Mrs. Morris, who was born and raised in DC, has lived in her house in Southeast since 1978. She’s seen a lot of changes in the city since that time, and one of the recent trends she’s noticed is all the solar cropping up on rooftops in Wards 7 and 8.
Interested in this phenomenon, she looked into solar and was thrilled to learn about the environmental benefits of renewable energy. “I’ve always been real conscientious about the environment,” explains Mrs. Morris, who was intrigued enough to entertain an offer from a solar installer, but had no other choice than to decline due to the cost.
“I’m on a single income that I get at the beginning of the month, and by the 10th, I’m broke,” shares Mrs. Morris, noting that the lower energy bills brought by solar would be a big help, if it weren’t for the up-front cost.
Then one day she heard Mayor Muriel Bowser talking about the city’s new Solar for All program, and learned about GRID Alternatives’ involvement in bringing no-cost solar to low-income households. Not long after, Mrs. Morris signed a contract with GRID to have solar installed on her rooftop.
On August 28, she welcomed a team of GRID staff, Solar Works DC alumni, and volunteers from Accenture to her home. The new 2.4 kW solar PV system on Mrs. Morris’ roof is expected to save her approximately $450 annually and prevent 58 tons of carbon from entering the atmosphere, as well as reduce her dependency on fossil fuels.
Renewable energy isn’t usually accessible to everyone due to cost, but now Mrs. Morris can save on her bills while helping the environment, and share her enthusiasm for solar with everyone. “It’s the future, and now I’m getting in on the ground level.”