Viridian Energy Review and Profile

Viridian Energy no longer appears to be active as a direct sales company.

Viridian’s original network-marketing opportunity is no longer active. The Viridian Energy name continues as a legacy energy brand under Vistra ownership, but its website no longer offers customer enrollment or an Associate opportunity.

Original Npros business profile for Viridian Energy, preserved below for archival purposes:

company entered deregulated electricity markets with an environmental message centered on cleaner energy choices, renewable-energy content and carbon offsets. It later added natural-gas service and residential solar products. Within its first three years, Viridian had enrolled more than 200,000 electricity and natural-gas customers across seven states. Direct Selling News reported annual revenue of $182 million in 2012, $267 million in 2013, $328 million in 2014, $324 million in 2015 and $263 million in 2016.

Viridian operated as a competitive energy supplier rather than a conventional utility. Customers continued receiving electricity or gas through their local utility infrastructure, while Viridian supplied the energy and marketed plans containing renewable-energy certificates or other environmental attributes. The company later partnered with SolarCity to offer residential solar systems and expanded into additional environmentally focused products and services.

Independent sales representatives were known as Associates. They enrolled residential and commercial energy customers, promoted Viridian's services and sponsored additional Associates. The compensation plan paid bonuses and commissions tied to customer and organizational sales activity. Company policies stated that Associates were not required to purchase an energy service or other product to remain eligible, although enrollment materials and annual renewal fees applied. By 2016, the Viridian network included more than 22,000 independent contractors.

Viridian became part of Crius Energy in 2012. In July 2016, Crius separated most of the network-marketing operation from its energy-supply business. Viridian International acquired the Associate agreements, intellectual property and marketing assets, while Crius retained the existing energy customers, remained the exclusive electricity, natural-gas and solar provider for five years and kept a 10% interest in Viridian International. Associates were subsequently given through March 1, 2018, to continue normal recruiting, customer enrollment and rank advancement before active expansion of the network-marketing program ended.

Vistra Energy completed its acquisition of Crius Energy on July 15, 2019. The transaction was valued at approximately US$378 million, plus the assumption of about US$108 million in net debt