HOME & COTTAGE
LET THE SUN SHINE
By Kristen Johnson Photos Omar Broderick
For eleven years, Matt Eye of M.B. Eye Electrical Inc. has been providing customers with solutions. “As fully certified electrical contractors, we offer the best products with industry leading technology,” says Eye. “Our first step is hearing the clients' needs and tailoring a specific solution to benefit the best.” Eye works with all types of power, but specializes in solar. “As an electrical contractor, I have always been interested in making power,” he says. “By that I mean anything - cars, trucks, motorcycles, generators, magnetism. With today’s environment, it was very attractive to me to have a fuel source looking down on us every day that is not being used to its full potential.” He has taken this interest in harnessing the power of the sun to grow one of PEI’s first solar installation businesses. One of the first steps to installing solar is choosing the right equipment. At M.B. Eye, they use only the top industry
equipment to make sure the system will last, plus the right products for our region. Eye also mentions the importance of cost versus price. “We may not always be the lowest price and we are okay with that.” He believes in using the best equipment to make sure the system will be around for decades. Of installing the solar arrays, Eye says, “Our process is pretty simple. We use a mix of old school hands-on approach with new world technology.” Panels can either go on the roof or ground, and there are several things to consider when choosing what is best for each situation. “Roof solar is tricky because not all roof structures can withstand the weight and wind forces on them with solar installed,” says Eye. “The last thing you want is your solar panels sitting in your living room in the middle of a winter storm.” Ground mounted solar has several benefits, from perfect positioning to bifacial panels that produce energy
from both sides. Either way, “every project is engineered site specific so the client can have a total peace of mind knowing their solar investment will withstand the test of time,” says Eye. While spring tends to be a very busy time for all of us, this spring was quite different due to COVID-19. “During the pandemic, we decided as a company to close, as we felt our services were non- essential,” he states. “We wanted to be part of the solution, not the cause. It was not an easy decision for me personally, as I have never really taken time off.” “It was the right decision as a company to do our part. We closed for about seven weeks, bumping forward everything we could,” says Eye. “Our government has done a great job dealing with this day to day unknown and I’m very glad to be back to work and very proud to be living on PEI.”
90
www.pei-living.ca SUMMER 2020
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker