News > I went solar for my family, faith, and future

I went solar for my family, faith, and future

• Stories

January 29, 2026

My great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, myself, and my children have all attended the same North Denver Catholic church just blocks from our home. My wife and I moved back in 2008, and we are raising our four children here. She teaches religion and history at a local middle school, and as a family we enjoy hiking and spending time outdoors in Colorado. Being outside, caring for our community, and staying connected to our faith are all big parts of our daily life.

Service has always been central to my work. I have been a deacon in the Catholic Church for two years, and professionally, I work as a civil engineer focused on water projects and disaster response. My career has taken me to different parts of the world, including service work in Cameroon and helping communities recover after hurricanes in the Caribbean. Whether through my career or through my church, serving others has always felt like a responsibility I take seriously.

What sparked the decision to go solar

For my family, going solar felt like a natural extension of the values we already live by. I have always cared deeply about the environment and been a bit of a tree hugger since I was young. We believe that being good stewards of the Earth is part of our responsibility, especially for the sake of our kids and the world they will inherit.

As our household energy use increased, including adding electric vehicles, we started thinking more seriously about where our electricity comes from. We wanted to rely less on fossil fuels and do more of our part to protect the environment. Going solar felt like a practical step we could take at home that matched what we already believed in.

Finding support through switch together

Through the Switch Together program, I was able to participate in Denver’s income-eligible solar rebate in partnership with the City of Denver’s Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency office. Solar United Neighbors supported me throughout the process, from signing up for the group and indicating interest in the rebate to completing the city application and understanding next steps, while the city handled eligibility and approvals.

What I appreciated about the program was that it combined a city-backed rebate with the power of a group of neighbors going solar together. Being part of a large group helped create more affordable pricing, and the rebate made the project possible for our family.

It also mattered to me that so many other Denver residents were participating at the same time. It felt good to know that we were not doing this alone, and that many families across the city were working toward the same goal of producing clean, local energy.

Since this was a large, citywide group, I knew the program was designed to serve many households at once. With so many people participating, installations had to be carefully coordinated across a long list of homes. It did take a while to actually get the system installed. We were originally told April, and it ended up being about five months later. That wait was hard, and it definitely required patience from our family.

That said, once the installation began, the experience itself was very positive. Everyone who came to do the work was professional, kind, and efficient. The crews clearly knew what they were doing, and they treated our home with care.

Programs like Switch Together are built to maximize access and affordability, and I can see how growing demand also brings logistical challenges. As more people continue to sign up, thoughtful planning and expanded installer capacity can help make future groups run even more smoothly.

The impact of going solar

Since our system became operational, we have already seen meaningful results. Since September, our energy bill has consistently been negative, which has been incredible to see.

Even as national solar policies continue to shift, Colorado remains a leader in supporting homeowners who choose to go solar. One part of the program that really stands out is that Colorado law requires the utility,  Xcel Energy, to credit us at the same rate for the energy we produce as what we pay them. That is not true everywhere, and this fair policy makes a big difference for families like ours.

Beyond the financial impact, going solar is really about peace of mind for us. We want to know that our driving and our appliances are not contributing to making the world worse, and that we are doing what we can to help instead.

Looking towards the future

My family and I have also started thinking about what comes next, including the possibility of adding battery storage someday. Given my background in disaster response, having reliable backup power feels especially important.

If there were a future program that helped with battery costs, we would definitely be interested. For now, we are aware of smaller backup options that could help power essential devices if needed, and we continue to think about ways to strengthen our home’s resilience.

Despite the patience required during installation, I feel a lot of gratitude for this program and for the leadership behind it. To the City of Denver, thank you for making this program possible for families who might not otherwise be able to access solar, and for leading on climate action in a meaningful way.

I would encourage Denver to keep pushing forward and to continue building on this momentum. There is a real opportunity here to be a national leader in making solar accessible, and I hope the city continues to invest in programs like this.

For me, going solar through Switch Together was not just about lowering bills or adopting new technology. It was about aligning my household’s energy choices with a lifelong commitment to service, community, and caring for the world my children will inherit.