Julie Williams lives in Corvallis, Oregon in a 1951 cottage-style home. In 2009, she installed solar panels on her roof that covered about a third of her electricity usage. “I was teaching sustainability to high school seniors and felt that I needed to walk the walk. I thought it would be a philanthropic thing to do, but I broke even financially so fast.” 

Julie was hooked on solar. In 2012, she added more panels to her roof to cover the rest of her electrical usage. The second installation was even more cost effective. Since 2009, solar prices have decreased over 65%. 

In addition to the savings from generating her own electricity, Julie says the solar panels make her feel good. “I love that I can power my microwave and computer and electric vehicle with my roof. If we do get a power bill, we’re disappointed.” 

Julie also likes that the panels require basically no maintenance. In the first year, she climbed up on the roof to scrub pollen off the panels but quit when she realized the pollen didn’t impact the panel’s production.

For others thinking about going solar, Julie encourages them to go with a local installer. “They treat people really well because they live in the area and their business thrives on word of mouth,” she says. “Don’t go with someone who comes to your door.”