If you are searching for a sunny outlook this summer, look no further than the solar energy industry. Across the country, sales of solar technology are on the rise with more people working from home and looking for ways to save on their power bills. This eco-friendly trend towards clean and renewable energy gives people peace of mind that they have a reliable power source, especially during a time of growing interest in, and acceptance of climate change.
In this premiere issue of Henderson Lifestyle magazine, we share our sit down with Henderson resident Alex Khalaf. His family-owned business, Kalifano, with two locations on the Las Vegas Strip, specializes in crystals, gemstones, fossils, and metal arts. In the last year, Khalaf worked with Sol-Up, Nevada’s premier solar company to install solar panels at his luxury home in Henderson. Sol-Up has been operating in the Valley since 2009 and is now the highest ranked and exclusive ELITE-Status Installer for Panasonic solar panels in the state. The company’s founder, Frank Rieger, joined us to share his perspectives and passion for solar technology.
Henderson Lifestyle: We’ll start with you, Alex. When did you decide it was time to invest in solar power?
Alex Khalaf: Interestingly enough, it was our youngest son, 19-year-old Mohammad, who first brought up the idea that we should seriously consider switching to using solar. He’s a part of our family business and a freshman at UNLV. So, I said sure, why not? Go find three quotes from three companies and we’ll go from there. But to be honest, living a sustainable lifestyle has always been at the core of our faith. Our Islamic beliefs teach us to live a life with small footprints, so we are blessed with kids who feel the same way. Mohammad is definitely environmentally sound, but he’s also fiscally aware. And that’s what led us to Frank.
Frank Rieger: The Khalaf's are one of the nicest families we have worked with here in town. It’s been a pleasure getting to know them and help install our system on their beautiful home.
Alex: We had lived in seven homes in the last 20 years. And this was the first time we ever had solar panels installed and boy, we are glad we did a lot of research while considering investing in a solar system for our home. A good family friend, who’s a retired builder, referred us to Sol-Up and they seemed to have better equipment and their pricing was a lot better than the other companies we saw, so we knew we were heading in the right direction. And by late summer of last year, our solar system installed by Sol-Up was up and running and fully functioning.
Henderson Lifestyle: Did you see a big difference in your power bills after your solar panels were installed?
Alex: Before we got the system, our power bill could get as high as $800 per month in the summertime. This is a larger home, about 6,500 square feet. When we first moved in, we had six people living here (Alex and his wife Fahima have four children), so I guess you can say we go through a lot of energy (laughing). But after we shifted entirely to solar energy, we saw our power bill drop to less than $200 a month and in the cooler months, there’s no bill at all. We pay nothing. It’s definitely an investment up front, but there are lots of advantages too.
Henderson Lifestyle: Frank, why are a greater number of people now more seriously considering shifting to solar power technology than 10 years ago?
Frank: The technology has gotten much better and is more accepted today as a normality. When I first started this business in 2009, people were looking at me as someone a bit exotic (laughing) but it has now become mainstream. I have always wanted Southern Nevada to be the solar capital of the world and it’s a deserved title because there are few places on earth where you have these ideal conditions. Here in our sunny climate, solar power is one of the best investments you can make. Prices can start from around $15,000 per system up to more than $100,000. Some of these new 10 thousand square foot homes here in town need something like a power plant with electric consumption of a small village! Solar systems today, at least the good ones, come with incredible warranties, making it a really safe and smart investment for years to come.
Henderson Lifestyle: There are many companies in town selling solar technology. What makes Sol-Up unique?
Frank: I have a master’s degree in engineering, so everything we do is built from an engineering standpoint. We are not a sales-oriented company. We try to be successful through the outstanding quality of our products and services. We are a full-service company with own in-house installation team covering the full life cycle of a solar system installation. People know us as a premium quality organization, and we are local and people like that about us.
Alex: I don’t open my home up to just anyone, but I felt comfortable doing so for Frank and Sol-Up. Their reviews speak for themselves. It’s refreshing to see how professional and organized their installers were. We were very impressed.
Henderson Lifestyle: What advice do you have for people who are considering solar technology for their home?
Frank: Do your homework. Don’t buy solar from the first people offering you their system. Research the company, the products they are selling, their reputation, and most importantly, make sure they are licensed and insured.
Alex: I agree, do your research.
If you want to save money in the long run, then you should definitely consider solar. But more importantly, if you want to have a positive impact on the environment, and that’s what we want as a family.
Investing in solar with Sol-Up was definitely the best decision for us.