After years away from Washington, Mike and Hillary returned to city life, found a strong community in Trinidad, and discovered that their sunny rooftop could produce more electricity than their home uses.
When I visited Mike and Hillary at their home in Trinidad, one of the first things I noticed was their front garden. The black-eyed Susans were in bloom, adding a bright splash of color to the front of the house.
Mike and Hillary have lived in Trinidad for about two years, but their connection to the DC area goes back much further. They previously lived in Northern Virginia before Mike’s work took him overseas. His final assignment before retiring was in Tallahassee, Florida.
After years away, they were ready to return to the area. This time, they wanted something different.
“We wanted to enjoy city life instead of the suburban experience for a change,” Mike says.
Now retired from his second career, Mike has started what he calls his third, working in government contracting. Outside of work, he and Hillary are enjoying everything the city has to offer and continuing to explore their relatively new neighborhood.
Finding a Home in Trinidad
Trinidad offered the housing options they were looking for, along with easy access to Gallaudet University, Union Market, Metro, and the rest of the city.
What has stood out most, however, is the community they found after moving in.
“The sense of community here has been amazing,” they say. “Everyone cares about and looks out for one another.”
Because they are still relatively new to Trinidad, exploring the neighborhood remains part of the fun. They are always finding new places, businesses, and things to do.
“We’re still discovering everything there is to see and do around here,” they say. “We find new favorites every week.”
Solar is already visible throughout the neighborhood. Several nearby homes have panels, and Mike and Hillary have talked with neighbors about their own experience. Not every roof is a good fit, including one nearby home that receives too much shade, but Trinidad has plenty of flat rooftops with strong sun exposure.
Their roof happens to be one of them.
A Home With Serious Solar Potential
Mike and Hillary began thinking about solar almost immediately after moving into the house.
Their roof receives unobstructed sunlight throughout the day. A rear addition also gives the home roughly 10 to 12 feet of extra roof space, allowing room for a larger solar array than many DC rowhomes can accommodate.
“As soon as we moved in, we realized it could be a huge cost savings for us,” they say. “Our roof gets unobstructed sunshine all day long.”
They were also interested in the environmental side of the decision. Solar offered an opportunity to generate clean energy for their home and send excess electricity back to the local power grid.
Mike and Hillary first connected with Uprise Solar through Solar Switch, now known as Switch Together. The program connects DC homeowners with vetted local solar installers and group pricing.
Before moving forward, they had many of the same questions we hear from other homeowners. They wanted to understand the cost, installation timeline, structural and visual impact on their home, and how the system would connect with Pepco’s electric grid.
They also spoke with friends in Virginia who had installed solar. Those conversations were helpful, but they made it clear that the financial benefits of solar can vary significantly by location. DC’s strong SREC market gave Mike and Hillary an opportunity that was not directly comparable to what their friends experienced in Virginia.
Comparing the Solar Options
Mike and Hillary considered both purchasing the system and using a no-cost solar option.
Under the no-cost model, a third party would own the panels and receive the SREC income while the homeowners benefit from the electricity produced. Purchasing the system requires a larger financial commitment, but it allows the homeowners to own the system and sell the SRECs generated by the system.
Maris Burns met with Mike and Hillary and worked with them throughout the decision-making process. Together, they compared the projected energy production, electric bill savings, financing payments, and anticipated SREC income.
“The cost savings and SREC process helped us see that the system could provide a fast return on investment,” they say.
After reviewing both paths together, Mike and Hillary decided to finance and own the system. Given the size of their roof, its strong sun exposure, and the amount of electricity the system was expected to generate, ownership offered the better long-term return for their home.
Financing allowed them to receive the benefits immediately while spreading the cost over time. Their reduced electric bills and SREC income help offset the system payments. Once the financing is paid off, the system can continue producing electricity for years to come.
Taking Care of the Roof First
The solar project also gave Mike and Hillary a good reason to address an existing roof concern.
When they purchased the home, a building inspector noted that part of the roof had not been sealed correctly by a previous contractor. They decided to have that work completed before installing the panels.
It turned out to be good timing. Roof repairs are much easier to complete before solar panels and racking are in place. Once the system is installed, accessing the roof may require removing and reinstalling panels.
Taking care of the roof first gave Mike additional confidence that the home was ready for a long-term solar installation.
A Smoother Process Than Expected
Mike and Hillary describe their experience with Uprise as professional, well communicated, and easier than they anticipated.
“The communication was excellent, and the process was explained thoroughly,” they say. “The installation was much smoother and faster than expected.”
The longest part was waiting for Pepco’s approval. Solar projects in DC require design, permitting, installation, inspection, and final utility authorization. Although the Pepco portion required some patience, the rest of the project moved quickly.
Maris remained involved throughout the process, helping Mike and Hillary understand what was happening and what came next.
“Maris was with us through the entire process,” they say.
Having one consistent person available made the different stages feel much more manageable.
Producing More Electricity Than They Use
Since the system was installed, Mike and Hillary’s home has produced more electricity than their household consumes.
“We have not paid for electricity since the installation because the system generates more than enough for our consumption,” they say.
The electricity generated on their roof first powers the home. Any excess is sent to Pepco’s grid and credited through net metering. At the annual true-up, eligible excess generation may result in an additional payment from Pepco.
Mike and Hillary received a check of roughly $400 for the extra electricity their system sent back to the grid.
Between the avoided electricity costs, SREC income, and compensation for excess generation, the system is providing value in several different ways.
Watching the System Work
Mike and Hillary can use their monitoring app to see how much electricity the panels are producing.
During the recent stretch of smoky weather in the DC area, Mike was curious to see how the haze would affect the system. He was surprised to find that the panels continued generating well.
Solar panels can still produce electricity during hazy or partly cloudy conditions. Production may be lower than it would be under a clear sky, but solar radiation continues to reach the panels even when the sun is not fully visible.
Being able to watch that production in real time has made the connection between their home and its energy use much more tangible.
Advice for Other DC Homeowners
Now that Mike and Hillary have gone through the process together, their advice is straightforward.
“It is definitely worth considering for full-sun rooftops,” they say. “There is real cost-saving potential, plus it is good for the environment.”
Their experience also shows why every home should be evaluated individually. Roof condition, usable space, shading, household electricity consumption, financing, incentives, and long-term plans all affect whether solar makes sense and which option is the best fit.
For Mike and Hillary, the pieces came together. They had a roof with excellent sun exposure, additional space from the rear addition, and the opportunity to take advantage of DC’s solar incentives.
They returned to DC looking for city life and found a strong community in Trinidad. Now, their sunny rooftop is producing more than enough electricity for their home while contributing additional clean energy to the neighborhood around them.
If you’d like to reap the benefits of solar as well, get in touch! We want your experience as a solar customer to be equally as positive as Mike and Hilliary’s. You can schedule a conversation here or call Uprise at (202) 750-5718.
And be sure to check out more Humans of Uprise stories here.