Opening an electric bill has become an increasingly unpleasant experience for many homeowners. With electricity rates rising and household energy demands growing, more people are looking for ways to take control of what they spend each month.
Dustin Blue, owner of Buckeye Renewables, believes understanding the numbers is the first step toward making that decision.
Bringing solar expertise home to Ohio
Blue founded Buckeye Renewables two years ago after spending more than a decade working in the solar industry in Colorado and Oregon.
An Upper Sandusky native, he returned to Ohio with his wife, India, to build a business focused on helping homeowners invest in their own energy production.
For those concerned about unpredictable utility rates, solar panels allow households to generate electricity themselves, reducing their reliance on the grid and exposure to future price increases.
“Solar gives you an opportunity to own your power rather than rent it every month,” Blue said.
Is solar too expensive to be worth it?
Solar systems require an upfront investment or financing, but can offset electricity purchases over decades. The panels Buckeye Renewables installs carry 25-year production warranties, with the potential to continue generating electricity beyond that period.
For Blue, the long-term appeal is about more than saving money. It’s about reducing homeowners’ dependence on unpredictable utility rates.
“It gives people a chance to have more security in their payments,” he said.
Blue encourages homeowners to compare installation costs against what they’re already spending on electricity.
For example, a household paying $200 monthly on electricity spends $2,400 annually, or $60,000 over 25 years, even without rate increases.
Actual savings depend on installation costs, financing, energy usage and utility rates. Solar doesn’t automatically eliminate every electricity charge, making a personalized estimate essential.
How does solar work, and what happens when the sun isn’t shining?
Solar panels generate electricity that powers appliances and other electrical systems throughout a home. When production exceeds household demand, surplus electricity can flow back to the utility grid.
Under applicable net metering arrangements, homeowners receive credits for qualifying excess electricity, which can help offset electricity purchased when panels aren’t producing enough.
For those concerned about outages, pairing solar panels with battery storage ensures backup electricity when grid power is unavailable.
Is installation complicated?
Although solar involves engineering, permits and utility approvals, Buckeye Renewables manages those steps for customers after finalizing a system design.
The process typically takes about two months from signing a contract to activating the system.
A five star experience with Buckeye Renewables and solar
For Upper Sandusky residents Mark Albert and Trish Frazzini, the decision to add solar panels to their home was both financial and environmental.
“We wanted more control over our energy costs and a smaller environmental footprint,” Frazzini said.
After comparing multiple installers, the couple selected Buckeye Renewables. Frazzini said Blue carefully evaluated their electricity usage and even discouraged them from purchasing a larger system than necessary.
“There was no pressure whatsoever, just information and clear explanations of how it all worked,” she said.
Since installation last Nov., Frazzini reported their panels have generated 16.4 megawatt-hours of electricity, slightly exceeding their home’s 16.2 megawatt-hours of consumption.
Their electricity bills have been $0 for the past five months, with additional credits accumulated during the summer. She also credits the system with helping reduce the cost of charging her electric vehicle.
“It has exceeded our expectations,” Frazzini said.”Everyone has to weigh the pros and cons for their own situation. For us, the pros far outweighed the cons.”
To learn more about Buckeye Renewables or to get a free solar estimate, visit their website.
