A little over a year ago, when Bend resident Sarah Hamilton needed her solar panels cleaned, she struggled to find someone to do the job. Out of options, she climbed on her roof and did the job herself.

Recognizing that others might want a similar service, Hamilton saw a business opportunity. So she founded Solar Stan and quickly built up a list of clients who wanted to optimize their solar panels.

“I started with just cleaning solar (panels) because when I called around, nobody was specializing in this in Central Oregon,” said Hamilton, 41.

Hamilton is part of a niche group of small-business owners throughout Oregon taking advantage of rising interest in residential solar panel installation. Rooftop solar installers are kept busy with increased demand for panels as costs have dropped in recent years. And once the panels are installed, the need for cleaning and maintenance brings opportunities for others.

Hamilton’s own need for clean solar panels became apparent because she relied so heavily on them. Living 15 miles east of Bend in an off-grid location, Hamilton and her family use the panels as their main source of power. Over time, the dust covering them reduced their efficiency.

“I didn’t even know solar panels were supposed to be cleaned,” she said. “Once I learned that, my husband and I created the solution.”

Like Mr. Clean, but cuter

The company, called Solar Stan, quickly gained a following among solar panel owners. A base clientele was established using a combination of social media and a good old-fashioned door-to-door canvasing of neighborhoods.

Solar Stan was named after its mascot — a friendly-looking cartoon character wearing a hat and holding a cleaning brush. He’s not promoted much these days because the business now does more than just solar. But the name stuck because the owners didn’t want to give up their online search traffic, which is based mainly on the name.

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“I didn’t change the name just because we were already getting out there,” said Hamilton. “I just left him. He was pretty cute. He was like Mr. Clean, but way cuter.”

Hamilton now cleans out gutters and puts up holiday lights across Bend. Much of the work she does by herself, but she has a crew on hand to help out with large projects. A unique part of the business is installing strips of wire fence around solar arrays to prevent pigeons from building nests under the panels.

“I was like, well, I’m already on the roof. So then I started (unclogging gutters). And then, pigeon proofing,” she said. “Pigeons love to nest under solar panels; they find it’s like a perfect home.”

A varied career

Hamilton’s career had a few twists and turns before launching Solar Stan. She previously ran Lara House, a bed and breakfast in Bend. She also sells sunglasses online.

“Not in a million years did I think I would be on roofs cleaning solar panels and bird poop,” she said.

When Hamilton looks around the solar industry, she realizes she is different — most people who install and maintain solar panels are men.

“There’s no other woman I’ve seen out there cleaning solar panels — I follow a lot of solar panel companies. I am physically doing the work, and I love it,” she said.

The number of rooftop solar panels in Oregon is rapidly expanding, thanks in part to state incentive programs that have helped defray costs. In 1999 the per-watt cost to install solar panels in Oregon was $16.53. By 2021, the cost declined to around $3.66.

According to 2023 data, Pacific Power has 2,641 customers in Bend with rooftop solar. Central Electric Cooperative Inc. has 401 customers with solar panels. The total number is higher because not all installations are connected to a utility.

Rooftop solar panel numbers have jumped threefold since 2014, according to Oregon Department of Energy solar dashboard data.

Rising energy bills

Paul Israel, owner of Sunlight Solar Energy Inc., a Bend-based solar panel installer, said high energy costs charged by utilities have fueled interest in solar panels. While the upfront cost can be steep, the panels usually pay off in nine to 12 years.

New construction is also driving growth as homebuyers are getting panels installed as part of the homebuilding process.

Hamilton said from her vantage point — driving around Bend neighborhoods and scaling rooftops — the growth is obvious.

“Everywhere I look now, I just see solar,” she said,

All those new panels could keep Hamilton busy for a while. But she doesn’t mind the extra work.

“It was pretty much accidental, but I love it. I’m happy. It’s like the best thing I’ve ever done. It’s actually really fun. I love meeting people and developing different relationships with people.”