Sunrise Solar Solutions, Briarcliff Manor
As electricity costs continue to skyrocket, Sunrise Solar Solutions in Briarcliff Manor is providing New York metro residents with a more affordable, environmentally-friendly way to power their homes and businesses.
Co-owners Doug Hertz and Eric Messer established the company four years ago as a full-service residential and commercial supplier and installer of solar energy products and solar photovoltaic systems.
Hertz, who spent close to two decades as a lighting and design engineer in the film and television industry, is an expert on the history of solar technologies, which were first used in the United States in the 1950s.
At one time solar energy was considered too expensive to install for residences, but technological advances and a decline in the start-up price have contributed to its popularity, explained Hertz. A typical installation in an average Westchester home will pay for itself within four to five years, with two to three decades’ worth of free energy after that, he said.
Solar energy researchers maintain that enough sunlight falls on the earth in one hour to power every electrical device on the planet for an entire year. Despite thinking to the contrary, Hertz noted that solar energy is just as effective outside the Sunbelt. The federal government has been collecting weather data in every area of the country since 1960, which has helped companies like Solar Sunrise estimate how much sunlight can be expected throughout the year.
Since its creation, the company has been busy installing solar panels on all sorts of dwellings. While some homes are more suitable than others, Hertz said several factors, including roof size, how much natural sunlight a house receives during daylight hours and tree cover, determines how well a system would work.
“Every house is unique,” said Hertz. “On a ranch-style home, for instance, there is a lot of roof space and we may be able to get the homeowner close to 100 percent in solar energy.”
On a typical two-story house there’s not as much roof space and the savings are typically smaller, he said.
Once the panels have been installed, Sunrise Solar uses a microinverter-based system that converts direct current (DC) electricity from a single solar panel to alternating current (AC), which ensures the highest energy output possible.
Hertz, who works with clients in Westchester, Connecticut, Long Island, New Jersey and the Hudson Valley, explained that because each system is continuously monitored, homeowners and installers at Solar Sunrise can track performance.
“In fact, we can see every panel that we’ve ever installed,” Hertz said. “And all of our clients can see exactly what’s happening on their roofs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all in real time.”
A number of financing options are available, from purchasing the system outright to leasing it or applying for a loan. A typical system could initially cost $30,000, but with various incentives from federal and state agencies, the final cost can be about $7,500 to the homeowner.
“This used to be considered a wish list item, but that’s no longer the case,” Hertz said.
Sunrise handles all of the paperwork that municipalities require before work can begin, in addition to the installation and interconnection to ensure a hassle-free experience for its customers.
“Every job is important to us,” Hertz said. “This is a wonderful business to be in. We really feel like we’re part of the solution.”
Sunrise Solar Solutions is located at 510 North State Rd. in Briarcliff Manor. For more information, call 914-762-7622 or visit www.sunrisesolarllc.com.
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