinois energy markets.

Texas
350 MW

1 major project sold through JV — one of our largest single transactions.

Tennessee
38 MW

2 completed projects; 4 more in active pipeline totaling 17 MW.

Indiana
28 MW

3 completed projects including one of the Midwest's largest installations.

Wisconsin
95 MW

19 projects currently in active development pipeline.

New Mexico
54 Installs

5 MW across 54 VNM installations — first of their kind with Xcel Energy.

North Carolina
8 MW

4 completed projects under TVA and Duke Energy Progress programs.

Project Photographs
Sunrise solar installation — Indiana aerial Solar panel rows aerial view Solar project site aerial Community solar farm aerial Solar array overhead
>
Portfolio

Current & Past Developments

Construction · Aug 2027 COD

Ice House Solar 2, LLC

1 MWac community solar project in Minnesota serving Xcel Energy territory. Single-axis tracking, IA executed, FNTP August 2026 with commercial operation targeted August 2027.

Minnesota 1 MWac Xcel Energy
Advanced Development · Apr 2028 COD

Ice House Solar 4, LLC

1.5 MWac project on 14 acres in Minnesota. SIS complete, facilities study pending. Lease executed at $1,900/acre/year with 2.5% escalator. FNTP September 2026.

Minnesota 1.5 MWac Xcel Energy
Construction · Aug 2027 COD

Butterfield Solar

1 MWac project on 8 acres with IA signed and PIS Q1 2027. Lease executed at $1,000/acre/year. Single-axis tracking with 1,620 kWh/kW production yield.

Minnesota 1 MWac Xcel Energy
Active Pipeline · 19 Projects

Wisconsin Community Solar Portfolio

19 projects totaling 95 MW currently under development statewide — our largest active pipeline by project count, targeting cooperative utility offtake.

Wisconsin 95 MW 19 Projects
Active Pipeline · 4 Projects

Tennessee Solar Portfolio

4 projects totaling 17 MW in active development in Tennessee, building on Sunrise's existing 38 MW of completed TVA-territory projects.

Tennessee 17 MW Pipeline TVA
Active Pipeline · 5 Projects

Maryland Distributed Generation

5 projects totaling 19 MW in active development across Maryland — a new market for Sunrise representing our continued geographic expansion.

Maryland 19 MW 5 Projects
Completed

Indiana Utility-Scale Portfolio

40 MW developed across multiple installations — the largest solar installation in the Midwest at the time of development. Equivalent to sequestering carbon across 22.6 acres of U.S. forest annually.

Indiana 40 MW Utility Scale
Completed

New Mexico Virtual Net Metering Portfolio

54 installations across New Mexico — the first virtual net metered projects with Xcel Energy in the state. Each installation carries its own grid interconnection, packaged and sold as a single contracted portfolio.

New Mexico 54 Installs Xcel Energy
Completed

North Carolina Dual Portfolio

14.4 MW across two completed portfolios — the first using TVA's standard offer program, the second under Duke Energy Progress CSP-27. First series among the original projects developed under TVA's program.

North Carolina 14.4 MW TVA · Duke Energy
Landowner Calculator

What could your
land be worth?

Solar land leases offer predictable, long-term income regardless of crop prices, weather, or commodity markets. Enter your acreage below for an instant estimate of what a Sunrise lease could mean for your property.

Typical Lease Terms

25–30 year term · Annual payments with escalator · No farming required · Land returned after term

50 acres
$50,000
Est. Annual Income
$1.5M+
Over 30-Year Term

✓ Your acreage meets our minimum site size. Minnesota is one of our most active markets.

Estimates based on typical market rates. Actual rates vary by location, acreage, and project specifics.

Your land could power
thousands of homes.

Over 500 MW developed
across 8 U.S. states

From site control through commercial operation — Sunrise has the experience, the relationships, and the track record to get projects built.

Start a Conversation
What Landowners Say

Trusted by landowners
across the country

Working with Sunrise was straightforward from start to finish. The lease payments have been consistent and the team has been responsive every step of the way.

M
Minnesota Landowner
40-acre solar lease

We were skeptical at first, but the Sunrise team answered every question patiently. Now we have stable income from land that was sitting idle for years.

R
Indiana Landowner
28-acre solar lease
Get In Touch

Let's start a conversation

Whether you're a landowner, utility, commercial subscriber, or capital partner — we respond to every inquiry within one business day.

Location601 Carlson Pkwy, Suite 1050
Minnetonka, MN 55305
Emaildean@sunrisenrg.com  |  joe@sunrisenrg.com
Phone(612) 293-9900

We respond to all inquiries within one business day.

Sunrise Land Team

Ask about leasing your land for solar