Customer Story
Powering solar growth through greater visibility
By connecting construction and ownership teams in Procore, Novel Energy gained the insight and accountability to help it scale efficiently
The Challenge
As Novel Energy’s solar portfolio expanded, so did the complexity of its operations. Teams across development, engineering and construction relied on spreadsheets and inconsistent file systems to track budgets, timelines and approvals. Leadership had no easy way to see which projects were on schedule, where money was going or how performance compared across sites.
The Solution
With Procore, Novel Energy gained one connected platform for every project, from development through ownership. Project financials, scheduling and reporting now flow through a single system, giving leadership real-time visibility into project performance and enabling teams across departments to collaborate, stay accountable and make faster, better-informed decisions.
The Results
- Gave ownership real-time visibility into project budgets and performance
- Reduced manual reporting and eliminated duplicate data entry
- Connected finance, development and construction teams in one system
- Improved forecasting and accountability across projects
- Empowered leadership to make smarter, faster decisions
“Innovation and technology are critical for the future of construction. We need to be able to do more work with the same amount of people — and Procore is what’s going to take us there.”
Andrew Smith
Director of Business Technology
Novel Energy Solutions
Building visibility across every project
Novel Energy Solutions is a vertically integrated renewable energy company based in Minnesota. The firm develops, builds and operates solar farms and community solar gardens across the country, managing every step from land acquisition and permitting to construction and long-term ownership.
But along with that ambitious model came complexity and growing pains. The company was managing dozens of active projects across several states, each with unique financing, materials and utility deadlines. Teams tracked budgets in Excel, shared drawings through a variety of folder systems and relied on emails to coordinate updates. “It was a big mess,” said Andrew Smith, Director of Business Technology. “Information was getting lost, and it was hard for everyone to know which version was current.”
As projects multiplied, the lack of a single source of truth became a real risk — especially for leadership trying to monitor budgets and performance across multiple entities.
By partnering with Procore, the company found a way out of the mess. With all project data in one place, updates, drawings and change orders became instantly visible to everyone who needed them. “Having all that in one place has increased our efficiency because everybody’s seeing the same thing live,” Smith said.
Connecting operations and ownership
Novel Energy’s model gives it a rare dual perspective: it acts as both the builder and the long-term owner of most of its solar projects. Procore helps bridge those worlds. Action Plans now link the office and the field, giving project managers and crews a clear roadmap for each phase of work.
Leadership, meanwhile, can track budgets, schedules and approvals in real time. “With Procore, we can track every dollar and justify every expense as it happens,” Smith said. The Scheduling module ensures every milestone is met, from permitting and engineering to installation and utility connection.
Integration with the company’s ERP system keeps finance and operations in sync. When materials arrive or invoices are approved, both systems update automatically. “The systems talk so the people don’t have to,” Smith said. “That saves hours every week and keeps everyone aligned.”
Turning data into actionable insight
Procore has also helped Novel Energy move from simple reporting to insightful analysis. With Procore Analytics 2.0, leadership can view the company’s entire portfolio at a glance or drill into a single site to understand delays or cost drivers. Dashboards highlight trends across projects, helping teams spot issues early and adjust schedules or budgets before small problems become big ones.
That insight extends beyond construction. Because Novel Energy owns most of its completed solar farms, the company can use Procore’s historical data to compare performance across sites and adjust its approach to future builds. Every project leaves a trail of lessons learned — data that helps the next one run even smoother.
As the company continues to grow, Smith sees Procore as essential infrastructure for its future. “When it’s our project, we know the ins and outs,” he said. “It’s not just about handing off files — it’s about using what we learn to build better next time.”
A partner in innovation
Procore has become one of the essential platforms in Novel Energy’s technology stack, connecting hundreds of employees across states and disciplines. Its simple interface and accessible design helped drive adoption from field crews to finance teams, creating a shared language for how projects are built and managed.
Looking ahead, the company is excited about using Procore’s AI tools to automate reporting and analysis. “Innovation and technology are critical for the future of construction,” Smith said. “We need to be able to do more work with the same amount of people — and Procore is what’s going to take us there.”
