Keeping Up With The Chéniers

Saanich resident starts the ball rolling for his solar hot water buying group

Registered SolarBC Installers Pacific Solar Smart Homes Inc. installs the rooftop solar panels on Patrick Chénier's roof.

The Chénier's roof top stands out amongst the rest of the homes on their Saanich street with its shiny, new solar panels, but Patrick Chénier is hoping to change all that by encouraging a group of people to take advantage of SolarBC’s new bulk-buying group incentives. After holding a buying group meeting in October, the list of interested homeowners has been growing exponentially, a large part due to his own initiative.

When he sent out word to local newspapers and television crews, Shaw cable and Saanich News came out to view the installation of his rooftop panels. Since the media coverage, Chénier says he’s received 15 and 20 emails from people who want to proceed with a system.

Roughly 50 people have expressed interest in participating in this bulk buy in Saanich alone. “It’s healthy and growing,” says Chénier, of the interest he’s received from other areas including Esquimalt and up island, beyond the CRD. “The response has been awesome.”

Encouraging others is what prompted the homeowner to install his own system, and he is opening his house to anyone interested in having a first hand look at how a solar hot water system works.

“It’s a way to get people who have been thinking about it but want to know more about a system to come and see one right in front of them,” says Chénier.

His single panel Enerworks system was installed by Registered SolarBC Installer Pacific Solar Smart, based out of Victoria. “Patrick is a good Ambassador to the industry and is working very hard on promoting solar,” says owner James Smyth. Chénier says he decided to go with the company after visiting the SolarBC website, finding the certified installers in his area, and sending out emails for job proposals. He selected Pacific Solar based on the quote and also after meeting and feeling comfortable working with Smyth.

“I received my hydro bill a couple days ago and what a shock,” says Chénier, in response to what he hopes to see his new system accomplish. “Obviously the economic benefit that could result from installing a system is great as is reducing our carbon footprint in a significant way.”

As for the question of whether solar is taking up all of his time he laughs and admits, “I’m doing this at the side of my desk, a bit. But it’s been great.”

For more information on how you can get in on the bulk buy, contact Patrick at: patrick.chenier@telus.net