05/07/2020
Jeff Boyle
La Crosse, WI
I am 100% happy with the solar panel energy system installed by Olson Solar Energy. My system was up and running on Feb. 11, 2020. Last year I averaged 12.7 kWh of electrical usage per day, including summer days of heavy AC use. In the first 70 days since my solar panels have been working I have captured on average 15.1 kWh per day. This time of year is suboptimal for solar radiation. Nevertheless, in those 70 days I captured 414 kWh more energy than I have used in my home. The excess runs back to Xcel where I will receive a reimbursement at the end of the year. I have a 14 panel, 4.34 kW system. Because of the size of my roof it initially was going to be 12 panels. After clarification of City of La Crosse ordinances I was able to increase the panels to 14. Because of the limitation of my old electrical meter Olson Solar decided it was best if they installed a new meter. I'm sure this resulted in unexpected hardware and labor costs for Olson. However, I was not charged even a cent for the upgrade. The system communicates with my computer via wi-fi, where you can monitor the performance of the solar panels. It updates every 15 minutes. I enjoy watching the kWh's pile up through out the day, especially on sunny days. Note that currently there is a 26% deduction of the cost of your system on your federal taxes. Also, Focus on Energy awards a $300 rebate per kW of your system (4.34 x 300 = $1300 for mine). Both of these incentives are for the year 2020. I highly recommend installing a solar panel system and I highly recommend Olson Solar Energy. Jeff Boyle