Meet the Veteran Turned Solar Advocate from Houston, Texas
Aaron Cerra | Texas | Solar Customer since 2018
Military veteran Aaron Cerra values integrity and choice above all else. That’s why he was especially frustrated when he learned about the complexity of the Texas energy market. “I didn’t have to pay for electricity when I was in the military,” Aaron explained. “When I moved to Houston, I had no idea that I had the option to choose. I just trusted my landlord’s recommendation.” Things changed when Aaron’s electricity bills started arriving. “I was shocked!” he said.
Aaron is the type of person who prefers to understand all of his options before making a decision, which is why he immediately picked up the phone and called his utility provider after getting that first bill. “Doing all that research, I realized that I had the power to choose my energy provider. The one I had was charging me way too much. I knew it was time to make a change.”
Soon after this realization, Aaron traveled to Los Angeles for vacation. While at a Dodgers game, he came across the Sunrun booth and learned how going solar would give him the freedom from the utility that he was looking for. Although Sunrun wasn’t available in Houston at the time, Aaron continued researching solar to see what his options were. “I looked at Tesla SolarCity but determined I’d just be paying for the name with them,” remembered Aaron. “I kept coming back to Sunrun because of your A+ Better Business Bureau rating.” However, he said he knew Sunrun was the company he wanted to go with when they surpassed Tesla as the largest residential solar company in the states.
“I have realtors stopping by my house asking if I want to sell because there’s such a high demand for the solar,”
That summer, Sunrun opened a branch in Houston, and Aaron was finally able to choose his preferred solar provider. “I have realtors stopping by my house asking if I want to sell because there’s such a high demand for the solar,” Aaron shared. “It’s a win-win-win! Good for you, good for the environment, and good for your neighbors.” Aaron said he really feels the impact of that decision now that his first child is on the way. “When my kids grow up, I’ll tell them ‘it’s for you and your kids and your kids kids.’ Hurricane Harvey hit us pretty hard. Now that I have a child on the way, it kills me to see the impact that coal and fossil fuels have had, and will continue to have, on the planet.”
Today, Aaron recommends friends, family, and even his Uber drivers to Sunrun. “I paid nothing for it upfront, and now I’m just saving money. I love watching the meter go backwards!” This summer, Aaron plans use the money he’s saved to take his partner on a pre-baby vacation to Disneyworld and celebrate the growth of their family.
