University City Photons

I was fortunate to bump into Garrett at the Home Depot where he was buying some electrical parts. I soon learned that he is passionate about Solar Energy and takes perfectionistic pride in his work. You can tell that he enjoys planning and executing the project for optimal results, including the aesthetics of the curb view--All electrical conduits are carefully mapped to be out-of-view. He coordinated with the roofer to optimize the deployment of 21 state-of-the-art LG 300-watt panels with micro-inverters. He directed the roofer to move some vents to make room for the best solar location. Garrett also collaborated with an electrician to upgrade my electrical service panel; the electrician Garrett chose did a unusually clean job in making surgical stucco cuts to precisely fit the new panel, and avoid the need for a re-stucco patch. Garrett enthusiastically explained as many details about the project as I was willing to absorb. As a bonus, that I did not request Garrett helped me with the installed of my electrical vehicle charging station! I interviewed three other Solar contractors and was pleased to confirm that quality does not have to be costly-- Garrett charged about $4000 per kW of photovoltaic system (i.e. ~$25,000 for 6.3kW system). This includes all hardware, Enphase microinverters and a Envoy computer/web monitoring system that monitors the real-time performance of each panel. Only one other contractor came close in price. But besides the great price I found the project to be fun as well as instructive.