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The Family Office Investing Landscape in 2026
Family offices are private by design, but the data has tightened. PwC reports 7,800 family offices in North America as of 2025, and With Intelligence tracks 3,000+ single-family offices globally with assets above $4.67 trillion.
Direct investing is accelerating: global family office deal value more than doubled in 2025 to $12.9 billion, and BlackRock’s 2025 report found that alternatives now make up 42% of participating family portfolios — the bucket in which renewable infrastructure sits.
Why Solar Fits the Family Office Investing Thesis
Solar checks boxes family offices already prioritize: long-duration cash flows, inflation-resistant contracted revenue, low correlation to public markets, and measurable environmental impact. Renewable energy accounted for 24% of family office impact deal volume between July 2023 and June 2024 — second only to education. It also fits the generational wealth transfer: heirs are expected to sustain or grow sustainable allocations, and solar offers an asset-backed way to do that without sacrificing return.
Family offices can move the needle with their collective investment muscle and dramatically expand solar utilization in the under-funded commercial solar space. Solar investments make sense for family offices now, and they create durable impact for future generations.
Netting the Tax Benefits
Nonprofits such as churches, schools, and municipalities can’t directly use the tax benefits that drive solar economics, but outside investors who own the projects can.
The federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) applies dollar-for-dollar against income taxes owed. Under Section 48E, qualifying commercial projects receive a 30% base credit, with stackable adders for domestic content, energy communities, and low-income service areas that can push the total above 40%.
Accelerated depreciation further magnifies the after-tax return. Timing matters: under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, solar projects must begin construction by July 4, 2026, or be placed in service by December 31, 2027, to qualify — a deadline actively shaping 2026 deal flow.
Land Development for Utility-Scale Solar
An equity position in land slated for solar farm development is an increasingly popular entry point for family office investing in renewables. Rural acreage owners in Arizona, Texas, and California — especially in water-scarce areas — increasingly look at solar as an alternative to crops.
Some owners lease land to investors who entitle, interconnect, and prepare the property for utility-scale development. The exit comes when the entitled site is sold to a developer who funds the larger build of arrays, inverters, and batteries. The risk profile resembles land banking more than operating solar, making it attractive for families seeking diversification.
Investing for Social Returns
Instead of donating outright, social investing in a nonprofit’s solar project layers benefits: portfolio yield, contracted income across the project’s 20+ year life, tax offset, and reduced operating costs for the host. It’s a recurring contribution to clean power and operational savings, not a one-time gift.
“In the end, if we hold onto $1 million that might otherwise go to the IRS and we’re able to get 6% or even a 10% yield on that money, that’s a significant benefit to the family,” says financial advisor Mark Trewitt. “It stays in the family office economy and can be used for further charitable giving.”
One family Trewitt advised invested in two Christian church solar projects through SDC Energy. After depreciation and tax benefits were concluded, the family could elect either to offset the resulting income with a charitable donation or pay tax then.
“Our investors were very pleased that they were helping churches and other non-profits aligned with their faith,” said Trewitt, author of Integrated Generosity for Faith-Based Families. “The economics attracted them initially, but they have come to appreciate the opportunity to balance their heart with their portfolio.”
Directed philanthropy through solar financing lets family offices elevate their impact — protecting the planet, supporting mission-driven organizations, and strengthening their portfolios — a rare combination in today’s family office investing landscape.
Charles Schaffer
President and Founder, Accredica
Charles has founded and operated several development companies over his 35+ year history to pursue his passion for Alternative Investing. He believes outsized returns can be achieved without a corresponding increase in risk. Under Charles' leadership, Accredica has developed and financed over $160 million of commercial real estate and renewable energy projects.
