In 2021, local company Sunny Side Solar donated the equipment and installation for Meals on Wheels new solar panel system at our Paget headquarters. The positive impact was immediate. In one winter month in 2022 we enjoyed a savings of almost 40% over the same period in 2021 and we anticipate that savings over the summer months will be, well, even sunnier!
This generous gift is just one example of how Sunny Side Solar brings their ethos to life. Cofounders Nick Hutchings and Claire Smith base their business on the belief that climate change is the most serious threat of our time. In response, they’ve taken action to help diversify Bermuda’s energy supply by making solar energy more affordable and simplifying its supply. They created a non-profit company that offers steep discounts by keeping overheads to a minimum and tapping into the highly competitive North American wholesale solar market.
For homeowners, Sunny Side offers discounts on product and one-of-a-kind options for installation. For example, while they are happy to recommend independent installers, they’ll also guide you through the process if you choose to self-install. In addition to designing and sourcing a fully warrantied system, they will handle your permit application, deliver it to your house with detailed install instructions, oversee the install and commissioning of the system and help you apply for your BELCO interconnection. If you don’t want to take on the install, Sunny Side will recommend independent installers.
With climate change as their driving force, it is no surprise that Sunny Side Solar places higher demands on the panels and systems they source. As their website points out, most solar panels are designed to withstand 140 mph winds. Theirs are rated for 175 mph. Given the year-over-year rise in sea surface temperature, there an increased risk of more intense and slower moving hurricanes. It is always a good idea to build for the future.
Previous to the Meals on Wheels install, Sunny Side Solar donated both product and service to the Habit For Humanities Women’s Transitional Center that opened in 2021. In addition to their charitable work, they are working with homeowners across the island.
For Meals on Wheels, Sunny Side Solar’s forward thinking and generous spirit has provided a savings on energy costs that have helped to offset the increase in food prices since the Covid crisis began. We are most grateful and appreciate their forward thinking and philanthropic spirit.
To learn more about Sunny Side Solar, visit their website sunnysidesolar.org, email rhutchings@logic.bm or call 735-1266.