BJ Ianfolla and her husband Andrew Reeve won’t pay for electricity anymore. At least that is their plan now that they’ve installed a new solar system at their home on Gardeners Creek.

The couple’s house is not covered with the bulky roof panels typical of early home solar energy systems. The couple selected a ground-mounted system, a good option for East Enders with more surface area on their property than on their house.

Although sleek polycrystalline panels are now available for roof-mounted systems, “There was no way to put enough panels on the roof,” Ms. Ianfolla said.

She and Mr. Reeve had thought about going solar for years. Living in Cornwall on Hudson before moving to the Island in 1993, they built a post-and-beam house that took advantage of passive solar design, boosting the structure’s heating efficiency. When they bought their first Island residence, known as the Pink House (currently site of the Fashion Crest and other businesses), they focused on keeping the rain out, not moving into solar energy.

The couple bought their Winthrop Road house four years ago with its south-facing lawn sloping toward Gardeners Creek. After attending a seminar on alternative energy options on the South Fork last August, Ms. Ianfolla signed up for a LIPA program that rebates half of the cost of the system. The solar system was installed by GREENLOGIC, an East Hampton-based solar contractor, late last month. It started running on November 1.