This is the first in our series of guest posts from our SunRun customers! If you’re a SunRun customer and interested in writing a guest post for us, email nami@sunrunhome.com. We want to build a solar community here at SunRun and we’re always interested in adding new voices to our blog.
Hi Everybody,
My name is Ted Reynolds, a SunRun customer since June 2010, and I’ve been invited by their folks to blog on my solar experience, specifically my interaction with our solar panel system and how it has affected my lifestyle.
First things first: a little about myself. I am retired, married, and an “empty nester”. I live in Orange County, Southern California, near the coast. I have an engineering background, love camping, fishing, hiking, my dog (and my wife, of course), reading, my computer and getting my hands in the dirt. I have a couple of favorite sayings: “All eyes and no sight,” by Shakespeare and “Bad luck is the residue of bad planning,” by an author whose name I’ve forgotten. All this, I believe, played into my decision to go solar.
I guess you could call me an environmentalist, but more of a practical kind. My philosophy is that if it is within your means to help, no matter what your age or situation, you have a duty to do so. Going solar, I decided, was the biggest, single impact I could have on the environment with no small effect on our future finances. I am a practical person and I know large increases in the cost of electricity are coming!
I had looked into solar photovoltaic panels 3 or 4 years ago and decided that they were too expensive. But recently, I realized that rebates/tax credits would drop, electricity prices were increasing, and panel prices decreasing. No sooner had I started mulling this situation over when I received a serendipitous e-mail from Real Goods. I set up an appointment with Real Goods and had a long comprehensive consultation with their representative, David. After learning about the SunRun program, the decision to go ‘solar’ was easy. We finished up with a twenty-four module system, 5.04 kW DC, 4.3 kW AC. At present, it is turning out energy excess to our needs on most days. I am really happy with what I see so far!
SUMMARY FOR MONTH OF JUNE
Energy produced = 626.6 KwHrs.
Energy consumed = 438.6 KwHrs.
Energy credited = 188 KwHrs.
Keeping records like this has made me really aware of how much energy we are using – I will try to conserve more and find out ways to cut our consumption.
Cheers,
Ted
Don’t forget to check out Ted’s blog, where he keeps records of his energy generation and meter readings.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Great post, Ted! Would love to hear more about your solar experience(s). Keep that meter spinning backwards
Nice to see you are enjoying ‘saving with solar’ – it’s been a pleasure helping you.