SunRock Solar

Solar panels installed on the home of a SunRock Solar client

SunRock Solar is an eco-friendly general contractor that designs and installs solar power systems. The Blue Ash-based business consults with home and business owners all over Greater Cincinnati and throughout southwest Ohio on energy efficiency solutions. The company is well known for the solar panels seen with increasing frequency around the Tri-State area, and for solar hot water systems and solar pool heating systems.

Carl Adams, President of SunRock Solar, started the company in 2006. After spending 25 years as a systems engineer, he sought a way to combine his interests. “I wanted to do something more involved environmentally that satisfied my engineering curiosity,” Adams explains.

The company was founded based on the idea that creating renewable energy systems represented a viable and sustainable future for customers and communities. With sun, wind and water energy serving as bountiful resources, SunRock Solar harnesses these resources to generate the necessary power required to run homes and businesses without polluting the environment.

According to Adams, SunRock Solar is the area’s only locally owned solar energy business certified to design and install photovoltaic panels, used to convert light energy to electricity, and solar hot water systems. During the installment process, a solar pathfinder device is used to find the best placement for the solar panels and the site is assessed. Panels can be mounted on flat or steep roofs, however for pitched roofs, the systems are flush mounted. “One of the key things we need is a sunny spot, preferably south facing or an un-shaded roof area,” says Adams. Although east and west facing systems still work, they do not provide as much power.

A solar site assessment allows the installer to accurately predict how much energy a system will produce. It is also common to mount systems on the ground near the home, in cases where the home suffers from shading. Once the preliminary design is created, the equipment is installed and inspected.

With the average system size standing at approximately four kilowatts, the cost of installing these renewable solar panels runs between $28,000 and $32,000 before rebates. For residential citizens of Ohio, state rebates are three dollars per watt. Basing off of the average system size of four kilowatts, customers could get $12,000 off of the total cost.

Adams estimates that a residential solar hot water system can “produce 70 percent of a home’s hot water for a year and pay off five to eight years after the initial investment”. Overall, the photovoltaic panels used by SunRock Solar have a return after five to ten years for commercial customers and 15 to 20 years for residential.

Not only is SunRock cost efficient, it also increases a home’s resale value. Greening your home with eco-friendly features can ultimately increase your home’s resale value by 30 percent. A home with a “green” roof is a huge selling point and helps to better regulate how much heat is absorbed into the house, resulting in lower energy costs.

Today, Adams sees a great opportunity for growth in Cincinnati as the city goes greener. “I enjoy that I’m helping people reduce their carbon footprint,” says Adams. SunRock Solar currently serves northern and southern parts of Cincinnati as well as Northern Kentucky. To learn more about SunRock Solar, visit Sunrocksolar.com.