When Germantown, Tennessee, resident Daibhidh Dent noticed his neighbor's new solar panels, he began to wonder if solar could work at his house. The neighbor encouraged Daibhidh to look into it, and luckily, Daibhidh had a great roof for solar - large, unobstructed, and east and west facing - and he had substantial electric bills.

"My electric bills in the winter were as high as $400-500," says Dent. "I'm recently retired, so I was looking at solar as a way to reduce my monthly expenses."

This summer LightWave Solar turned on  Daibhidh's   16.5 kilowatt system which c onsists of 61 solar panels, each with Solar Edge DC Optimizers that boost panel efficiency. The system will reduce his 2,400 sq.ft. home's annual electric costs by over 75 percent. 

	Solar credits roll over to the next month. Amount due: $-97.28!

"It's been two months since the panels were installed, and so far I've racked up an electric bill credit of $97," Dent says. "The credits will build up over the summer and help me pay for the winter bills," he explains.

This spring he caulked and sealed house leaks, added more attic insulation and installed a more efficient HVAC system. With these improvements, his winter consumption will be lower, allowing solar to cover a higher portion of his winter bills.

Daibhidh's system participates in TVA's 2017 Green Power Providers program in which TVA and the local utility buy 100% of his solar electricity at the retail rate for 20 years. His latest electric bill shows how solar savings add up (click bill for larger image).

Solar 101 Workshop in East Nashville

Commercial Solar Workshop & Tour

Coming off the biggest year ever for U.S. solar installations, LightWave Solar was named one of the top solar contractors in the U.S. by Solar Power World magazine.

We achieved a rank of 103 out of 500 solar companies. In addition, LightWave Solar ranked number 38 on the list of the Top 100 Commercial solar contractors.

Released on July 25, the list recognizes the work completed by solar contractors across the country, and celebrates the achievements of U.S. solar developers, subcontractors and installers within the utility, commercial and residential markets. 

LightWave Solar installed 12.8 megawatts of solar in 2016. Since our founding in 2006, we have installed 30 megawatts, enough solar to power nearly 3,000 homes

"We are humbled by the opportunity our customers have given us to be listed among other leading solar c ontractors," says LightWave Solar President & CEO Chris Koczaja. "Last year not only represents our biggest  year on record, but highlights the wide adoption of solar across all segments" Koczaja adds.

The U.S. solar market installed more than 14,700 MW of solar in 2016, nearly doubling the capacity installed in 2015. For the first time ever, solar was ranked as the No. 1 source of new electric generating capacity additions brought online throughout the year.

Koczaja is optimistic about the future of solar power growth in Tennessee and in surrounding regions.

"It's clear that people want to see more solar energy - on their homes, where they do business and from their local utilities," says Koczaja. "Recent advancements in the industry has made solar more affordable than ever," he says.

According to global research firm GTM Research, U.S. solar PV capacity is expected to nearly triple over the next five years.

Mon, August 21 - Solar Eclipse 

Don't miss it! In Nashville, the eclipse starts at noon. The total eclipse is at 1:27pm and lasts 2 minutes. Watch with us at one of the following events:

Solar Eclipse Celebration & Watch Party at Hadley Park in North Nashville