*Note: The following answers are summarized from an interview with Stefanie Bednar from EcoMark Solar
Could you start by telling us a little bit about yourself and the work you do at EcoMark Solar?
My name is Stefanie Bednar and I am the Chief of Staff at EcoMark Solar. It is my responsibility to manage and direct the company towards its primary goals and objectives. Our mission at EcoMark Solar is to offer every home in Colorado energy independence, financial independence, and a more environmentally responsible lifestyle through solar power. Moving towards that goal, I also oversee the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of each department within our company.
I understand EcoMark Solar is hosting a webinar this month, what are the main themes attendees will take away from this event? What audience are you hoping this webinar attracts?
We are really excited about this event. We have a series of these webinars that we’re going to host that will focus on different elements within the solar and the electric vehicle (EV) industries and how to bridge a gap between the two. For the first webinar, held on February 16th, our Director of Sales, Josh Kitts will be doing a one-hour presentation discussing the basics of how solar energy works and why homeowners here in Colorado are making the switch to solar. He will touch on energy storage options, like battery solutions, and will begin to dive into how solar energy and EV chargers can work in harmony together. This first webinar will be a good overview and as our webinar sessions continue, we will get a bit more focused and take the feedback from this first presentation for what homeowners are interested in learning about.
EcoMark Solar and DCC share some important goals such as lowering CO2 emissions for cleaner Colorado air. What role do solar panels and electric vehicles play in achieving these goals? How do they complement one another?
Your carbon footprint is the total greenhouse gas emissions caused by people in your home from normal day-to-day activities. For example, turning on your air conditioning, running your heat, or driving your car. By switching to solar panels or by driving an EV, you can drastically reduce your household’s carbon footprint. Solar panels reduce CO2 emissions by providing a clean and renewable source of energy. The panels that are installed on the roof of your home collect energy from the sun and convert it to usable electricity. That process itself does not rely on fossil fuels or any other byproducts. No energy is lost or wasted because when you produce that energy through solar power, it feeds back onto the grid for future use. When you need that energy at a later date, you are able to draw down on the grid to supply your need. The same things can be said for electric vehicles; rather than filling your car with gasoline — a fossil fuel, which we know is a finite resource — electric vehicles are charged by electricity. When you pair an EV charger with solar panels you enable the sun to charge your car and by doing so, you eliminate the emission of additional greenhouse gases.
If you could share one thing with someone who is considering going solar, what would it be?
Whether you’re considering going solar for environmental or financial reasons, if you don’t make the switch to solar you will be paying for electricity for the rest of your life. Essentially, you have two options when it comes to sourcing energy for your home: Option A is that you can pay the electric company every month forever or option B is that you can offset some, or all, of your electric costs by going solar and giving yourself an end date to paying for your power. Considering we all have to pay for power, it’s much more beneficial to invest in your home versus donating your money to the utility company. That’s one part I really like to bring up to homeowners who are considering solar. Consider the bills, consider that there is another option.
What is the biggest myth regarding solar energy that you’ve seen debunked in your time at EcoMark?
One of the biggest hurdles to people going solar is this notion that they’re going to have to come up with a large sum of money to put solar on their home, and that’s just not true. We have a lot of different options to help you go solar and really make the switch from paying your electric bill to the utility company to making a solar payment. A lot of those options come with zero down financing, so it allows you to start investing in your home and your family, and actually owning your power. I think that’s probably the biggest misconception that we educate the homeowners about.
Is there any additional information on the webinar or on EcoMark Solar you would like to share?
I really encourage anyone who wants to expand their knowledge a little bit to tune in and join. I don’t want there to be any preconceived notions that you have to be gung-ho about buying a system; we’re here to be educators. And to sweeten the pot a little bit, we’re going to give away a prize. We work with a company called Goal Zero and they have these really cool little power stations that allow you to charge your phone or laptops on the go. So we’re going to be giving away a 150-watt battery to one lucky attendee.
* Recording of How Solar Fits Into an EV Lifestyle Webinar can be found here
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