Twenty years ago, Exact solar energy started in Newtown, Pennsylvania, with a single project and the belief that solar energy could make a difference for families and communities. What started as a small family business has grown steadily year after year. Now considered a reliable name working in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, and has been listed for several years SPWs Top Solar Contractors List, Exact Solar celebrates its 20th anniversary. The company has installed more than 20 MW of solar capacity across the region and completed more than 2,500 projects for homes, schools, nonprofits and businesses.
Exact origin of Solar
The original Exact Solar team, pictured in 2018
The story of Exact Solar started with a one-day course, a trip to Central America and an unheated swimming pool. In 2004, Exact Solar co-founders Mark and Dara Bortman moved their young family to Costa Rica for a year. There, Mark worked with a local installer on projects and developed both practical skills and a deep respect for the potential of solar energy.
When the Bortman family returned to Pennsylvania, they saw a gap. People wanted solar pool heaters, but no one offered them locally. They found their first customer, got the job and installed the very first system from Exact Solar. What started as one project quickly grew into many projects.
Because Exact Solar was founded before incentives made solar energy financially attractive, and before aggressive sales techniques began to undermine public trust, Exact Solar built its reputation in a different way. From the beginning, the team was guided by curiosity, a willingness to learn by doing, and a simple promise to always do right by the customer.
“This is a company you would be proud to represent without hesitation. I would sell solar systems to my mother and my sister with Exact Solar. I know the installation team will do a great job and leave the roof and home better than they found it,” said Don Kane, sales engineer at Exact Solar.
Growth over time
A current team photo of Exact Solar
In 2021, after nearly two decades leading Exact Solar, Mark and Dara retired and passed the baton to Doug Edwards, who is now the company’s president. With a background in energy efficiency and renewable energy, Edwards has continued the traditions of quality and customer care on which Exact Solar was built, while bringing a passion for mentorship, career development and team growth.
Under Edwards’ leadership, Exact Solar has grown from a small team of 15 to more than 50 employees. The company has consciously chosen to welcome people who share the same values, passion and dedication that have defined Exact Solar from day 1. That shared dedication is reflected in hundreds of verified five-star reviews.
Along the way, Exact Solar has been recognized locally and nationally, including awards from EnergySage, the Pennsylvania Solar Center, and community favorites like “Best of the Region,” “Best of Bucks County,” and Philly’s Favorite Solar Installer by the Philadelphia researcher. World of solar energy has consistently named Exact Solar a Top Solar Contractor for more than a decade, and the Greater Philadelphia Civic 50 has recognized the company’s impact on the community for four years in a row. These recognitions represent the trust people have placed in Exact Solar, the care the team puts into every project and the difference that trust and care have made over the past twenty years.
“Our mission has never changed,” said Doug Edwards, president of Exact Solar. “Educate first, install with pride and support our customers in the long term. The work is as much about people as it is about the systems we install.”
Education and community
Exact Solar accepts the Greater Philadelphia Civic 50 award
Exact Solar’s mission to educate and empower the community has grown along with the company. Over the past few years, the team has built an extensive library of free online resources accessible to everyone. These materials help people learn how solar energy works, monitor policy changes, and explore whether switching to solar energy can benefit them, all without high-pressure sales techniques. Whether or not someone chooses Exact Solar, the goal is to provide clear, honest guidance so people can make the decision that’s right for their home, business or organization.
This commitment carries over into Exact Solar’s own sales practices, which prioritize an educational, non-pushy approach. The team views every conversation as an opportunity to explore solar energy together and help customers make informed decisions.
Exact Solar is also active in community events and workforce development. Team members regularly participate in local festivals, Earth Day events and school fundraisers, and the company partners with workforce development programs such as OIC Philadelphia to create pathways to careers in clean energy. As the company looks ahead, it plans to expand these efforts, show up, give back and create more opportunities for people to learn about solar energy and participate in the clean energy transition.
Focused on the future
Solar technology continues to evolve, and so do the needs of the communities Exact Solar serves. Rising energy demands from data centers, the growth of electric vehicles and changing policies will bring new challenges, but also create opportunities to make solar energy more valuable than ever. As energy storage, EV integration, and new and innovative financing options become an even bigger part of the conversation, the team at Exact Solar is excited to help their customers navigate these choices with the same care and honesty they have always brought to every project.
The next twenty years will bring changes, just like the past twenty years. Policies will change, technology will improve and the clean energy transition will progress. What will not change is why Exact Solar does this work. From the start, Exact Solar has been about people: customers, team members and the broader community. Each installation represents a family, a school, an organization or a company that has chosen to take a step towards something better. Whether that choice is motivated by lowering energy bills, protecting the planet or achieving energy independence, every decision has played a role in the progress Exact Solar celebrates today.
“We are grateful for the trust so many have placed in us and inspired by the impact we have created together,” said Edwards. “We are more committed than ever to carrying that spirit forward over the next twenty years as we continue to grow, learn and serve.”
