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Karen – Marrimack, New Hampshire

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June 27, 2024

It is amazing to me to generate my own power

Karen – Marrimack, NH

Why did you decide to go solar?

My husband Greg and I are concerned about climate change. When we moved to New Hampshire, we were unsure of our solar capacity. Luckily, we bought a house with the perfect siting, South facing and slanted roof. Also, we had a large enough grassy area to prevent the panels being shaded by the woods behind us. And there is ample sunshine in NH.

What was the process like for you? Did anything surprise you, or were there challenges you had to overcome?

The process was very easy. We got two bids which were very similar. The solar company came out and completed the job in one day. It took around two weeks for our utility company to hook the panels up to the grid. And, NH has net metering so we get paid for our excess solar at the same price we pay when we need power (at night).

Have any of your habits changed since going solar? (For example: driving an electric car or bike, switching to an electric stove or water heater, etc)

We haven’t bought a heat pump or electric water heater yet but plan too. We already had hybrid cars.

Have you seen electricity savings since going solar? If so, what have you been able to do with that savings?

We really haven’t seen savings yet but we usually pay zero to our utlity, Eversource. We do make monthly payments on our home equity loan.

One interesting thing about rooftop solar and snow is that it melts quickly and protects your roof from getting ice dams which are destructive.

Have you been involved in any solar advocacy since becoming a solar owner?

I joined Clean Energy New Hampshire which is an advocacy organization. Also, I have created an Energy Committee in the town I live in. We have had an EV fair and an Energy efficiency presentation at the library.

What advice would you give to someone considering going solar?

It is amazing to me to generate my own power. Rooftop solar is so effective as you don’t lose energy over the power lines. If you have the right spot and have equity in your home, it is a no brainer.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Since we installed our panels almost 3 years ago, we have generated 29 Mwh and have reduced our CO2 by 20.7 tons, equivalent to 347 trees.
Even in Northern climates like New Hampshire, installing rooftop solar benefits the environment, reducing the impact on climate change and reducing air pollution.