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Couple opens solar business in Cortez

Julie and Joe LaVenture find town affordable
Julie and Joe LaVenture recently opened a storefront for their e-business, BackCountySolar.com, in Cortez on U.S. Highway 491.

After three years of building a solid customer base through their digital storefront, Back-CountrySolar.com, owners Julie and Joe LaVenture have decided to open their first physical storefront in sunny Cortez.

The store, located at the former location of the Old West Saddle shop on U.S. Highway 491, features ZAMP Solar Products, ranging from RV solar kits, marine kits for boats, charging stations and more.

The LaVentures became passionate about solar energy and its benefits while Joe was working in the construction industry in La Plata County.

“We started using it ourselves and realized how efficient and cheap it is,” said Julie. “So we started experimenting with different products, selling them online. We’ve done business in Silverton, Durango, Cortez.”

Because one of the business’ offerings is complete installations, the LaVentures decided it was time to set up a physical space. The duo began looking for storefronts while operating their website out of their Bayfield home, and found that Cortez had an affordability factor that made it compelling.

The LaVentures say Cortez is a great market for solar products, as there isn’t a lot of direct competition and its low-cost commercial real estate compared to other neighboring areas makes a brick-and-mortar location feasible.

“We were looking for a storefront that was affordable, in an area that was business-friendly,” said Joe.

“There’s also a lot of off-grid activity out here.”

Joe says he’s seen a lot of interest in solar as a backup power system for homes and an alternative for outbuildings and barns, where power is needed but running traditional electrical lines might be cost-prohibitive. Traditionally viewed as an expensive alternative to traditional power sources, the solar market has grown dramatically over the last decade as innovations in the technology have made it more accessible to the average residential consumer.

According to the Solar Energy Industry Association, the U.S. installed 1,393 megawatts of solar photovoltaics in the second quarter of 2015 to reach 22.7 gigawatts of total capacity, enough to power 4.6 million American homes.

The residential solar market in the most recently surveyed quarter saw 70 percent year-over-year growth, the SEIA says.



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