July 4th is a day that makes most Americans think about our independence and freedoms. We enjoy Freedom of Speech, Religion, Press and so on. But one freedom not often discussed and definitely not codified in the constitution is the freedom of energy choice. Specifically the choice of where you receive your electric. More are now becoming aware of their electric independence options such as: Freedom to select your own electric provider or the Freedom to be your own power provider. Now while energy choice can be a great thing, without direction, it can also lead to decision paralyses because fundamentally two things: 1) Most of people do not work in the energy industry everyday which is why we typically let the utility hand things. 2) When we see opportunities we don't know how to choose the best one. And isn't that all we really want to know? What is the best option for me?
To get to the best option you have to start at the beginning. Knowing what you want at the start will help guide your decisions going forward. So to get you started we are going to focus one one topic: What do you does energy independence look like to you? Once you have answered this question, you can get to the deeper topics like using solar to improve your home's energy efficiency.
What does energy independence look like to me?
So, what do I want? This could easily be the most confounding question I have ever posed to a customer. In fact, most customers are sure customers are that they want some form of energy independence but most just do not know how to get started. I usually get a response like "I want to get away from the grid" or “I want more options.” These are great starting positions but usually I must take a deeper dive and ask more specific questions which usually results in customers focusing on two areas: saving money or being greener. Both are great reasons to seek energy independence in some form, but I usually ask if you could only have one which is most important? When you answer that question, you set the tone and define the lens that each decision forward should be viewed.
Saving Money
Energy costs money. That is clear but what decisions should I make that result in energy savings is what customers want to know. Should I change my energy provider, should I install more energy efficient products, should I buy a renewable energy system? What should I do, and will it save me money? Again, if your focus is on saving money all these options should be on the table. As you evaluate each option you should continually ask yourself how much a decision cost will and how quickly it will pay me back. Because if saving money is your focus you must focus on the dollars and whichever saving action is the highest should inform your decision.
Being Green
Now for more environmentally focused customers the costs and returns may not matter as much. For these discussions customers should be looking for what makes the most environmental impact. That often matches up very nicely with what saves the most money but sometimes the easy stuff like changing out the lighting has already been done and the heating system is still working in top condition so not much additional greenness can be obtained there. So sometimes you focus on what is next. What is next should be the step taken a. r all the quick and easy savings have been found because when you make your next investment it needs to be a cost-effective solution. Solar is a great solution for greening your home or business to be sure the power you use is more sustainable and greener. Because if being green is your focus you will not want to waste one more electron than necessary and if possible, make that electron come from a green source.
Summary
When you want energy, independence, and freedom. Keep a few things in mind:
Know what energy independence looks like to you.
Pick a leader of your independence.
Contact a Solar Coach. Our purpose is to help you make the best decision for you.
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