Going Solar

January 7, 2013

Cindy Hoffman, Vice President of Communications

©Nathan Ferdinandt

This is the time of year when everyone is making New Year’s resolutions. Mine? To save energy, wildlife and the environment!

And thanks to Solar City, I can check this one off the list: DONE. They made it so easy! After hearing a pitch from one of their representatives at Defenders a few months ago, I was intrigued. So I contacted them to see if my house was a good candidate for solar energy. They did a quick Google Maps search for my house and said it was a great candidate. Next, they sent their staff out to take a closer look and sure enough, my entire roof could be covered in solar panels. Not only that, but for just a little bit of money up front, I get to lock in the price I pay for my solar energy for the next 20 years. So while local utility bills go up at about 6-10% a year depending on where you live, I have locked in at a rate that won’t increase. Solar City is very flexible, so don’t let costs dissuade you from contacting them. They even have a deal for no money down that is worth learning more about.

The process was super easy. My husband and I signed the contract and Solar City did the rest, including dealing with all of the permitting with the city and coordinating with my local utility company. Within a month (although they say it can take up to 4 months for the installation) they scheduled an appointment to set the panels. It took two days to get the panels up; they scheduled the inspection with the city within the week, and once the paperwork goes through with my local utility company, I will be running on clean, green, solar energy! It’s also good for wildlife. Using my rooftop for renewable energy reduces the need to build large solar installations in or around areas important for wildlife habitat.

I created a video of the installation so you can see what the panels and other equipment looks like. Check it out below and, if you are interested, contact Solar City for a personal consultation. The whole process was quick and easy. And as an added bonus, if you mention Defenders of Wildlife, Solar City will donate $400 to help advance our mission to conserve and protect wildlife.