The Evans Family

Customer Stories

The Evans Family

After installing solar and converting most of their appliances and vehicle to electricity, the Evans family generates a small net surplus of electricity annually and their natural gas usage is close to zero.

2018 was a big year for the Evans household. The addition of a new baby meant that their energy needs had changed and it was a great opportunity to go solar. With help from SunWork they installed a twelve panel 3.42 kilowatt photovoltaic system and were able to help kick the fossil fuel habit by switching many of their home and transportation needs to electric.

They learned about SunWork from coverage in the East Bay Times celebrating SunWork’s 500th rooftop solar installation. SunWork’s unique model as a nonprofit organization focused on teaching volunteers about the solar energy revolution was a real selling point. Evans works at the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity which is focused on protecting wildlife from pollution. He was excited to partner with another mission-driven organization dedicated to reducing pollution from fossil fuel energy. SunWork’s nonprofit, volunteer-focused model also meant it was able to install a system for less than other companies.

As part of their home energy system upgrade, the Evans family was able to ditch an inefficient natural gas floor furnace and hot water heater. Instead they installed an electric heat pump, with a ducted forced air system, to keep their house air conditioned year round. They also installed a tanked electric hot water heater. An untimely demise of their car also meant they switched to a plug-in hybrid. The 20-mile electric range of the plug-in hybrid allows the family to carpool to work and daycare powered only on electricity without relying on the gas engine.

After the first year of the solar installation, they generated a net surplus electricity, helping add distributed solar energy to the grid, and their natural gas usage is close to zero. SunWork founder Reuben Veek helped them design a system that maximized their rooftop capacity and plan for the successful transition from gas to electric in their household. “Thanks Reuben and the SunWork team,” said Evans. “We’re excited about raising the next generation in a carbon-friendly household.”