By: Isa Baza

Nestled in a hilly area of Santa Rita lies a beautiful house that's home to Paul Witt and his wife Ramona. Witt invested in solar energy three months ago, and now owns a 36-panel system that can produce up to 9 kilowatts of solar energy. "Anybody that has purchased a home, again if you want that stability with your power price, it's the way to go," he explained. Witt says his reason for investing in solar was twofold - to have greater control over his power bill, and to become familiar with solar energy as part of his job as a home inspector. So far, Witt said, he's happy with the results. "Our electric bill has gone down considerably. We were averaging about $400 a month, and right now we have a credit," he shared. Witt's only bill is now the $13 connection fee every month. "You can't beat having a $13 electric bill, going from $400 to $13. There's definitely a substantial savings there that makes it worthwhile, so taking into account the research that we did and making a decision, it was a worthwhile investment," he added. When considering all the costs associated with the system, Witt expects to recap his investment within five years. He said for those staying in their homes for that timeframe, buying the system rather than leasing is the better option. He chose Pacific Solar and Photovoltaics because it's one of the few companies that sells rather than leases to customers. He said, "Overall, Pacific Solar was great, we really appreciate Pat, he was our representative, and very accommodating, and understanding, and excited about getting the solar panels on our roof as much as we were, I think." Witt encourages others to look into solar, and said he's glad the investment saves both his pocket, and the environment.