Jacquelyn’s journey to resilience, designed into her home

“A flood on New Year’s Eve had my wife under the house with a pump and me hanging gutters in the rain. This was the moment resilience became real and future-proofing our home became a priority,” said Jacquelyn.

That night shifted everything. But before moving to California, solar wasn’t even on their radar.

When solar was out of sight, it was out of mind

In Virginia, solar simply wasn’t part of Jacquelyn’s world.

“We never thought about solar at all when we were in Virginia,” she explained. “It wasn’t on our radar. You didn’t see it on houses. It just wasn’t part of the culture.”

That changed when her family moved to California.

“We moved here and you can’t miss it. Everywhere you look, rooftops are covered in panels. Neighbors have solar, the sun is shining constantly, and it just makes sense.”

A flood set them on a path to future-proof their home

The optimism of their California move didn’t last long. Just weeks after buying their home, historic storms flooded the crawl space and destroyed their furnace.

 “On New Year’s Eve my wife was under the house with a utility pump from Home Depot while I was outside in the rain trying to hang gutters,” Jacquelyn said. “We just looked at each other in disbelief.”

They invested in sump pumps, French drains, and grading to protect the house. But even as they dealt with the crisis, Jacquelyn started thinking long-term.

 “When we bought the new furnace, I actually paid extra to add a coil so that later we could hook up a heat pump. It cost another $800, but I didn’t want to lock us into the past. I wanted options.”

That moment planted a bigger vision.

 “The flood forced us to think about resilience. We knew our house was in full sun all day, and I started imagining a future where our home was powered by the sun.”

A plug-in hybrid car exposed PG&E’s peak pricing

The tipping point came when their car failed and Jacquelyn replaced it with a Volvo plug-in hybrid.

“It was great to drive, but suddenly we were plugging it in every afternoon—exactly when PG&E’s rates are highest. Add laundry and dinner prep, and our bills went through the roof.”

That’s when solar and a battery went from an idea to a necessity. It wasn’t just about resilience, it made clear financial sense. With a second child, our expenses had climbed and time became even more precious. We were still doing laundry during peak hours, even though we knew it cost more. We didn’t want PG&E’s rates to dictate our schedules or make life with two little ones more challenging. Solar gave us both savings and the freedom to live on a schedule that works for our family.

Why leasing solar and a battery made sense for their family

Buying solar and a battery outright didn’t feel right.‍

“With family on the East Coast and in Canada, we don’t know how long we’ll be here. The lease gave us peace of mind. If we had to move, it’s easy to transfer. And if we stay, we can buy it out later and still benefit from the federal tax credit.”

Choosing Lunar Energy

When it came to batteries, Jacquelyn knew what she didn’t want.

“One Tesla Powerwall was initially proposed, and I immediately said, ‘No way. I don’t want Tesla anywhere on my house.’ Franklin was another option, but their website gave me the impression that any related UI for managing the battery would feel outdated.”

So she searched on her own.

“I came across Lunar through my own research. Lunar immediately struck me as more design-forward, as a company that cared about every single customer touchpoint,” said Jacquelyn. “Lunar is local and manufactured nearby, which is important to me. And it had the largest capacity of any system I saw. It was a no brainer,” she said. 

For Jacquelyn, going local wasn’t just about proximity, it was about trust. She wanted a system built with an understanding of California’s unique microclimates and energy challenges, something optimized for the context of her daily life.

“I texted my installer: ‘Can we get a Lunar System?’ When he said yes, that sealed it.”

The Lunar app changed how they use energy

One of the biggest surprises came after installation.

“The Lunar app totally changed how we use energy. I never realized how much power the dryer pulled until I saw it double our usage on the graph. Now I run laundry during the day when the sun is producing. Same with charging the car; it’s all powered by sunshine.”

That visibility reshaped their behavior.

“We work from home and now things feel different. We’re using what we generate in real time. It’s empowering.”

The benefits are clear: lower bills, backup during outages, and independence from PG&E.

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“I love knowing we’re not just dependent on the grid. We’re finally self-sustaining.”

Jacquelyn’s FAQs: solar + battery decisions

When Jacquelyn and her family started exploring solar and a home battery, she dove deep into the options. Here are some of the lessons she’s sharing from her own research and experience.

1. How should I evaluate financing the system?

“Buying outright makes the most financial sense if you have the available cash,  but more importantly, if you know you’ll be in your home long enough to see the return on investment (typically around seven years, depending on the size of your system). Buying lets you capture the federal tax credit, maximize long-term savings, and increase resale value.” said Jacquelyn.

“Another way to finance a solar and battery system is through a Power Purchase Agreement, or PPA,  which is what we chose. Instead of paying for the equipment, we pay a fixed amount each month for the electricity it produces, with a small annual escalator. The payment does rise over 25 years, but still projects below the expected increases of our utility rates. We also felt comfortable knowing we can buy the system outright at any time, transfer it if we sell the home, and that Sunrun is contractually obligated to ensure the system generates as promised. That includes replacing the battery if needed, which could happen once or twice in that timeframe. For us, that flexibility and peace of mind made it the right fit. And Lunar’s service has been amazing, which makes all the difference.”

2. What hidden costs are buried in PG&E bills?

‍“Most people think they’re just paying for electricity. But with PG&E, delivery and infrastructure often make up the majority of the bill—sometimes even more than the electricity itself. In our lighter-use months, those charges outweighed what we paid for power. Producing and storing our own energy felt like the only way to cut through those hidden costs.”

3. What makes Lunar Energy different?

“I compared all the options, and Lunar stood out. The battery has a higher capacity than anything else I saw, the design is modern and thoughtful, and knowing the team is based here in California gave me confidence they truly understand the needs of homeowners like me. On top of that, the app is intuitive and even enjoyable to use — it makes managing my energy feel effortless.

I also appreciate how engaged and receptive Lunar is to its customers. I genuinely feel that Lunar cares about my experience and wants to help us achieve our energy and solar goals. Companies that take such good care of their customers while delivering real value deserve every success.”

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