Cathy Clark – Parma Heights, Ohio

Cathy Clark is a retired homeowner from the Cleveland suburb of Parma Heights, Ohio. In July 2024, she accomplished a longtime goal—going solar. Cathy attended high school in Oberlin, Ohio, and says that those formative years spent in an environment that encouraged forward thinking on renewable energy led her to keep an eye on solar ever since.

After seeing how solar technology and system costs had improved over the years, the decision to purchase and install an array of her own was solidified upon speaking with a friend who had experienced the benefits herself. “I always wanted to do something like this but then to talk to a friend that I knew and trusted who had put solar panels on her house and was able to tell me how it worked … that really gave me an education,” said Cathy. “It seemed like the right time.”

Cathy installed a 14-panel array that is already making a significant impact on her energy bills—lowering them by over 70 percent. In addition to the monthly savings, “the benefit of course is there is a federal tax rebate,” she shared. In 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) extended and increased the federal renewable energy tax credit to 30 percent. The tax credit will provide additional savings when she files her taxes next spring.

As a retiree, the opportunity for additional financial flexibility was attractive. “If it reduces my monthly costs, I am really happy about that. I am on Social Security and Medicare … and there is not a lot of money with that, I have to supplement it out of my investments.” By installing a grid-tied system, Cathy’s investment will also serve her community. “Not only am I generating electricity for me, but the extra is going back out … it is nice to know that it might benefit other people down the road.”

Cathy’s experience underscores the importance of demystifying the process of going solar and the financial incentives that make it more accessible. Even for a longtime believer in solar energy, these factors made all the difference.