Don’t let money hold you back. You have to look at it as retirement savings.

Single-Family Residence - February 2019

I am not a rich person. People say I can't afford them. I got solar panels because I don’t have much money. I am looking at my future.

Quick Facts

Energy Needs Met

100%

or more of electricity

Property

Owner:: Cathy G.
Type:: Single-Family Residence
Address:: Gorham, ME 04038
Energy need met:: 100% or more of electricity

Technology

Type:: Solar PV
Installed:: February 2019
Size of System:: 11.75 kW
Purposes:: To generate electricity; For space heating

Professionals & Suppliers

Products:: SolarEdge Technologies; Silfab Solar
Installers:: Maine Solar Solutions

What You Need to Know

Description:

We installed 41 Silfab 310 solar panels in February 2018 to cover 100% of our usage. We also installed two heat pumps.

Other Benefits:

It feels good to know I am also being a good steward of the environment. I am a registered Maine guide and really care about our planet, the woods, and the waters.

Maintenance Requirements:

The monitoring is very easy. And if I ever have questions they are timely in their responses. Everything is very easy!

Efficiency or Sustainability Improvements:

I also installed two heat pumps along with my solar. I was spending about 2K per year in heating costs.

My Motivation:

I really wanted to get my expenses down before retirement. For someone in your 50’s, I looked at it as saving for my 401K. Because when I am 70, who knows what the price of electricity will be then. When I am 70, I do not have to worry about being cold or rising utility rates.

Advice:

We took a long time before doing this. It was not something I rushed into. Adding more to your debt was the hardest thing to do, but I recommend starting to look at it now! When the panels are paid for in nine years and the house is paid for that is like gravy. Fewer things to worry about when I retire.

Experience with Installer:

I called every single solar person recommended by Efficiency Maine and got over 15 estimates. It was really comparing apples to oranges when choosing Maine Solar Solutions. Some people would just send us a proposal and not even come out to the house to look and I wasn’t too convinced about the quality of the estimate. Everyone was really great and the installers were nice and clean. They were polite and picked up after themselves. Everything was great. We have been very happy, and everyone at Maine Solar Solutions has been so friendly and nice.

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