Holly Solar Products, LLC has been a prominent manufacturer for more than four decades, specializing in engineering and producing LED lighting solutions compatible with renewable energy technologies. Our family-owned and operated business has been based in Petaluma, California since 1981. We have continuously flourished by prioritizing innovation - and as a result, we are one of the oldest and most reliable manufacturers of renewable energy equipment in the United States.
The name Holly was derived from the founder's moniker, Bill Hollibaugh. Bill is a California native, known for his artistic prowess, innovative ideas, and entrepreneurial spirit. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Arts and a Lifetime Teaching Credential issued by The State of California.
In 1981, Holly Solar was established with the invention of the Holly Hydro Heater: a stainless steel jacket designed to heat water inside wood-burning cookstoves. Throughout its 25-year production, more than 60,000 units were manufactured and remain to this day in numerous off-grid homes. During the 1970s' back-to-the-land movement, Bill led college courses in Mendocino County, named "Country Skills for Urban Dwellers," where he taught the basics of sustainability and conservation. Bill was a regular guest on KGO, San Francisco's talk radio station, with Owen Span. On the show, he gave listeners practical advice on minimizing their dependence on the grid, earning him the nickname "Mr. Wilderness."
With the advent of alternative energy, Bill delved into the world of solar photovoltaics. During that time, Holly Solar's solid-state division, Suntronics, produced solar panels, charge controllers, voltmeters, and red LED lighting products for renewable energy startups. The accidental discovery of the blue LED by Nichia in 1996, followed by the creation of the white LED in 1998, further sparked Bill's interest in solid-state LED technologies. As a result, he shifted his focus to creating and providing LED based products and solutions.
