NEW CARLISLE, Ohio, April 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As Ohioans across the state commemorated Earth Day, Astrum Solar (www.astrumsolar.com), a leading installer of residential solar systems, joined this morning with Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Director Scott Nally to celebrate the growing benefits of alternative energy on the state's environment and resident's utility bills.

The Earth Day event was hosted at the New Carlisle home of John and Alycia Lee, school teachers who recently installed a 7.4 kW solar system on their house. The 40-panel system will produce nearly 9,000 kWh of clean energy annually – the equivalent of planting 165 trees per year. Over its lifetime, the positive environmental impact of the system will be roughly equivalent to recycling 66 tons of waste instead of discarding it in a landfill.

"Ohio is poised to be one of the top innovators and producers of solar components and technology in the nation," Nally said. "The solar industry is creating jobs and energy saving opportunities in our state and Ohio EPA is committed to promoting these alternative energy resources"

"We're thrilled to join Director Nally and the Lees in recognizing the enormous impact an increasing number of Ohioans are choosing to make on the environment," said Astrum Solar Vice President Michelle Waldgeir. "By opting to use solar energy to help power their home, the Lees are not only choosing 100 percent clean energy – they are saving money and ensuring their electricity costs won't increase as utilities raise rates in the future."

In addition to being a leading solar installation company, Astrum Solar is also one of the region's largest aggregators of Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs). By offering upfront value for a homeowner's SRECs, the company reduces the initial investment in solar, making it more affordable than ever.

About Astrum Solar

Astrum Solar is a multi-state installer of residential and small commercial panel systems in the Eastern U.S. serving Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington D.C. Astrum Solar offers a premier customer experience by facilitating every aspect of a customer's seamless transition to solar – from getting a real price estimate using the company's online Solar Calculator and measuring the homeowner's roof to filing for necessary permits and selling the homeowner's Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECS). For more information, please visit www.astrumsolar.com.

SOURCE Astrum Solar