Cash falling from the sky
Homeowners are going green, and reaping some green too, by installing solar panels
A west-end resident is encouraging residents to check out a free solar panel program to reduce their carbon footprint.
Tricia Clarkson is thrilled to have her new solar panels in place and hopes others will follow suit.
Clark son had 20 panels installed on her roof Nov. 17, for free. And in 15 years, she’ll be making good money off them.
“It’s a win-win,” said Clarkson. The free offer is through Grass hopper Solar and Micro FIT, an environmental program of the Ontario government.
But it’s only available until Dec. 31, so Clarkson is urging residents to act fast.
This is how it works: Grass hopper Solar takes on the entire cost of the solar panels, with the revenue the panels produce paying off the system, which takes 15 years. The company installs them and maintains them, too.
After the 15 years is up, the money generated goes to the homeowner through a monthly cheque from Peterborough Distribution Inc.
Because MicroFIT encourages citizens to go green, it’ll pay the homeowner twice the amount of money they’d normally pay to buy from the grid when the time comes.
“That cheque could even be more than the electricity we use,” Clarkson said, excitedly.
But if you want to start reaping the benefits right away, Clarkson said there’s also an option to buy the panels for about $28,000 up front. That’ll allow monthly cheques to start rolling in pronto.
As an environmentally conscious couple, Clarkson said she and her husband signed up to reduce their carbon footprint.
“We wanted to do our part for climate change.”
And the money they’ll see going forward doesn’t hurt either, Clarkson added.
For homeowners to be approved, Clarkson said there are a few aspects Grasshopper considers. Homes can’t have trees that’ll block the sun from the panel sand roofs must be in good shape.
If installed, the panels will actually protect the roof as well as the shingles, Clarkson said, helping shingles to last longer.
And if the home ever needs work done to the roof after the panels are installed, Grasshopper will remove the panels and re-install them once its fixed.
Clarkson applied for the solar panels in the summer, thinking they might not be installed until the spring.
She was delighted when workers were able to get them in place last Friday.
“It was like Christmas ,” she said, adding the installation took about three hours.
In addition to helping reduce greenhouse gases, the panels will also increase the value of the home, because the new homeowners will benefit financially. Property taxes will stay the same, too, she said.
With all those benefits in mind, Clarkson can’t see a reason not to apply.
“I think everybody should switch over and do their part for climate change – it’s a great way of putting a dent into it.”
NOTE: To contact Grass hopper Solar for more information, call 1-866-310-1575 ext. 100