From building sites to boardrooms – the CEO committed to making solar standard

There are any number of ‘Sliding Doors’ moments that led Ryan Mee from his first job in telesales to his appointment as CEO of the UK’s largest residential solar panel installers, Eco2Solar – the latest addition to the E.ON fold.

From rejecting university offers in favour of finding a first job, seeking fresh inspiration when fearing an early mid-life crisis and “becoming a bit of a David Brent”, even swapping his native South Wales for New South Wales when travelling around Australia (leading him to meet his future wife).

But perhaps the biggest professional decision was returning home and responding to a Job Centre advert looking for people keen to “do their bit for the planet”.

Ryan joined Eco2Solar in 2009, just 18 months after the company was first formed. Now after 16 years at the company, rising to Sales Director and most recently as Chief Operating Officer, Ryan is stepping into the CEO role and taking on the mantle of Eco2Solar founder Paul Hutchens.

It is a role, he says, which has grown to reflect the massive changes in energy and in housebuilding – Eco2Solar’s primary market – and its expansion from “standing for hours and hours with a pop-up stand at garden and trade fair shows” to a multi-million pound turnover from nationwide deals with the UK’s biggest and best known developers.

That development is what is behind Eco2Solar’s ambition to make solar standard across homes, putting people in charge of their energy while reducing bills and carbon emissions. But it has taken some time. At the time of him joining, the company was little more than a startup, and the concept of residential solar felt more like a utopian dream than a viable business.

As Ryan says: “Back in 2009 solar PV was just not viable, it was really expensive and . . . the payback would have been about 40 years. It was a niche product for the customers who wanted to do their bit and be sustainable and reduce their carbon emissions.”

“Our approach to sales always aligned with our values and our beliefs, doing the right thing. Speaking to people fairly and clearly and being upfront and honest, not being this sort of double glazing salesman that other competitors seemed to adopt. We won a lot of business with that approach, and we got a lot of referrals just by getting word of mouth and people passing on our details because of the sort of company of that we were.”

Sixteen years on, Ryan now leads a company that supports the very biggest UK housebuilders in making solar technology standard, not an environmentally-minded luxury. Eco2Solar is now a nationwide operation with a turnover just shy of £27 million and a future that’s aligned with transformative national policy.

And the focus is clear: helping the UK’s housing sector to decarbonise. It's a mission that's more urgent than ever, as the Government prepares to implement the Future Homes Standard – a bold new policy that will make gas boilers a thing of the past and which may require new builds to be powered solely by electricity.

For Ryan, the opportunity is immense: “Future Homes will demand developers think differently. Solar, batteries, electric heating – these won’t be optional. Our job is to make that easy and to add value for them. We want to be the partner that says ‘we’ve got you covered’.”

Eco2Solar isn’t just installing solar panels anymore. It’s becoming a one-stop shop for energy solutions – from solar and battery storage to electric vehicle charging and smart home systems. Working with E.ON, the company is poised to go beyond just supporting housebuilders with their own compliance needs, it’s about helping them to create homes that are both low-carbon and low cost to run.

Redefining home energy – for builders and buyers

Previously, solar panels have been seen as a compliance exercise for planning approval. But Ryan sees a more meaningful future, one where solar and smart energy management are integral to the design of homes, not an afterthought.

“It’s not about installing the minimum amount of solar to achieve compliance. It’s about making the home cheaper to run for the long term.

"That’s a big shift in thinking – and we’re driving that conversation with the developers.”

And for the homeowner, the benefits are clear: real-time energy monitoring, lower bills, and homes that are ready for the future. Through Eco2Solar’s systems and E.ON’s broader capabilities, buyers could soon walk into homes where energy management is automatic, cost-effective, and completely integrated.

“It’s about owning your energy,” Ryan says. “You know when your battery’s charging, when your solar is producing or when your EV charger or other connected asset is maximised. You know when the best time to run your washing machine is. That’s not just for Future Homes – it’s happening now.”

Leadership in transition

As a new CEO, Ryan is quick to acknowledge the evolution in his role – from sales director with boots on the ground to the strategic steward of a rapidly scaling business, especially now Eco2Solar is part of the E.ON family.

But the backing of a global energy leader has brought both financial stability and a renewed focus.

“There’s less pressure on cash flow,” Ryan explains, “which means more focus on strategy, people, and delivering value. I see myself as a steward of the ship. It’s about getting the best people into the right roles, doing the right things and maintaining the culture and agility that’s made us who we are.”

Growth, grit, and the ‘solar-coaster’

Eco2Solar's journey has included its fair share of challenges. Ryan describes the solar industry as a “solar-coaster,” full of booms and busts. One of the toughest moments came in 2012 when government Feed-in Tariffs were slashed overnight, effectively cutting off the business at the knees. Hard conversations followed, with team members and with customers.

And the opposite scenario often presents similar challenges. More recently, the 2023 building regulation changes triggered a “tsunami” of demand, with installations for some clients jumping eight-fold in a matter of weeks and leaving the team scrambling to scale at breakneck speed.

“It was intense,” Ryan admits. “We had four weeks’ notice and had to triple our capacity – engineers, schedulers, electricians, everything. But we got through it, and we’re stronger now for it.”

A legacy worth building

As the UK pushes toward its net zero targets, Eco2Solar is quietly building a legacy – one that blends commercial opportunity with social impact. With E.ON’s backing and a clear mission to make energy-efficient homes standard, the company is redefining what it means to “do your bit for the planet”.

“We’re not just fitting panels on roofs,” Ryan says. “We’re giving people homes that are affordable to live in. It’s not just for people with big roofs and even bigger bank balances. This is a society-wide shift.”

From a pop-up stand in a garden trade show to shaping the future of home energy in the UK, Ryan Mee’s journey is a reminder that innovation often starts with curiosity, a leap of faith – and a willingness to build something better.