Prepare for your retirement with PV
BY MELANIE MEI
With a view that surveys the Koolau mountains and Kaneohe Bay, Butch Aiu’s lanai is a picture perfect piece of paradise.
Aiu was born in 1946. Having retired 13 years ago from the Honolulu City and County Fire Department, he’s gotten to enjoy his view a lot more. He’s active, social and enjoying a fulfilling retirement. Most would describe him as a successful retiree.
For many of Hawaii’s baby boomer generation, retirement is just around the corner. By 2030, one in five individuals in Hawaii will be 65 and older.
Experts say the key to a happy retirement, besides being active and healthy, is preparation. More than 50 percent of retirees look back on their pre-retirement years and wish they’d done more to prepare, according to a study by Fidelity Investments.
Hawaii retirees face the most expensive cost for electricity (per kwh) in the nation. HECO doesn’t currently offer a senior discount on electricity rates. On the upside, Hawaii gets great sunshine annually and retirees can currently apply for a federal and a state tax credit when they install a PV system.
For retirees, being green and installing PV is one way to invest in your financial stability and future contentment. Aiu was smart enough to install a PV system last year with Risource Energy.
“As we get older, my wife (Carolyn) and I wanted something to help us manage our income. HECO prices kept going up — it scared me,” Aiu said. “Carolyn did a lot of research before we chose Risource Energy as our PV installation company. The Solar Frontier panel had just come from Japan. After talking to Darren Furumoto (Risource President), I felt Risource had a superior product and technology. I was home for the install; even through three downpours (the installers) never gave up! It was done in one day. We liked the panels’ efficiency and trusted Darren. We have no complaints about our system. We’re very satisfied.”
Why not invest in your future and retire happy with a Risource PV system?
RISOURCE ENERGY
contact // 843-8100
email // inquiries@risourceenergy.com
web // www.risourceenergy.com