web1_12552759_1667697436846112_7941862234358572190_n.jpg

Police: Armed robbery reported hours after it happened

web1_MasterGardeners.jpg

Luzerne Country Master Gardeners to educate people at NEPA Home & Garden Show

<p>Susie and Tony DellDonna want to be your alternative energy providers. The owners of Solar Universe in Mountain Top specialize in the sale and installation of photo-voltaic (PV) solar systems, which harness sunlight and convert it into usable AC energy in households and small businesses, and they&#8217;ll be showing some of their products at the 15th Annual NEPA Home &amp; Garden Show.</p><p>From Jan. 22 to 24 at the Mohegan Sun Arena, Solar Universe will present a slide show of their completed installation projects and be available to field questions from potential customers concerning their solar PV systems or their certified Tesla charger installations. The DellDonnas will also display samples of their products, including solar panels and a micro-converter, which converts DC current to AC current.</p><p>Co-owner of the Solar Universe franchise, Susie DellDonna, said solar modules are becoming much more energy efficient, having a higher wattage and requiring less space on the roof of a house or building.</p><p>&#8220;There is a 30 percent federal tax credit that people can take advantage of,&#8221; Susie DellDonna said. &#8220;The incentive for people to go solar, besides (the tax credit), is knowing that the equipment they install has a 25-year warranty. For 25 years, there isn&#8217;t anything to do to them. There&#8217;s no maintenance plan for them. There&#8217;s no moving parts. We get enough heavy rain and heavy snow &#8230; that cleans the panels. We try to match up what your home needs with the roof space that you have &#8230; and we know how much energy will be negated by the solar (modules). On average, people find that their return on investment is 8 to 10 year.&#8221;</p><p>Susie DellDonna said all systems come with lifetime monitoring, so if something should go wrong with operation, warranties will kick in. Solar Universe has access to several types of panels, but she and Tony prefer to use one particular brand.</p><p>&#8220;We personally tend to stick with the LG model,&#8221; she said. &#8220;They&#8217;re a good, strong company. If something happens in 10 years, you know that LG is still going to exist.&#8221;</p><p>The inspiration for opening the franchise, Susie DellDonna said, came from Tony investigating solar options for their home and learning that he could likely do a better job than other local contractors, prompting him to get certified and go into the alternative energy industry in 2009.</p><p>Efficiency is as much about awareness as alternatives, Susie DellDonna said.</p><p>&#8220;If people are looking into solar power, they need to be aware of what their home actually uses in energy consumption,&#8221; she said. &#8220;It&#8217;s also important to be very energy efficient, whether it be light bulbs or updating appliances. With smart home technology and solar energy working hand in hand, you can make your home as efficient as possible.&#8221;</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_SolarUniverse2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">A home installation of a solar PV system by Solar Universe. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_SolarUniverse2.jpg</photo0><caption0>A home installation of a solar PV system by Solar Universe. </caption0><photoCredit0>Submitted photos </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_TonyDellDonna.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Co-owner Tony DellDonna stands with one of his finished installations. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_TonyDellDonna.jpg</photo1><caption1>Co-owner Tony DellDonna stands with one of his finished installations. </caption1><photoCredit1>Submitted photos </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Solar Universe to show energy alternative at NEPA Home &amp; Garden Show</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Matt Mattei</p><p>mmattei@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Matt Mattei at 570-991-6651 or <a href="mailto:Twitter@TLArts">Twitter@TLArts</a></p></shirttailMeta></div>

Solar Universe of Mountain Top to display energy alternative at NEPA Home & Garden Show at Mohegan Sun Arena