Solterra Client Spotlight: Meet Marine D. and Brad L.
Meet Marine D. and Brad L. – Earth Scientists and Solar Energy Enthusiasts!
For Marine and Brad, going solar was a necessity. Both are assistant professors of Earth Sciences at the University of Washington studying the impact of climate on geohazards, so the environment is always top of mind. While Brad studies and teaches about glaciers, Marine’s expertise is in earthquakes. According to Marine, “it’s natural that we worry about the future of our planet, especially now that we have kids.”
Marine and Brad saw their opportunity to go solar once they had their own home and found out that Washington has a wonderful tax incentive to go solar. Their goal is to eventually be completely “green”. They just converted their gas stove to an induction stove, and are replacing their gas heating system with a heat-pump system (heat+AC). The next step will be purchasing their first electric vehicle, the F150 Lightning. It will suit their entire family’s energy needs and allow them to use it as a battery overnight!
Marine and Brad wanted to maximize production with the design of their array. “We have two kids, two grandparents, and two adults in the house…so we consume a lot of energy!” For this reason, they decided to place panels on both their house and garage, for a total system production capacity of 15.6 kW. They noted that their Solar Design Consultant, Kevin, was extremely responsive, friendly, and willing to work with them on their goals. “We also felt bad about owning a hot tub that uses so much energy,” Marine said, “but now the hot tub is power by solar!” The pair was used to monthly utility bills of around $80, but now, the payments have “disappeared!”
Marine and Brad see electrifying their entire household with solar and transitioning to electric transportation as a game-changer. Already, they are more aware of their consumption, and it teaches them to not use electricity when it’s not needed. They also love the learning opportunity for their very young kids about energy consumption and what should be the new normal. “We are already spreading the word about solar whenever we can.”
Marine is from Bretagne, France and Brad is from South Lake Tahoe, California. They moved to Seattle from Boston. Both love cooking and outdoors activities such as skiing, biking, hiking, and playing with their two kids. By going solar and converting their lifestyle to be fully “green-powered,” they hope to preserve the planet for the people and activities they love for generations to come.
If you are interested in learning more about how solar can work for your needs, get a free quote here, email us at [email protected], or call or text 206-462-1103.
Author Bio:
Paige (she/her) is the Solar Admin and Office Manager at Solterra Solar. A Kentucky native, she’s fond of hiking, traveling, dinosaurs, and recently began roller skating. When she isn’t in the office working on a solar project, she enjoys being outside or doing something creative (or both!).
