Residences

267 Chippenham Lane, Hockessin

October 16 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm • Otside self-guided viewing, with limited indoor in-person tour subject to COVID-19 protocols

We have 36 panels (10.08 kW) installed on steel seamed roof. Geothermal HVAC, one EV charge hookup in garage. Radiant floor heating. Two energy recovery ventilation units. Home built following LEED Silver goals but not certified.

Why we went solar: Cost vs. payback analysis in order to provide a low carbon footprint with a reasonable payback break even.

Homeowner: Gary Grendel

101 Waterside Drive, Bridgeville

October 16 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm • In-person tour

We have 28 panels, 15,000 kW production, roof-top mount, installed by CNC Solar, geothermal, battery back-up system, tankless hot water heater, and EV charging station.

Why we went solar: To reduce dependency on fossil fuels, maintain energy independence with solar power coupled to battery back-up.

Homeowner: Thomas Leathem, RSVP

82 Sussex Street, Rehoboth Beach

October 16 @ 1:00 – 4:00 pm • In-person tour

We have 4.4 kw solar photovoltaic, evacuated tubes solar hot water, radiant floor heating, 2000-gallon rain water cistern, fireproof siding and roof, composting, pollinator gardens, re-used barn wood in interior, and EV charging. If you can’t make the hours 1-4:00, let me know and we can work it out.

Why we went solar? Stop global warming. Save money.

Homeowner: Charlie Garlow, RSVP

105 5th Street, Rehoboth Beach

October 16 @ 1:00 – 5:00 pm • Outside, self-guided viewing

Our personal home installation provides ZERO winter heating bills. We like the installation and service from our installer. Solar is a great way to go!

Why we went solar? To environmentally grow toward alternate access to required energy.

Homeowner: David Novak

35278 Hassell Avenue, Bethany Beach

October 16, all day • Video

We contracted with Solar City (now Tesla Energy) to install our solar panels in 2013. We didn’t feel confident in finding a contractor and going through the hassle of applying for state and federal tax credits and then monitoring and maintaining the system.

Costs: We made a down payment ($5k) and pay $92/month to lease the panels for 20 years. (Total cost $27,147.) We figure we’ve already repaid ourselves the down payment via the savings on our Delmarva Power bills. Additionally, since this is a beach house, often not occupied in off season, we put power into the grid and get paid (at a wholesale rate). This has also offset our costs.

Side Benefit: Our solar panels cover the west side of our roof where the afternoon summer sun would make our attic HOT! The solar panels act as an awning, shading the roof and keeping the attic (where our AC/heat pump air handling equipment is) cooler. Additionally, it is protecting our west roof shingles from sun and weather deterioration.

Service: Tesla Energy constantly monitors our energy production comparing to weather/sunshine. Once they noticed we were not getting the production they’d expect and called us to send out a technician. Our house was rented for several weeks and we didn’t want the guests bothered with this. So we set it up for our next visit. The technician promptly found the problem and fixed it. Within a week Tesla sent us a check for $400 for the lost energy production! More recently we had pigeons roosting under the panels and Tesla came to install a firm plastic netting “wall” on the perimeter of the panels. Problem solved. This is the type of thing we didn’t want to deal with – and going through a provider like Tesla solves.

Why we went solar? Both to reduce greenhouse gases and to curb our energy costs. We'd had Delmarva Power bills as high as $450 in hot summer months! Our bill for July this year was $15; for August it was -$4. (We put excess energy into the grid.)

Homeowners: June Taylor Wolcott