Saving With Solar Panels In Harlingen, Texas

The following interview was conducted with an Alba Energy residential solar customer from Harlingen, a suburb of the Rio Grande Valley. Learn more about going solar in Harlingen, Texas by requesting a free solar savings analysis from Alba Energy of McAllen today!

Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am Fabian B. and my wife’s name is Meredith. We currently live in Harlingen and have lived at our current residence for 4 years. Our house is very unique. It is a wooden/log type of house and is over 4,000 sf. The unique aspect of our house is that ¼ of it was built in the 1930’s and the additional ¾’s in the late 70’s or early 80’s. We have added insulation to the newer part of the house but the original house has beam ceilings and no possible way to add insulation. This drives up the monthly cooling and heating costs. We added insulation and installed 3 wifi thermostats from Honeywell and have 1 Nest installed in the guest house.

Why did you decide to switch to solar energy?

We had 2 goals for getting into solar energy: Meredith’s goal was to reduce our environmental footprint and reduce carbon emissions as much as possible.

Me, being analytical, wanted to make sure that we could get a good return based on the costs of the solar panels. I had begun my research into solar energy and always looked at the tax credit benefits. I knew that these tax credits would not last long. I also looked at this project as a long term capital project (just like I would for the hospitals).

“The Alba team did a great analysis on the payback and financial incentives. I reviewed those intensely and was happy with the analysis.”

How much did you know about solar energy?

I have been researching solar energy for about 2 years. I knew that it would be something that both Meredith and I were interested in and finally decided to make the call to Jennifer Love, our sales consultant, when we could benefit from the solar tax credit. I really did more research once there was a news report on TV mentioning that Alba Energy was opening a solar office in the Rio Grande Valley.

What kind of system did Alba Energy install for your home?

We installed a pretty large system in our home and we were told that it would be the 3rd largest residential system in the area. We installed a 17,000 watt solar system with 54 LG panels. It is estimated that we should run on solar power 57% of the day vs utility power at 43%. The payback on this system would be approximately 6 years.

Click to view his Harlingen, Texas Home Solar Panel Install by Alba Energy

What made you choose Alba Energy for your solar installation?

The most important reason I chose Alba Energy were the reviews online and especially speaking with Jennifer about the product. I had many questions and she answered all of them. She was quick to respond.

“I also asked if she had a current client I could speak with about the solar panels. I called the client and he was very happy with the product but he also said the customer services was amazing.”

What was the process of going solar like?

The process was very quick. Alba Energy was out quickly working on the roof and installing the products. They (Brooks) kept Meredith and myself aware of the day to day progress and any delays. The communication was outstanding. We had calls with the lender and Jennifer and they really assisted us in making the best choice in lenders and they were very convenient when it came to our time.

What benefits have you seen from going solar?

So far our electricity bill is 40% lower and that’s with some cloudiness in the past several weeks. The original estimation was that we would save approximately 57% and I think we will see that during the summer months.

What would you say to someone who is interested in going solar?

My advice to going solar would be to first make sure you have enough insulation and do any energy saving work on your current home. The one item that Alba Energy did was to ask about our insulation and they did a physical check of our property.

“If you are still skeptical, just call Alba Energy. They are more than willing to give you estimations. Remember that you receive a 30% tax credit on the installation of the solar panels and the solar panels themselves.”

Also, energy prices will be going up so you have to think of this as a long term investment. I have had many friends inquire about them and during Halloween, many of the parents were asking about them as I was handing out candy.

Save Money With Solar Panels In Texas!!

Alba Energy is proud to be one of the premier solar installers in Texas with offices throughout the state. Alba’s SMART Solar Financing means you can POWER your home with solar panels, pay LESS on electricity bills, and contribute to a CLEAN energy future. Request a FREE solar consultation today!