Behind every great installation is a great story – meet VERTIE.

Vertie has turned her home into a working model of sustainability by installing a solar electric (PV) system to offset her electrical usage.

For Vertie, the switch to solar was more 'when' than 'if': with a son working in the renewable energy industry, and the undeniably ideal Southwestern sun, she knew for years that she would eventually go solar. Thanks to the Federal solar investment tax credit - combined with declining equipment costs, 2015 became the year that solar changed from a wishlist item to a reality for Vertie.

"My son has worked in renewable energy for years - including both solar and wind, so he provided me with a lot of information. I knew that, environmentally, solar was the best source of energy - I just needed to make sure that the financial aspect was right for me."

Once she had decided the timing was right, Vertie went straight to her sources, both in-person and online, to make sure that she was well researched in both what brand of solar panels to go with, as well as who to have install them: 

"I talked to my friends - some who had or were considering installing solar panels on their homes. I also read a number of interesting articles in the New York Times in reference to how the cost of solar had declined over the years. I spoke with several companies, and everyone that I talked to had very high praise for TFS."

Upon activation of her 11.40kW solar system, Vertie immediately saw a reduction in her monthly electricity charges, with her two most recent bills coming in at under $15 each during a time of year that previously saw averages in the $120 to $125 range. With the hands-off nature of solar, Vertie finds that she doesn't often give much thought to her newly reconfigured power source, with her low monthly power bill serving as the most prominent reminder that her power is coming from the sun.

Vertie's solar system, made up of 40 LG 285w modules, generates an estimated 1,670kWh of clean energy every month - covering roughly 96% of her typical energy usage. In a single calendar year, Vertie's solar system will result in an offset of 20,040 lbs of coal not burned, 44,628 lbs of CO2 not released into the atmosphere, and 10,020 gallons of water not consumed for the generation of fossil fuel energy, as well as the equivalent of 48,072 miles of vehicular emissions removed from the atmosphere.

For others considering making the switch to solar, Vertie advises: "Do lots of research. Read, talk to as many people as possible, and do everything you can to obtain as much information as possible, as with any purchase."