Let the Sunshine In

An environmental scientist brings her passion for rooftop solar to four counties

Written by JOHN THOMASON

If you want to go solar, Laura Tellez is here to help.

As the South Florida program coordinator for the nonprofit advocacy group Solar United Neighbors (SUN), the 39-yearold resident of western Broward County oversees the organization’s mission from the Northern Palm Beaches all the way to the Keys. Her job involves responding to homeowners and communities interested in installing rooftop solar, and providing unbiased education and referrals.

At the heart of SUN’s mission is the development of solar co-ops, where regions band together to purchase the panels. Once a co-op reaches 30 members, Tellez puts out a competitive request for proposal to solar installers, allowing co-op members to receive savings of approximately 20 percent. Ninety-one members signed on to the 2022 Palm Beach Solar Co-op, which closed Jan. 17; there will be additional local co-ops later this year.

“There are so many issues in the world today, from affordable housing to the environment,”Tellez says.“And I really feel like solar is the solution to a lot of these things. People can save money, can make their house more affordable. It creates local jobs, it reduces emissions. And with solar, you [install] it once, and it’s good for 25 years.”

A true believer, Tellez has been environmentally conscious for as long as she can remember. In second grade, in her native Colombia, she embarked on an eye-opening field trip to the Andes Mountains where she saw how watersheds were born. On the way back from the excursion, she also recalls a cement factory with a lot of smoke. “I said, ‘we need to do something to protect these places.’”

Tellez moved to the U.S. 20 years ago, earning her B.S. in En vironmental Science from Alaska Pacific University. She moved to South Florida after graduation to be closer to family, ultimately taking eco-centered positions at Florida International University, Broward County’s Environmental Protection Department, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and others. She started at SUN in 2020, combining her communications skills with her environmental passion.

She arrived in the solar field at a fortuitous time for homeowners. According to a 2022 study from the Solar Energy Industries Association, the price of residential solar panel systems has dropped by an average of more than 60 percent over the past decade. SUN pegs the net cost of a cash purchase of a 12kW solar system at $20,916, with a net profit of $39,915. Those who opt for a loan purchase stand to save $169 per month on their monthly electric bill over 15 years. (The Inflation Reduction Act, passed by Congress in 2022, provides tax credits on solar that kick in this spring.)“It’s definitely become more affordable,”Tellez says.“Also, it improves the value of the home, but homeowners are not paying taxes on that improvement.”

Though it ranks fourth in the nation in total installed solar capacity, fewer than 1 percent of Florida households have gone solar. SUN would consider its mission accomplished when one of every four homes has gone solar.

But perhaps Tellez’s best sales pitch isn’t one based on hard data but on personal anecdotes, like a tale of community resilience.“We heard from the Hurricane Ian area of neighbors coming to someone’s house because they noticed their lights were on ... because they had solar in storage ... In that story, one neighbor was with an elderly person, another had some health issues, and so several of the neighbors came to his house for a few hours for A/C relief, and to cook, and to have a good time, and then once the power came back on they want back to their homes.”

For those still on the solar fence: Hurricane season starts June 1. Visit solarunitedneighbors.org/ co-ops/florida.