Omnidian, Inc.
Protecting Clean Energy Investments

At first sight, the numerous rows of blue-black painted solar tiles glistening on rooftops depict a promising picture of the U.S.’s bid to generate power from renewable energy sources. However, a closer look reveals an opportunity to drive an even greater ROI for many owners of solar power systems. The reason behind this problem is apparent. Overall, the solar industry has been focused on sales and expansion driven by accelerating nationwide demand. Less attention has been given to maximizing returns and ensuring that the ownership experience, end-to-end, is seamless and hassle-free.

Even the smallest solar power system is a power plant. And while utility-scale solar projects are managed cohesively, a large number of small distributed solar applications in various locations is an entirely different game. Problems occur; component failures sometimes go unidentified; underperformance can be overlooked. And the sheer volume of information coming from a large portfolio of distributed solar systems creates blindness. But at the end of the day, “solar owners”— whether a commercial asset manager overseeing hundreds of systems, a residential asset manager with thousands of systems, or an individual homeowner or business owner trying to save on electricity bills — want the assurance that their investments will perform as promised.

By protecting and accelerating the value of capital invested in residential and commercial solar units across the nation, Omnidian provides the solution that gives owners real peace of mind. “We deliver not only performance assurance for distributed energy assets; we’re the category creator for an ownership experience which maximizes value and minimizes hassle,” says Mark Liffmann, a solar industry veteran who leads Omnidian as its CEO and co-founder.

The Performance Assurance Category Creator

Omnidian’s mission reflects the very reason why it was created—”to protect and accelerate clean energy investments.” As we created Omnidian, we were focused not only on what we do, but how we do it as a key to our success,” observed Liffmann. “We identified three pivotal factors: first, a passionate team to drive our vision; second, an innovative, technology-oriented focus on solving the pain of ownership of distributed energy assets; and finally, an amazing customer experience built right into our platform.”

As a provider of comprehensive protection plans for capital investments in solar energy systems, Omnidian guarantees up to 95% of forecasted energy for customers’ solar assets and optimizes their performance. Through its purpose-driven proprietary technology, the company strives to promote its trademark idea: “Solar Without Fear™.” Jeff Berg, Senior Vice President of Engineering, explains that Omnidian’s technology started with the core data acquisition and issue detection systems. Then it layered in the data science program for intelligent issue diagnosis, which handles common factors like hardware failure, degradation, shading, soiling, and snow. It can even diagnose these when multiple issues are present and identify the impact of each. Finally, Omnidian expanded the ecosystem to accommodate end-to-end processes with capabilities like performance verification tests, intelligent filtering that separates the noise from the actionable issues, and prioritization of issues based on business value. “Ultimately, we leverage technology to deliver an amazing client experience. Set it and forget it. We want clients to know that we have their back. This gives clients back their time while having full transparency and control of the process,” observed Berg.

We’re the category creator for performance assurance. We give our clients back their time, provide transparency and protect their capital investment and ROI

Omnidian’s proprietary and purpose-built software platform can remotely identify performance issues and characterize the root cause. This platform supports automated workflows, enabling the company to proactively mitigate performance issues for clients. Be it a technical failure or weather-related hindrance, Omnidian assures the solar assets’ complete performance by assessing the system 24/7. “Thanks to our cognitive technology, we’re able to not only protect but also accelerate investments in both the commercial and residential sectors in clean energy,” observes Caroline Bec Cox, Chief Financial Officer at Omnidian.

Delivering An Amazing Customer Experience

Omnidian caters to a diverse client base. Broadly, it includes commercial and residential clients and multiple Fortune 1000 clients who have entrusted the company to manage the complexities of large-scale portfolios. Omnidian also leverages the network of its Installer and EPC channel partners to serve homeowners and business owners. “At the industry-level, we leverage our platform to support the ecosystem of solar lenders and related service providers. Regardless of the segment, ultimately our clients look to us to understand and protect their capital,” mentions Ray Szylko, the Chief Strategy Officer at Omnidian.

Everything at Omnidian is geared toward an amazing customer experience. “More specifically, from our solar experts with access to real-time system diagnostics, to the way we engineered automated workflows, business reporting, and performance guarantees, we are able to deliver an incredible end-to-end customer experience,” says Szylko. “In fact, we refer to our internal team of folks who provide direct support to clients as Team Love. “It’s baked into our culture and identity,” adds Dave Kenny, the Chief Operating Officer at Omnidian. Ultimately, the company structures its products for peace of mind and ensures that its clients get the ROI they expect from their investment in clean energy.

“At Omnidian, we really do start with the client and work backward. First, we identify our clients’ pain points, then we imagine the easiest, most amazing, pain-free experience, and we invent products that deliver this experience,” mentions Cedric Brehaut, Senior Vice President, Products at Omnidian. The same approach holds true for all the clients, whether it is a homeowner, a small business owner, or Fortune 1000 portfolio investors.

People. Process. Technology.

The core components of Omnidian products are the same across clients and market segments. First, technology and data science filter through the noise, detect and diagnose real issues, and automate workflows for resolution.

“We know when our clients’ systems have an issue, often before they do!” adds Brehaut. Second, Omnidian guarantees the performance of its clients’ assets to ensure that they get the expected return on investment. Third, the company’s team of passionate solar performance experts take great care of its clients, troubleshoot system issues, and dispatch technicians for repairs when needed. And Omnidian wraps it all with clear and intelligent reports that give clients full visibility and control. “With over 1.4 GW under management and 50,000+ customer calls, we are learning and improving at an exponential speed,” informs Brehaut.

A case in point is Third Sun Solar—a company that keenly observed the solar industry’s evolution over the last 20 years and was driven by its mission “to accelerate the shift to clean energy.” Witnessing the shifting patterns in consumer behavior, Third Sun Solar recognized the need to move away from legacy customer desks that merely helped clients troubleshoot problems and, instead, revamp their customer service experience to augment future sales. Third Sun Solar’s search for a trustworthy partner that is passionate and focused on strengthening customer service at the behest of safety and technology led them to Omnidian. Convinced by Omnidian’s excellence in service, maintenance, diagnostics, and tech support, Third Sun Solar joined hands with the firm. Today, Third Sun Solar leverages the Omnidian plan as a standard offering for residential and ad hoc commercial systems.

Delivering an Amazing Client Experience

Named one of the “Top 100 Companies To Work For” for three consecutive years by Seattle Business Magazine, Omnidian’s values and practices are its bedrock. “We have passionate, knowledgeable employees and that translates to an amazing customer experience. We are proud of our team and proud of those service scores,” says Leah Kyle, the Head of Talent at Omnidian.

”Our clients know we have their back because we’ve engineered the industry’s only end-to-end hassle-free ownership experience”

Omnidian’s proficient team leaves no stone unturned to enhance customer traction by improvising its services periodically. In the evolution of their unique business model, the company aims to expand its geographical footprint internationally and launch innovative products while growing its core solar and storage products. Digging deep into the renewable energy paradigm, Omnidian, along with its utility advisory board, consisting of utility investors and partners, looks forward to bolstering the future of energy collaboratively. “If a client experiences friction in their journey with us, we immediately seek out and correct the root cause. For us, the brand is the client experience. We have a rabid obsession with delivering an amazing client experience and enabling our clients to tell the brand story for us. Ultimately, the client perspective is all that matters,” mentions Brad Davis, a Co- Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Omnidian.

Omnidian sees significant growth opportunities in the longer-term to eventually emerge as the global leader in performance assurance for IoT-enabled distributed energy assets.