NARENCO
Accelerated Estimating and 5x ROI
CASE STUDY
NARENCO is a vertically integrated solar company specializing in the design, construction, and operation of utility-scale solar projects across the United States. Founded in 2009, this industry leader has successfully completed over 800 MW of solar installations, generating enough clean energy to power more than 100,000 homes. Consistently recognized by Solar Power World as one of the most successful construction firms in the United States, NARENCO has built a reputation for delivering projects on time, on budget, and with an unmatched level of quality.
The Challenge
NARENCO’s success was creating its own headaches. Jesse Johnson, the Estimating Manager, watched his engineering team—experts in civil, electrical, and high-voltage—get buried under the workload that came with rapid growth. Traditional workflows were too slow for modern solar development, taking weeks when clients expected answers in days. The options looked pretty binary: either hire more engineers or accept a slower turnaround that could hurt their edge. Manual terrain analysis, electrical calculations, and layout tweaks were eating up time and leaving room for mistakes. Jesse needed a way to move faster without sacrificing the accuracy that had built NARENCO’s reputation.
"Now everything can be done in just a day or two and I don't think that can be beat. I think it's a fantastic software."
The Solution
Jesse first spotted PVFARM in PV Newswire and knew right away it could be a game changer. The platform’s rapid terrain analysis and electrical balance of systems tools replaced hours of manual work with a few clicks. Getting buy-in was about showing it wouldn’t replace the engineering team’s expertise—it would amplify it. Leadership saw the upside too: faster pre-construction workflows, fewer bottlenecks, and all at a fraction of the cost of adding more full-time staff.
Results
The impact was immediate. Jesse cut project timelines by about 50%, shrinking tasks that used to take a week down to a day or two. Early-stage pricing went from a five-week slog to a quick turnaround in days. In six months, the ROI hit roughly 5x. Beyond the speed, PVFARM added a layer of verification that caught discrepancies and lowered error risk. Best of all, NARENCO sidestepped hiring extra estimating staff, saving their budget while gaining sharper analysis and more flexibility.
PVFARM helped NARENCO level up to more data-driven decision making. With richer datasets and faster scenario comparisons, the team could evaluate designs and equipment options in record time, giving clients sharper analysis and quicker answers. It wasn’t just an operational win—it positioned NARENCO as a tech-forward company that solves challenges with smart tools, not just more headcount. That shift set the stage for ongoing growth and a clear edge over competitors still stuck in manual workflows.
Final Thoughts
NARENCO’s experience with PVFARM shows how the right technology can transform operations without compromising quality. In just a few months, they cut timelines by 50%, hit a 5x ROI, and sharpened their competitive edge. PVFARM turned into more than a tool—it became a catalyst for growth, freeing engineers to focus on high-value work while delivering the speed and accuracy modern solar development demands.
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