Cesar was tired of his fluctuating electricity rates. In Wailuku on Maui, electric rates were some of the highest in the nation, and they were always jumping around. As Cesar explained it, 90% of Maui's energy came from oil so when oil prices jump, so do electricity prices. "Let's say you're used to paying $120 per month, and then all of a sudden, the bill is $220 the next month. Where are you going to be finding the extra $100?"

Cesar knew that solar would be a great solution for him and his family, but he didn't want to pay the high upfront cost of purchasing a system himself. He wanted a solar power purchase agreement (PPA), whereby he would pay for solar electricity, instead of the panels. 

He knew about PPAs because he had recently installed solar panels for the Cameron Center, where he worked, through a PPA. But he had yet to see a company offer PPA options for homeowners. "I was always looking for a PPA option for residential," Cesar said, "but we couldn't find it."

When Sunrun entered Hawaii, Cesar immediately jumped at the chance to go solar with Sunrun's power purchase agreement option. Cesar now saves around $70 per month, but his monthly savings is less important to him than the control he now has over his bill. For Cesar, a steady bill and the ability to forecast future costs is what "makes a difference".