Zep Solar, Inc.

Founded in 2009 in San Rafael, California, Zep Solar, Inc. quickly became a leading innovator in solar mounting technology. The company’s core advancement was its patented “rail-less” mounting system—centered on the Zep Groove™, a specialized slot integrated into compatible PV modules—which allowed for rapid coupling and automatic grounding without traditional rails. This approach significantly reduced installation time, material costs, shipping complexity, warehousing needs, and overall project expenses compared to conventional methods.
The company’s product suite included several modular systems tailored to different installation scenarios—residential tile roofs (System I), flush-mount roofs (System II), flat commercial rooftops (System III), and ground mounts (System IV). These innovations made solar installations faster and more cost-effective while maintaining high safety standards through features like auto-grounding connections.
In October 2013, Zep Solar was acquired by SolarCity—the largest U.S. residential solar installer at that time—and continued operating as an independent business unit until November 2016 when it was merged into Tesla Energy following Tesla’s acquisition of SolarCity. Since then, many original Zep products have been manufactured exclusively for Tesla projects; they are no longer available to third-party installers.