Case Studies

Carl and Denise Hoglund have a beautiful home on the north shore but noticed that their energy bill had been steadily rising. When Carl noticed a neighbor getting a solar power system installed it started the wheels turning.  “I have a solar water system but didn’t know much about solar electric.” Carl said, “When I contacted Jim he explained the technology and gave me a thorough breakdown of the financial incentives. Now I feel like I really know a lot now about solar electric. It’s really interesting!”

When we first evaluated the Hoglund’s residence it was obvious that shading was a challenge. Although they have lots of roof area to harvest sun power they also have stately royal palms all around their home casting shadows on parts of the roof at various times of the day. To approach this challenge we first started by taking detailed shading measurements. With this information and utilizing sophisticated computer analysis we were able to accurately predict the impact of shading on various parts of the roof. This in turn enabled us to make a good decision on which parts of the roof to situate the solar panels and which equipment would be best suited to harvest the most power.

Here is the 3D shading model we produced to help visualize the shading impact at various times of the day:

Accurately analyzing the project, making good equipment decisions, and then implementing a high quality installation led to a very satisfied customer. Carl wrote in  a thank-you letter, “We are very pleased with the professional skills XMX Power’s crew demonstrated from start to finish as well as the communication throughout the process. The crew was always courteous and showed respect for our property. On the first day of installation, when we saw rubber mats on the roof  to protect our roof shingles, we knew the project was in good hands.”

The Hoglund’s solar power system has exceeded expectations despite the shading limitations. “Now we actually look forward to our electricity bill each month because instead of having to pay, KIUC is paying us!”

To view the Hoglund’s real-time and historical system performance Click Here

  • KIUC Rate Increases

  • Rules Of Thumb

    Rule Of ThumbSpend $8k on solar for your home and save $100 per month on your energy bill.

    tax incentivesSpend $8k on solar for your business and save $250 per month on your energy bill!

    tax incentivesHomeowners get 17-22% return on their investment!

    tax incentivesBusiness owners get over 50% return on their investment!

What about government incentives?

tax incentives The Federal and State Solar Investment Tax Credits just got WAY better. Now if you own a home you pay as little as 45% of the cost of your system. If you own a business you pay even less, as little as 15% of the cost of a solar system. For more details see our detailed explanation of government incentives.

Is solar good for the environment?

tax incentivesOn Kauai 92% of our electricity is generated from fossil fuel (diesel). The average household switching to PV power saves burning over 9 barrels of oil per year. This saves over 4 metric tons of green house gas put into the atmosphere each year! Check out  real time web monitoring.