Chino Hills Shopping Center Unveils Groundbreaking Solar Model

CHINO HILLS, CA – May 22, 2026 – The Shoppes at Chino Hills, a bustling open-air retail hub, is now home to one of the region's most sophisticated commercial solar installations. A ribbon-cutting ceremony this week marked the official launch of a multi-array solar system developed by King Energy, promising not just clean power, but a revolutionary financial model that benefits businesses, property owners, and the community in a "triple-win" scenario.

The project, a partnership between nationwide solar leader King Energy and property owner Dunhill Partners, transforms the sprawling rooftops of the shopping center into a power-generating asset. It aims to provide discounted, emissions-free energy to dozens of on-site retailers, from national chains to local boutiques, setting a new standard for sustainable commercial real estate.

A New Blueprint for Property Value and Tenant Success

At the heart of the Chino Hills project is a business model designed to overcome the "split incentive" problem that has long hindered solar adoption in multi-tenant properties. Historically, landlords were hesitant to invest in costly solar systems when the primary benefit—lower electricity bills—went to their tenants. King Energy's approach flips this dynamic on its head.

The company installs, owns, and operates the entire solar system at no upfront cost to the property owner. Instead, King Energy leases the underutilized roof space, effectively becoming a new, rent-paying tenant for Dunhill Partners. This creates a predictable, long-term revenue stream for the property owner, directly increasing the property's Net Operating Income (NOI) and overall valuation. For an asset like The Shoppes, this translates into a significant financial upside from previously unused space.

For the tenants, the benefits are equally clear. They gain access to clean energy generated on-site at a rate guaranteed to be below what they would pay the local utility. In an era of volatile energy prices, this offers much-needed cost stability and a direct boost to their bottom line.

"The ownership team at Dunhill Partners has always been committed to making smart, long-term investments in the property," said Darryll Goodman, General Manager of The Shoppes at Chino Hills. "From local small businesses to national retailers, tenants across the property now have access to discounted clean energy generated right here on site. That supports the businesses, invests in the long-term future of the property, and reflects the kind of thoughtful growth this community values."

This symbiotic relationship creates a powerful incentive for all parties. The landlord gains a more valuable and marketable property, tenants reduce their operating expenses, and the property becomes a more attractive destination for sustainability-minded businesses and consumers.

The Technology Powering the Transformation

Bringing this vision to life at a large, complex retail center like The Shoppes required significant technical expertise. The project is far more than just a few panels on a roof; it's a highly coordinated, distributed power plant.

"This is a five-point interconnection system with five different solar arrays tied into the local power grid, so there is a lot of complexity here," explained Rob Porter, Chief Commercial Officer at King Energy. The system is engineered to maximize generation across the property's varied roof structures, with a cumulative output projected to be close to two million kilowatt-hours of clean energy annually. "The cumulative impact is close to two million kilowatt hours of emissions-free clean energy being generated and consumed on site by local businesses," Porter added.

Managing the flow of this energy and ensuring seamless billing for dozens of different tenants is another layer of complexity. King Energy addresses this through its proprietary software platform, OneBill™. The system automates the process, consolidating each tenant's utility and solar charges into a single, easy-to-understand monthly statement. This eliminates the administrative burden for both the property management team at Dunhill Partners and the individual business owners, making participation in the program effortless.

This combination of sophisticated hardware integration and streamlined software management is what makes the model scalable for complex commercial portfolios, which King Energy has deployed across more than 30 million square feet of real estate nationwide.

A Green Landmark for the City Center

The project's impact extends far beyond the property lines of The Shoppes. For the broader community, the installation represents a visible and powerful commitment to sustainability at what many consider the heart of the city.

City Council Member Peter Rogers, who attended the ceremony, emphasized the project's role as a beacon for the region. "This project is more than just panels on a roof," said Rogers. "It represents a serious commitment to sustainability and forward-thinking investment in our community. The Shoppes at Chino Hills is essentially our city center, and when our retail partners take the lead on initiatives like this, they make our community stronger and more attractive to residents and visitors alike."

By generating nearly two million kilowatt-hours of electricity at the point of consumption, the system also helps reduce strain on the local power grid, particularly during peak demand hours on hot, sunny days. This form of distributed energy generation is a key component of California's broader strategy to achieve its ambitious renewable energy goals, which include sourcing 100% of its electricity from clean sources by 2045.

Rogers concluded with a call to action, expressing his hope that the project's success would inspire others. "I hope this serves as a fantastic example for other commercial properties to follow," he stated, highlighting the potential for this model to be replicated across the region and beyond.

Aligning Profit with Planet

The collaboration between King Energy and Dunhill Partners exemplifies a growing trend in commercial real estate: aligning financial incentives with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) objectives. Dunhill Partners, a Dallas-based firm that acquired The Shoppes in 2015, has built a portfolio by investing in properties that "benefit communities while delivering strong returns." This project fits squarely within that philosophy, enhancing the asset's financial performance while delivering tangible benefits to its tenants and the local environment.

For King Energy, recognized by Fast Company as one of the world's most innovative companies this year, the Chino Hills installation is a flagship demonstration of its mission. The company's model provides a market-based solution to a climate problem, making solar adoption not just environmentally responsible but also financially astute for a segment of the market—multi-tenant commercial properties—that has been historically underserved.

As businesses and investors place increasing importance on sustainability, projects like the one at The Shoppes at Chino Hills are no longer a niche pursuit. They are becoming a strategic necessity, proving that investing in clean energy can generate returns that are measured not only in dollars but also in community resilience and a healthier planet. The hum of clean energy generation above the bustling storefronts is a quiet but powerful signal of a smarter, more sustainable future for commercial real estate.