Waldo, Ohio resident Bernie Lewis loves his 3.36 kW rooftop solar energy system. Lewis is a former employee of technologist who wanted his solar energy system to reduce his carbon footprint as well as to offset as much of his electric bill as possible.
“You can’t call me a green person, exactly,” said Lewis. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for it, but the environment wasn’t my chief concern. I was looking to lower my electrical bill.”
Lewis’s journey to go solar started when he noticed his electricity bill was “outrageously” high. He was initially skeptical that solar could work. “I think the theory behind solar is a great thing, but I didn’t think it would work. I also didn’t think another thing would work a while back – the Internet.”
Lewis went on the Internet and found YellowLite. “Being from Waldo, Ohio, there was nothing local, but you guys were from Ohio, so that’s why I decided to hear you guys out!” Installing solar panels in Waldo, Ohio is very rare. The city population is 338 as of the 2010 census. It is a located just south of Marion and a 30-minute drive North of Columbus.
Mr. Lewis' 3.36 kW solar power system is powered by 14 SunPower E19 240-watt polycrystalline panels. Attached to each of his panels is an Enphase M210 microinverter, 14 in total. His panel efficiency is 19% while his microinverters are 95.5% efficient. His solar energy system generates around 4,500 kWh of electricity per year. This is enough power to offset the burning of just over two-and-a-quarter tons of coal per year. At $0.12 a kWh that means he is saving around $530 a year off his electricity bills.
“My electrical bill was $200-300 a month before. I went to a tankless hot water heater. That way you are only paying the electricity for the gas hot water heater.”
The system was installed and finalized in March of 2012. Lewis is one of the oldest clients at YellowLite. In fact, he was the 16th installation that YellowLite ever performed!
“The system works nice on the roof. There’s 14 panels up there. I even put a new roof on, a metal roof. I had YellowLite take the panels off and then put them back on when I got my new roof.” It should be noted that this is something that YellowLite will write into your contract if your roof is assessed as needing work within the ten-year contract warranty.
The equity that has been added to Lewis’s property is approximately $10,000. It should be noted that the added equity value to your property is based on a rate of $3.11 a watt from the latest research but it is always a good idea to contact your realtor and get an appraisal.
Lewis is gratified to hear that he is offsetting two-and-a-quarter tons of coal from being burned. Even better is knowing that he is paying back his investment and has added value to his house. When asked what his total experience was in choosing YellowLite to be his solar panel installation company for his Waldo, Ohio home, he was enthusiastic about his recommendation.
“They’ve been very good. You guys noticed there was a problem and you called me. There was a problem with the microinverter. You guys noticed it and then came out and fixed it.” This is also something that YellowLite offers. We monitor your system for any type of production issue.
When informed of the $750 referral bonus, Lewis said he would be happy to continue to recommend people to YellowLite. “People spot my solar panels and I tell them who I got it from!”