Sunrun CEO Mary Powell Honored on CNBC’s 2026 Changemakers List

Event summary

  • Sunrun CEO Mary Powell named to CNBC’s 2026 Changemakers: Women Transforming Business list.
  • Powell’s leadership has driven Sunrun’s shift to a storage-first energy model, expanding home battery adoption and grid services.
  • Under Powell, Sunrun added 500,000 customers since 2021, surpassing 1 million total customers.
  • Battery storage installations grew 800% and distributed power plant participation rose 400% under her leadership.
  • In 2025, Sunrun dispatched 18 gigawatt-hours of stored energy to grids, powering 15 million homes for one hour.

The big picture

Sunrun’s recognition underscores the growing importance of home energy storage in the broader energy transition. Powell’s strategy aligns with increasing demand for grid reliability and decentralized power solutions, positioning Sunrun as a key player in the shift toward sustainable energy infrastructure. The company’s ability to aggregate home batteries into distributed power plants highlights its role in enhancing grid stability amid rising electricity needs.

What we're watching

Storage-First Strategy
Whether Sunrun’s storage-first approach can sustain its market leadership as demand for grid resilience grows.
Customer Adoption
The pace at which home battery adoption scales and its impact on Sunrun’s revenue growth.
Regulatory Influence
How evolving energy policies may affect Sunrun’s distributed power plant programs and grid services.