November 14th, 2007

A Bright Idea: Sun Run Eases Solar Sticker Shock

Posted by Jessica Jensen

Thinking about getting solar on your roof, but facing sticker shock? According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, solar systems for homes begin around $25,000 but can easily go higher depending on the size of a house and the amount of power they generate. (We wish the government incentives were better for solar– but hey, that’s a topic for another blog.)

We have come across an interesting company that is working to get solar power to more homes and make it affordable for the homeowners.

California-based Sun Run is the first company to make solar power a reality for homeowners who thought they couldn’t afford it. Through a service that works in a similar way to the electricity package homeowners currently have with local utilities, Sun Run owns and maintains the panels, not the homeowner. This approach eliminates the hefty upfront cost for the homeowner.

For example, Redwood City, Calif. resident Francoise Bourzat, an early Sun Run customer, wanted to reduce her family’s dependence on fossil fuels and get solar power on her roof, but struggled with questions like how to go about it, how to maintain it and — most important — how to pay for it?  Sun Run guided Bourzat through the installation process, purchased the best panels for her home and guaranteed maintenance on those panels for 20 years. “We found Sun Run to be the most cost-effective and hassle-free way to go solar,” she said. For Bourzat Sun Run reduced her upfront cost by more than 66%.

Currently Sun Run is only available in Northern California, but they are planning rapid expansion.  You can find more info at their website, www.sunrunhome.com.

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