Cathy Clark, a retiree from Parma Heights, Ohio, embraced the shift toward sustainability by installing a solar panel system on her home, and she is seeing significant financial savings.
Clark shared with Solar United Neighbors, aka SUN, that her journey began in her high school days in Oberlin, Ohio, which is a community known for its progressive stance on environmental issues. Her investment in a 14-panel solar setup decades later is paying off in ways she could have only imagined.
After years of observing improvements in solar technology and lower system costs, Clark made the leap when a trusted friend shared her own success with solar panels. "I always wanted to do something like this," she said to SUN. "But then to talk to a friend that I knew and trusted who had put solar panels on her house … that really gave me an education." For Clark, a longtime renewable energy advocate, it was the right time to turn her dream into reality.
Clark's energy bills have dropped by more than 70%, with her July bill coming in at just $27. This dramatic reduction is thanks to the efficiency of her solar panel system and federal incentives that made the upfront cost more manageable.
Homeowners can get a 30% tax credit for installing solar panels through the Inflation Reduction Act, but these incentives might not last. President-elect Donald Trump has suggested he wants to gut the IRA, although Congress will have the final say on any changes. With the future of the program uncertain, now is the time to make the switch and take advantage of these savings.
Clark is contributing to a cleaner energy grid by adopting her grid-tied system that helps power her community with renewable energy by sending excess electricity back into the grid. "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," she explained in the interview.
Clark's experience shows how going solar can make a difference financially and environmentally. For retirees living on Social Security and investments, as Clark is, solar panels offer a way to cut costs while lowering home energy's impact on the planet.
Across the U.S., people are finding ways to cut their carbon footprints and rely less on traditional energy sources. With tools such as EnergySage's free quote service, homeowners can see how switching to solar can save them money and help the planet.
More and more homeowners are adding solar panel systems and exploring other creative housing ideas. Tiny homes, such as the ones from Woodland Ridge Tiny Home Crafters, are a great example. They are affordable and eco-friendly and help cut back on developments that take up too much space.
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Energy independence ⚡ Clark hopes her story will inspire others to explore the benefits of renewable energy as she continues to see the benefits of making the change. "If it reduces my monthly costs, I am really happy about that," she said.
With the possibility of IRA incentives changing in the near future, now is the perfect time for homeowners to take the leap, save thousands, and contribute to a greener planet.
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