WHY SOLAR - WHY NOW? By: Greg Kurtz, Project Manager
Hayden Electric has seen a tremendous amount of change in the electrical field over the past three decades. It had always been a goal to continue to train technicians and stay ahead of the competition in having the largest team of qualified personnel in our field.
One of the latest advances in production of electricity in our country has been with Solar Electricity. Although this form of electricity production has been popular in Europe for many years, it has most recently caught on it the states due to the recent rise in energy costs, combined with the efforts to produce more clean (green) methods of producing energy.
With State and Federal government incentives in place over the past year, Solar has become a very attractive option for producing electricity for homes and businesses in Pennsylvania. To consider a system like this one must first determine what the return on investment would be. Today the return on a solar investment can be a little as five years. This means in five years the system has produced enough savings and/or earnings to pay off the initial system investment. From this point, all electricity produced is done at little or no cost. Imagine reducing or eliminating your electricity bill with a system that is warranted for 25 years and paid for itself in 5 years! State funding is in the 3rd of 4 phases. Money is granted on a first come first serve basis, regardless of income.
To get started one must call George J. Hayden, Inc. for a on-site evaluation, where a trained professional will review the building and/or property for its ability to house a solar production system. Solar arrays can be effective mounted on a flat roof or a roof facing toward south. If land is available, the system can be mounted on the ground in a location where shading is minimal, or non-existent.
Most effective systems in our area are those that are connected to the utility grid. A utility grid refers to the wired system that currently supplies electricity to a home or business. The solar array would produce the electricity and make it readily available for use before using power sent from the utility company. When solar production exceeds the power required at any given moment, the power is sent back through the grid to the utility company, spinning the home or business' electric meter backwards. Basically like storing the electricity on the grid, to be used later when more electricity may be required, at night for example once everyone is home from work or school.
Electricity produced by solar saves the property from buying that amount of electricity from a utility company. Once 1000 Kilowatt hours are produced, a state monitored system generates a Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC). The SREC's are purchased by utility companies. Utility companies buy the credits to meet state requirements for solar electricity production. Each PA SREC normally sells for over $300.00 each. The sale of the credits play a significant part in reducing the investment on the system.
PA State currently is approving grants on a first come first serve basis. High or low income have no relevance to application approval. PA State is currently paying $1.25 per watt for residential systems. Similar grants are available for businesses. Grants are available only until monies earmarked are awarded. The federal government is providing for 30% tax credit on the remaining cost of the system.
Hayden Electric has a full team of individuals trained for the installation of solar electric production systems. Call us today at 455-6109 to schedule a free, on-site, evaluation for solar electric production with the mention of this article. Or visit us on the web at www.haydenelectric.com.
