Carter Family Maximizes Sustainability with Solar

BEC members the Carters welcome clean energy to their Bandera home.

By Lindsey Bertrand | BEC Staff Writer

Ask Chris and Kaysi Carter how they conserve energy at their Bandera home, and you’ll get a lot of answers.

They use smart LED bulbs to control the porch lights remotely. Their smart thermostat allows them to raise or lower the temperature when they’re away, and their smart water heater can be programmed to heat water on demand. Since building their house in February, all of these tools have helped them live an energy-conscious and sustainable lifestyle.

That “sustainable” mindset continues outdoors, too. In the backyard, drought-tolerant grass borders a small garden supported by a rainwater catchment tank and compost.

Take a moment to look up, and you’ll also notice the 19 solar panels on their roof. It’s here where the Carters really maximize their energy.

“We looked at our budget, and BEC worked with us to design the right size system for our needs,” said Chris. “BEC made it affordable and easy to invest in a solar system.”

“Having the solar panels is like having free energy during the day and discounted energy at night,” said Kaysi. Because their solar system produces energy when the sun is out, the Carters now are able to run their high-energy appliances like the dishwasher and dryer in the middle of the day.

“It sounds counterintuitive,” said Kaysi, “but having the solar panels means it makes sense to use that energy when your system is producing it.”

And using solar energy continues to make sense for the Carters in other ways, too. As teachers at Boerne schools, they value the impact they have on future generations. And as a science teacher especially, Kaysi enjoys sharing the science behind solar energy and sustainability with students.

“Now we both feel better about how we use energy,” said Chris. “We do this for our daughter, our family and for the next generation.”