Yes, You Can Save with Solar Panels

Unlike other retail stores, the “lounge” As energy costs rise, many homeowners are looking for ways to save on their utility bills. President Obama’s Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes assistance for the purchase and installation of energy saving programs. And although tax advantages for such programs have existed for years, these new incentives may be the stimulus that the reluctant public needs to go green in a big way. That might mean installing solar panels for your home or business (if you own the building). In addition to the many ways to curb energy usage like refitting windows and doors, adding insulation, and simply turning down the thermostat and unplugging appliances when not in use, installing solar panels is becoming a viable option, even for Oregonians who live under perennially clouded skies. Solar panels, not much different from the strips on your solar calculator or on the highway signs flashing on the side of the road, can be installed on the roof of your house or on standing poles nearby—actually, anywhere they can be mounted. The panels are composed of photovoltaic (photo = light, voltaic = electricity) cells compressed into thin wafers that convert sunlight into electricity. An inverter, about the size of a briefcase, is also necessary to change DC electricity to AC, which can be used in the home. Any extra energy (yes, it could happen on a sunny spring or summer day) is collected and can be sold to your electric company for a credit on your electric bill. Solar panels require little or no maintenance and can last as long as 50 years. Some Internet sites sell “do-it-yourself ” kits, but Hadley Price at Solar Oregon, a nonprofit agency set up to provide information and workshops for solar-inclined Oregonians, suggests that people do their research first. He adds that the do-it-yourself person will probably not receive the generous government tax credits and incentives. The average Oregon homeowner would pay approximately $10,000 to $62,000, depending on the size of the house, to have a Yes, you can save with solar panels solar program installed. However, the same owner would reap around $6,500 in federal tax credits as well as a $6,000 state income tax credit and a $6,750 cash incentive from the Energy Trust of Oregon. These figures will vary and may actually get better under the new Recovery Bill. Of course, you’d also be saving on your utility bills. In time, the system would more than pay for itself. Hadley Price says the process begins with research, perhaps starting with his organization’s website at www.SolarOregon. org or at the Energy Trust site at www. energytrust.org. It would also be a good idea to take one of the free workshops offered by Solar Oregon. Price says the process is ideally a team effort involving the homeowner, the government, the installer, and the utility company. Everyone benefits! Overall, as a home or building owner, you will save a good deal of money over time. What’s more, the satisfaction of knowing you’re doing your part to reduce damage to the planet, well—that’s priceless.