First, we asked Lethbridge Coalhurst resident Lori Harasem about her experience with solar panels.
Walking the Talk: 5 Questions with Lori Harasem
1. Tell me about your experience with solar/green energy? And 2. How and why did you get started? We first looked into getting solar panels back in 2013. We have always tried to make decisions to minimize our footprint (ie used rainbarrels since 2007, got rid of our front lawn and put in only drought tolerant plants in 2017, and so on). I was familiar with solar energy because growing up in Kelowna in the 70s and 80s, we had solar panels on our roof to heat our swimming pool. However in 2013 the cost of the solar panels was very high and so we put it off. Once the federal grant and interest-free loan came about though, we knew it was the right time. With the cost of electricity being so high we realized we would actually save money by going solar! So we talked to a few people who had put solar on their homes and got some good ideas of things to do and where to start and began the process and here we are! In April 2024, our first full month of solar, our electricity bill was a credit that we will apply to winter months when we can’t generate as much power!
3. What has been your biggest challenge? The biggest challenge has been the process and the timelines. It has been a bit complicated at times and it does take awhile from making the decision to having them installed and turned on (which is a positive thing, it shows demand is so high!).
We joined a Facebook group of 5000+ people from Alberta who had gone solar. We got a lot of tips from them. We also gathered our quotes and chose a company that has been wonderful in helping us through each step – from applying for the interest-free loan to helping us apply for carbon offset credits. I talk to others who missed steps, didn’t understand Solar Club and high rates/low rates and it seems to matter who you hire and how much time they will spend with you, and the Facebook group really has been there to fill in any blanks or where you can ask your questions that suddenly come up late at night!
4. What’s your best tip for someone who might be considering installing solar on their home? If you are considering solar, join the Facebook group – Solar Alberta Group. You can ask anything. People will show you their bills, talk about what they have learned and things to consider. I’d also talk to people you know who have used solar. And when you get quotes, know that they may be very different. I shared ours (and many do) on the Facebook group and people give feedback on which quote to go with and why – it isn’t always about price.
5. What’s one wish you have for Lethbridge when it comes to green energy? I’d love to see solar everywhere. When you watch your energy consumption and realize that, in April, you are making enough to not only fully power your house but are selling it back to the grid, you realize the possibility with solar energy, how much we can reduce our carbon emissions. Even on cloudy or snowy days, my system is still producing electricity. Economically it makes sense and environmentally it does. I understand that the new Federal programs that are coming may be geared more towards those who can’t afford some of the upfront costs of going solar and I hope that that is true as that is the one barrier that really still exists and if it can be addressed, there is no reason why most buildings couldn’t have solar on them!