iSolar in Forbes 2026: when light is a strategy

iSolar in the new issue of Forbes 2026 magazine with the article “When Light is a Strategy: iSolar on Energy as Capital”.

In the article, the company’s co-owner and CEO Ihor Germansky, co-owner Dmytro Kalyta, and COO Oksana Komarnytska share their vision of how the role of electricity for business is changing and what role iSolar plays in this system.

The article is available in the new issue of Forbes magazine. The full text of the article is published below.

Electricity for businesses in Ukraine is no longer just a cost item. Today, it is an asset: it either works for stability and growth or eats up resources every day due to downtime and risks. That is why companies are reconsidering their approaches to energy supply. The demand is shifting from ad hoc solutions to systemic investments in alternative energy, such as solar power plants (SPPs) and energy storage facilities (ESFs).

For businesses, such solutions are not only a tool for energy autonomy during blackouts, but also a way to reduce operating costs, scale operations, and invest in a stable income potential through electricity sales.

“The payback period for investments in solar power plants is on average about two years, and for energy storage and distribution facilities – up to four years. Compared to classical investment instruments, this is a quick return on capital. Solar energy is already moving from the category of expenses to the category of assets, and it is one of the most dynamic investment segments for decades to come,” comments Igor Germansky, CEO and co-owner of iSolar.

iSolar in the solar energy market

“We see the energy sector as an area that directly affects the growth of the country’s economy,” adds the CEO and co-owner of iSolar. Affordable electricity, he says, allows companies to operate steadily, increase profitability and generate additional revenue.

“If once the ‘American dream’ meant a car in every garage, Ukraine is now forming a different economic dream – every business and consumer has their own power plant. This is an investment that not only preserves and increases capital, but also strengthens Ukraine’s energy security,” continues Ihor Germansky.

iSolar is one of the leading EPC companies in the market (Engineering, Procurement, Construction), providing a full cycle of project implementation – from analysis and design to installation and service support of SPPs and SPPs.

At the same time, the company is the official distributor of FOX ESS equipment, develops the iSolar Academy educational program, has its own R&D center, IT department, and a well-established logistics and supply system.

According to the company, iSolar’s portfolio includes more than 2000 completed projects across Ukraine. In 2025, most of the B2B projects were implemented for agribusiness, large manufacturing enterprises, and shopping centers. The capacity of such stations varies from several hundred kilowatts to solutions measured in megawatts.

One of iSolar’s key competitive advantages is the direct import of equipment from FOX ESS, an international manufacturer of inverters, batteries and energy storage systems for commercial, industrial and residential facilities. FOX ESS was founded in 2019 in China and has representative offices in the United States, Europe, and Australia.

In 2025, FOX ESS was ranked first among residential energy storage system providers in Europe according to the S&P Global Energy Residential Energy Storage Index, which is based on MWh supply. Today, the company is actively developing in the Ukrainian market.

According to Dmytro Kalyta, co-owner of iSolar, direct imports allow us to control the supply process, significantly reduce delivery times and guarantee the quality of equipment coming directly from the official manufacturer.

Service, R&D and industrial energy storage facilities

Another advantage of the company is its own service department – a team of certified specialists who have been formally trained by the manufacturer FOX ESS. Support begins at the project stage and continues after the launch to optimize system performance and provide quick response.

Thanks to our own service department, about 95% of requests are resolved remotely within 30-60 minutes. Additional reliability is provided by FOX ESS equipment with a warranty of up to 10 years and our own replacement stock,” comments Dmitry Kalita.

iSolar emphasizes that its own service allows closing most technical requests without involving the manufacturer, which minimizes the risk of downtime and enhances the reliability of solutions.

The R&D department plays a special role in the company’s structure, as it is the internal entry point for new technologies and solutions. “We founded the R&D department to be a trendsetter in the industry and adapt the best global solutions to the real conditions of the Ukrainian market,” says Igor Germansky.

The company understands the market demand, so iSolar was the first to install T-MAX RCDs from FOX ESS at an industrial facility. RCDs provide not a temporary solution, but long-term energy independence and opportunities for additional income.

They accumulate electricity during low consumption hours or when SPP generation is at its highest, and then release it during peak periods, leveling the load, reducing the risk of outages, and increasing predictability. For businesses, this means fewer losses from downtime, more stable production cycles, and more precise control over energy costs.

“At iSolar, we have developed our own EMS (Energy Management System), which automatically adjusts the operation of the SPP to the consumer’s goals. For business, this means savings: the system buys electricity during cheap hours or accumulates energy from the sun and provides consumption during expensive hours. And for investors, EMS works as a tool to maximize profits: it buys energy at a lower price and sells it at peak times,” says Ihor Germanskyi.

The role of iSolar in shaping a new energy model

The solar energy market in Ukraine is undergoing structural changes, says Oksana Komarnytska, COO of iSolar. “We are part of the process of transition to distributed generation – businesses and communities are increasingly investing in their own energy solutions,” she explains.

Solar energy is rapidly transforming from simple generation to an integrated system with storage, smart control and participation in energy market trading, where flexibility and data-driven management are the main values.

A separate area is investments in electricity production and sales with a focus on EPS and participation in the dynamic market, in particular the DAM (day-ahead market), as well as arbitrage strategies. “We are no longer talking about individual solar stations, but about full-fledged energy business models,” emphasizes Oksana Komarnytska.

iSolar builds an energy ecosystem around customers and partners. “We start with an analysis of energy consumption, risks, and scaling plans, followed by engineering, a financial model, and a development strategy,” she explains.

At the same time, the company invests in human capital development through iSolar Academy. The educational direction became part of the strategy after 2022. “We saw that new energy is impossible without training,” says Oksana Komarnytska. The Academy is focused on practical training and helps veterans, IDPs, women and youth to master professions in demand in the alternative energy market with the possibility of further employment.

iSolar has a deep understanding of market needs and industry challenges. This allows us to offer businesses and private customers comprehensive solutions that help improve energy sustainability, stability and quality of life through engineering expertise, own distribution, systematic educational initiatives and innovation.