CNBC recognized Sunrun CEO for accelerating battery storage growth and advancing distributed power plant innovation to help meet surging energy demand in America
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sunrun (Nasdaq: RUN), America’s largest provider of home battery storage, solar, and home-to-grid power plants, today announced that CEO Mary Powell has been named to the 2026 CNBC Changemakers: Women Transforming Business list. The annual list honors 50 exceptional female leaders who are impacting society, driving industry-wide change, and solving old problems with new approaches.
CNBC recognized Powell’s leadership in accelerating Sunrun’s evolution into a storage-first energy generation and dispatching company that intelligently manages energy for families. Under her direction, the company has expanded home battery adoption and aggregated those systems into distributed power plants to help strengthen grid reliability and deliver American energy security as electricity needs rise across the country.
“I am honored to be recognized alongside so many women redefining leadership in business,” said Sunrun CEO Mary Powell. “At Sunrun, we believe the energy transition will be led by families. By pairing battery storage with solar and connecting homes into distributed power plants, we’re giving customers greater independence, resilience, and peace of mind while building critical energy infrastructure for the nation. This recognition reflects the entire Sunrun team’s relentless focus on customer experience and innovation.”
Powell’s storage-first strategy has been central to Sunrun’s evolution as a leader in home energy and grid services. By pairing home battery systems with rooftop solar, Sunrun customers can generate and store their own power for use during outages or peak hours of the day. They can also participate in distributed power plant programs and send energy back to the grid when it’s needed most—a significant benefit for the stability of the broader electric grid in their communities.
“Mary has long been a transformative figure in the energy industry, and she has strengthened Sunrun’s role in America’s energy future,” said Alan D. Ferber, Lead Independent Director on Sunrun’s Board of Directors. “Her strategic focus on battery storage, customer experience, and disciplined growth is delivering meaningful benefits to customers, communities, and grid operators across the country.”
Since Powell became CEO in 2021, Sunrun has added over 500,000 customers, surpassing the 1 million customer milestone to become the first and only residential storage-plus-solar company in the U.S. to reach that mark. Battery storage installations and participation in distributed power plants have grown more than 800% and 400%, respectively, under her leadership. In 2025 alone, Sunrun dispatched nearly 18 gigawatt-hours of stored energy to grids across America—enough electricity to power 15 million homes for one hour.
Now in its third year, CNBC’s Changemakers list is selected through a data-driven evaluation of business performance and leadership impact. Powell’s recognition adds to a growing list of honors for her work reimagining America’s energy future, including Forbes’ inaugural 50 Sustainability Leaders list and TIME’s TIME100 Climate list, both in 2024.
About Sunrun
Sunrun Inc. (Nasdaq: RUN) is America’s largest provider of home battery storage, solar, and home-to-grid power plants. As the pioneer of home energy systems offered through a no-upfront-cost subscription model, Sunrun empowers customers nationwide with greater energy control, security, and independence. Sunrun supports the grid by providing on-demand dispatchable power that helps prevent blackouts and lowers energy costs. Learn more at www.sunrun.com.
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