Jennifer’s Solar Co-op Story in Pennsylvania
- Stories
Solar United Neighbors recently sat down with Jennifer in Bellefonte, PA, who went solar through the Centre County 2024 Solar Co-op. Read on to learn more about Jennifer’s experience.
This solar story is transcribed from a live interview.
Why did you want to go solar in the first place?
Maybe a decade ago, before I even bought my current home, I knew I wanted to make as many renewable energy adjustments to the house as possible. When I bought it, it was on gas and needed a new furnace. I was able to switch to a heat pump and go fully electric.
I made this choice because our planet is on fire. I want a cleaner world. And I don’t want to have to worry about dying in my sleep from gas, or an explosion, or needing to buy a device to tell me there’s a spark in my basement.
Was the co-op helpful in your journey to go solar?
Before the co-op, I had looked into solar very little on my own. I joined because I thought the co-op would be a very concentrated source of information. The staff at SUN were so responsive and thorough to my questions. I felt like I had my own personal SUN expert!
When I learned about the selection committee, I thought, “Wow! There’s a group of people willing to do this for me.” There aren’t enough hours in the day to research everything, but you have to for price and ethical purposes. So the opportunity to minimize the energy I put into it and be able to lock in a good price was exactly what I wanted. I’m also looking to get a battery in another few years!
Did you have barriers to going solar?
I really just wanted to get the solar done, and as quickly as possible. When I went to get a heat pump, the installers were backed up a year. The heat pump installation itself took weeks, which was a problem for my day-to-day life. That’s just part of living in a rural community. But with the solar co-op, the longest part was waiting for the utility. The installation itself took days. And SUN and the installer kept me up to date, which I greatly appreciated.
Get the latest on solar straight to your inbox.
Fight for your solar rights.
Everyone has the right to go solar. Spread the sunshine nationwide and in your local community by taking action, joining events, and more.