Call it the Megasolar superstore for contractors. On Feb. 1, SolarNet, LLC’s DC Power Systems and Solar Depot said that they created a new holding company, SolarNet Holdings, LLC. Under the holding company, the two wholesale distributors became the largest solar distributors in the United States.

This won’t create a bevy of renewable energy saver’s clubs, like Costco.

“We don’t sell to retail, we only sell to contractors,” said Chris Phipps, SolarNet Holdings’ vice president of marketing.

The new holding company is bringing two businesses previously acquired by Japan’s Itochu Corp. under one holding company.

“Even though we’ve been owned by the same company for a year and three-quarters, we have not integrated until now,” said Phipps. “Effectively we’ll be taking advantage of the benefits of merging while remaining two separate companies.”

He said benefits to the integration include access to economies of scale, sharing warehouses, shipping, back-office services and more.

Itochu purchased Solar Depot in June of 2007 and SolarNet, which consisted of DC Power Systems and Stellar Energy, in April 2009. Itochu said it made the moves in an attempt to bolster its place in the U.S. solar market. The integration, the company said, will allow it to further strengthen its position in the U.S. market.

Despite the change in corporate structure, Phipps said, “We’ll maintain two separate company names. They’re too valuable. They have literally thousands of customers each. We don’t want to make all those people change.”

Prior to their purchase, Solar Depot was a wholesale distributor of photovoltaics and solar thermal. DC Power was one of the largest wholesale distributors of photovoltaics and wind systems.

“Adding Solar Depot raises us, head and shoulders, above the competition,” Phipps said.

In a press release issued by the new company, Kevin Shimokobe, newly minted CEO of SolarNet Holdings, said, “By combining the resources of our two companies, we are creating a best-in-class solar-energy-distribution company that is poised for significant and sustainable growth.” Shimokobe previously was CEO of both independent companies.

Looking forward, SolarNet Holdings said it plans to increase its market share using Solar Depot's presence in California and DC Power’s solar distribution network.

Image courtesy of Solar Depot of their combined catalog.