Longhorn Photo voltaic CEO Louis Petrik needs to see photo voltaic panels on prime of each house in Texas with the aim of decreasing electrical energy prices for householders and defending the surroundings for future generations.
“Going photo voltaic is a win-win, saving cash and serving to to save lots of the surroundings on the similar time,” he stated.
Earlier than Longhorn Photo voltaic began in 2009, Petrik operated one of many largest vacation
decorates corporations in Texas and doesn’t contemplate himself an environmentalist. He walked into a house present and noticed somebody giving a presentation on photo voltaic power that piqued his curiosity. Petrik realized that he already had workers who had been comfy with rooftops and the required gear to put in photo voltaic panels. A yr and a half in the past, after taking a category at Austin Neighborhood Faculty, Longhorn Photo voltaic started putting in photo voltaic panels on houses.
“I need to depart the planet a greater place for my kids and my grandchildren,” Petrik stated.
Along with the environmental advantages, there are lots of monetary incentives linked to the usage of photo voltaic power. The 30% Federal Funding Tax Credit score that was simply prolonged for 10 years by the brand new Inflation Discount Act of 2022 is an instance.
“Many Better Austin residents have seen charges added to their payments or their power contracts double—and even triple—when it is time to renew,” Petrik stated. “Photo voltaic power charges stay regular at round $0.10-$0.11 [per kilowatt-hour] in comparison with some electrical energy charges above $0.17 [per kilowatt-hour] It is a distinction of $700-$900 a yr for a 2,500-square-foot house.
Petrik says that more often than not through the day, your photo voltaic system produces extra electrical energy than you utilize. Extra electrical energy flows again into the facility grid permitting you to generate credit score together with your utility firm, he stated.
However regardless of all of the monetary incentives, many customers stay hesitant attributable to misconceptions surrounding photo voltaic power.
“Lots of people assume it is too costly,” Petrik stated. “Again once I began, it was very costly. Solely high-income householders might afford it. I’d encourage everybody to look once more as a result of it is getting cheaper. It could You may finance a photo voltaic system as we speak, and the funds are lower than what you pay the utility firm.”
Petrik stated that the worth of electrical energy has elevated within the final 12 months and has exceeded the price of solar energy in your house.
One other battle with getting buy-in is the truth that most Texans discover out about photo voltaic from somebody knocking on their door, Petrik stated. It is not one of the best ways to purchase photo voltaic, so Longhorn Photo voltaic does issues otherwise, he stated.
“You may have people who find themselves untrained and do not know what they’re speaking about utilizing high-pressure gross sales techniques to get you to signal on the dotted line, so you do not really feel too photo voltaic,” he stated. . “Lots of people are being taken benefit of in these conditions.”
Longhorn Photo voltaic requires its account managers to finish intensive coaching earlier than they’re allowed to speak to potential prospects, which units it aside from different corporations.
“We wish our prospects to have peace of thoughts that what we’re telling them is true,” Petrik stated. “All of our account managers are licensed photo voltaic specialists. We require them to have NABCEP certification earlier than we’ll allow them to discuss to a buyer. This normally requires not less than three months of coaching in not may even sit for the take a look at.”
Petrik stated Longhorn Photo voltaic’s account managers additionally spend time explaining how a photo voltaic system works. They do not use excessive strain gross sales techniques. As a substitute, they undergo an informative presentation to the client after which sit again and let the client decide in his personal timeframe.
“We’re not going to attempt to pressure it,” he stated.
When a buyer decides to change to photo voltaic power, the Longhorn Photo voltaic set up course of is simple.
“We normally set up our methods inside a day or two for a house owner’s minimal problem,” Petrik stated.
Petrik stated he usually asks individuals, “If the utility firm got here and provided you a chance to repair your electrical energy prices by a certain quantity for the following 25 years and never need to go up the costs are nonetheless, will you do it?”
He stated everybody would say sure, which is, in essence, what his firm is doing with photo voltaic power, he stated.
“Do not forget the batteries to again up your photo voltaic system,” says Petrik. “You do not need to be not noted within the chilly within the winter or burned within the warmth within the Summer season when the grid goes down.”
To be taught extra about Longhorn Photo voltaic, go to longhornsolar.com.
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