Bloomington, Indiana isn’t exactly a hub for solar energy. But one local family saw value in creating an energy-efficient home and reducing their carbon footprint.
Karim Abdelkader and his family sought to minimize their impact on the environment and maximize their energy efficiency. He reached out to local solar installer Solar Systems of Indiana and discussed his family’s goals with the company’s president Alex Jarvis.
Abdelkader wanted to install panels on his family’s home and adjacent pool house, which together span over 4,000 square feet. He hoped the solar installation could provide most of the power for both buildings and the pool, and that the panels would blend with his home and withstand the variable weather conditions typical in central Indiana.
“Being in the Midwest, [the panels are] getting exposed to all sorts of extreme conditions–from high periods of heat to cold to snow, and that was a consideration and driver behind the decision that we made,” said Abdelkader. “We wanted to not only cover the home, but to ensure the pool and pool house were offset with the sun’s energy–the LG NeON R product provided that.”
Jarvis and his team installed 58 of LG Electronics’ NeON R solar modules. The modules have a 25-year labor and materials warranty with a guarantee of at least 87.0 yield relative to initial performance after 25 years. Abdelkader said this was one of the highest he saw in his research and gave him peace of mind knowing the manufacturing was going to stand behind its product for the long term. Abdelkader also liked that the modules were low maintenance, had a black backing to blend with his home’s roof line and had a high power output (365 kW versus other options that only produce 350 kW) while being cost effective.
“We started using LG about three years ago; they’re a great balance between efficiency and value,” Jarvis said. “I really like that LG is a globally diversified company. It’s a very stable and secure company that lends itself to an installer to put up equipment that we know will be out there and will have support and project backing moving into the future.”
Solar Systems of Indiana completed construction in October 2017. The system is expected to yield 26,250 kW a year. Despite limited roof space, the panels helped offset 80% of the Abdelkader’s power needs. The project also used Unirac’s black rails and SolarEdge’s HD Wave inverter. The installation was completed mid-month, but Abdelkader saw his full month energy bill cut in half. Bloomington’s net-metering arrangement also allows Abdelkader to receive financial credit for the excess energy he harvests and puts back on the grid. This will further help offset the cost of installation.
“Here in Bloomington we have a net-metering arrangement: As the system harvests more and more kilowatt hours he’s able to offset what he would have paid by getting the same rate on utility,” Jarvis said. “The first month, Karim sent me a text and was very excited about how low his energy bill was. Even without a full month of being energized the system has offset quite a bit. Solar has met his expectations, and then some.”
“Beyond the economics, beyond the savings, beyond the ROI which we also considered, what we consume and how we consume it is very important to us–having less of an impact on the environment versus a traditional home,” Abdelkader said. “I’d absolutely recommend the LG NeON R 365-kW panels because, in my opinion, they’re going to give you the biggest bang for your buck. [In] a few words: quality, reliability and overall performance–and that includes degradation profile. We wanted something that would last and withstand the test of time, and that’s why we ended up choosing LG Solar.”
This information has been assembled from an LG Electronics case study.
Andrea says
I’m a big believer and supporter of solar and other renewables, but a neighborhood called “Prairie Green” that has a theme or focus on green technology would be wiser to take a look at house size, insulation, density, golf lawn maintenance, and a truly sustainable life style, rather than trying to offset what looks to be a top 5% life style. Rethink.