Office location: 1000 Fulton St, Farmingdale NY, 11735
01/07/2025
Evan Hoffman
Bellmore, NY
After a chance encounter with a door-to-door solar salesman in April 2024, I began exploring solar options for my Long Island home. I had recently gotten a Tesla Model Y which increased my power usage, and with our already high local electricity costs plus my concerns about future energy demands from AI and EVs, it seemed like a good time to consider solar. I researched several providers and ultimately chose Empower Solar. Their sales rep Jeff Cohen really impressed me with his expertise and thorough consultation process. I went with a 15.3 kW system using 36 QTRON panels with Enphase IQ8 microinverters, which cost about $46,000. Through financing with a $25,000 NYSERDA loan at 6.99% plus federal and state tax credits, I only needed to pay $2,318 upfront. After signing the initial contract, I decided to add two Powerwall 3 batteries for backup power. Having gone through Hurricane Sandy's 9-day outage, I realized it would be worth the investment. This brought my total project cost to $67,508, with an additional $10,712 out of pocket. We had to install the Powerwalls on my south wall - not ideal aesthetically, but it was the only option given the placement requirements. The whole process took several months. I signed the initial contract on July 8th, had the panels installed October 7-8th, and the Powerwalls went in on October 10th. The system finally went live on November 8th. I've connected it to my HomeAssistant setup, which lets me track everything - power generation, grid usage, and Powerwall charge levels - in real-time with detailed charts. Looking at the ROI, my PSEG bills had been averaging between $282-330 monthly. While it'll take a while to pay for itself, I believe it's a solid investment given likely increases in electricity costs, plus I really value having backup power. That said, I always tell people to consider how long they plan to stay in their house when calculating ROI - it might not make sense for someone planning to move in the next few years. Overall, I'm really happy with my decision to go solar. Empower's team was incredibly professional throughout the entire process, and Jeff Cohen's ongoing support even after the sale was particularly impressive. The system's performing great, and I have no regrets about making the investment. Full blog post - with drone flyover: https://evanhoffman.com/2024/11/11/my-experience-getting-home-solar-spring-summer-2024/
System size (kW): 15300
System price: $67,000
Year installed: 2024
Price include the Federal Tax Credit or incentives: No