Conversation with a Customer
Joy recently made the switch to clean energy with SunCommon, but she didn’t stop at solar! For this lucky customer, we installed the ultimate trio: a solar system, a Powerwall home battery, and an upgrade to her electric vehicle charger. Solar may be our main focus, but a lot of our customers choose to add on products in order to finance them all together, and to increase the impact of their solar by electrifying more aspects of their daily life.
We checked in with Joy after her installation to learn about her motivations in switching to clean energy and how the process went.
SunCommon: What informed your decision to go solar? And how did you land on SunCommon?
Joy: I’ve been wanting to go solar for many years — decades, really. For a variety of reasons (logistics, finances, life changes), it just never happened. I finally felt I was in the right place and head space to make it happen. And with the development and ease of getting a mini split, electric lawn tractor, and EV, it was time.
The main reason to go solar is the health and safety of this beautiful planet and all of its inhabitants! It just doesn’t make sense to continue to use fossil fuels to heat and cool and cook and drive when the unlimited photovoltaic energy of the sun is available, even in northwestern Vermont!
When I was deciding which solar company to work with, I reached out to four different companies that deal with ground mounts. Pete from SunCommon was able to explain everything to me so clearly (I had a LOT of questions!) and went above and beyond to accommodate my specific concerns and needs, from design to budget to timing. His expertise (and patience) along with the excellent references from several happy SunCommon customers made it easy for me to select SunCommon.
SC: How was your experience with SunCommon’s installation team?
Joy: The SunCommon crews were so great! Every person with whom I came in contact was professional, personable, kind, and also went above and beyond to get the job done in an efficient and stellar manner. Between the excavators and the installers and the electricians, it was like a beehive of activity here. After they all left, I missed them and their pleasant conversations and delightful energy.
SC: What are some of the benefits of your solar setup? (specifically combining solar with storage AND an electric vehicle charger)
Joy: I’ve become a bit obsessed with the Tesla app, where I can monitor the kW of solar energy being produced by my array, and then tracking how much goes back into the grid vs. how much my home (including my EV) is using. The benefit is that I am using the clean energy of the sun for all of my electrical needs! How great is that? And the Powerwall batteries are ready should the grid have a power outage. I love how streamlined everything is, and how the system is designed to anticipate my energy needs.
SC: How will this new EV charger change things for you at home?
Joy: Oh my goodness! It has been a game changer! Living in the boonies of Vermont, I need to travel quite a distance to get pretty much anywhere. Before SunCommon did the excellent job on my electrical upgrade, my electrical panel was not able to handle a Level Two charger. So since January when I purchased my EV, I have been plugging a Level One charger into my exterior 110-volt outlet, and that charger takes 64 hours to fully charge my EV! 64 hours! I have had to plan my outings — even just into Burlington — to stop and “fill up” with a Level Three charger because, with all of my comings and goings, I rarely had 64 hours at home to get a full charge. Finding an available Level Three charger and waiting for a charge (and paying for it) is not very convenient! Jeff from SunCommon did a fantastic job installing the charger, and he also went above and beyond to make sure it was in the most convenient position for me and my car — in my own driveway! And now I can easily charge it at home fully in about five hours. And using the glorious energy from the sun!
SC: What do you say to folks who are thinking about solar for their home?
Joy: Do it! Just do it. Now. There really is no reason to delay. You will feel like you are leaving a positive and important legacy, and you will know in real time (just watching the app!) that you are truly making a difference. It is rare to be able to feel so good about a life choice, and this one has implications far beyond your own home and electrical needs. It is a worthwhile investment in our planet and our loved ones’ futures. You will not regret the decision to go solar. I feel happy about it (and, truly, a bit proud of myself) every day!
Can solar work for your home?