Even as NRG made a flurry of acquisitions in the US rooftop solar space in 2014 – including buying Roof Diagnostics Solar, Goal Zero, and most recently Pure Energies – it was “very light” in terms of the details it offered its investors regarding its strategy, acknowledges chief executive David Crane.

NRG “did not want to telegraph our approach to the business” while it built up its capabilities in the sector, Crane says.