the future is bright for
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S LAR ENERGY
HOME TRENDS written by ROXANN MILLER Solar energy in the United States is booming. As the cost of using the sun’s energy to produce electricity decreases each year, an increasing number of homeowners are making the decision to “go solar.” After facing a hefty electric bill, Randolph and Latechia Mitchell of Germantown, Md., joined the increasing list of homeowners turning to solar energy. Owning a house with a lot of square footage, a swimming pool and two air-conditioning units caused the couple’s electric bill to soar to a high of $900 a month.
“We went from an average of using 2,000-plus kilowatts a month to now we average 400 (with solar). Last year was the first full year with the panels, and the highest we paid was a little over $300 (a month) – that’s a $500 to $600 difference,” Randolph Mitchell said. Before jumping on the “go-solar” bandwagon, Mitchell had an inspection done to see if the roof on his older home was strong enough to support the equipment. As it turned out, he had to replace the roof before installing a 20-panel solar system there. “It’s a big investment, but it’s worth it,”said Mitchell, who chose to own his panels by financing them for 10 years.
