Note: This story is the fourth in a four-part series.
Homewood resident Steve Ploum had solar panels installed on his roof about six or seven years ago, and he is still happy with the decision.
Ploum, who is the founder and director of Trail Mix Productions, said that the motivation behind getting solar panels was partially to be more environmentally friendly and also to save money on electricity.
“We were approached by a company, Tron Solar, and decided to talk with them,” Ploum said. “The timing all kind of worked. We had just put on a new roof.”
Solar companies evaluate the condition of a roof and, depending on the system they are installing, recommend repairs before any solar panels are installed.
Ploum said that the panels and installation cost approximately $30,000, but tax rebates that were available at the time offset about 50% of the initial investment.
The money the solar panels saved on electricity paid off the loan to cover the remainder of the cost in about five years.
Because Ploum’s system does not have a battery to bank the power his solar panels collect, they are still connected to the power grid and dependent on ComEd.
“When the power goes out in our neighborhood, we lose power, too,” Ploum said.
In the winter months, because there is less sunlight and snow sometimes accumulates on the panels, less electricity is generated.
“We make sure to give back to ComEd 110% of what we use during the months we produce the most solar power,” Ploum said. “There is an app. We can actually look at an illustration of the solar panels to see which ones are capturing energy most effectively.”
Ploum said that if he had the chance to do it all over again, knowing what he knows about solar now, he wouldn’t change much. While Tron Solar’s pricing was a little more expensive than their competitors, he said the customer service has made up for it.
“If you want solar and you think you’re in a setting that has too many trees or you think your roof is facing in the wrong direction, let the professionals figure it out,” Ploum said. “They’ll tell you if you’re getting enough sun.”
Ploum encouraged anyone looking into solar to consider all the options. While government rebates for solar might not currently be as robust as in the past, newer solar technology is increasingly easier to install and may be even more cost-effective long term.
