The 5.4-kilowatt grid-connected system,
composed of three dozen 150-watt solar panels was installed
for a set of circuits in HELCO's engineering building
in Kailua and produces about 820 kilowatt-hours per month,
equalling $160, said Patrick Moore who spearheaded the
project.
When electricity is produced in excess
of the circuits' needs, it flows into the grid, spinning
the electric meter backwards, said Moore, and is bought
back by the utility at the retail rate. This process,
eligible for systems smaller than 10 kilowatts of output,
called net energy metering is allowed under laws passed
in 2001.
Marco Mangelsdorf, president of ProVision
Technologies Inc, a Hilo based company that designs custom
PV systems, quoted installation at about $10 per watt
of output; given that figure, HELCO's system cost at least
$54,000. It's very expensive and it isn't for everyone,
but it is an option, Moore said. Installing a PV system
is an investment and the educational display can help
potential customers make that decision, he said.
Despite HELCO's dedication to renewable
energy, Warren Lee, president, admitted that HELCO is
making no effort to bring down the costs of PV systems,
but noted costs for PV equipment are falling and will
continue to do so. Moore stressed money isn't the only
factor to consider. People, especially small businesses
who are eligible for generous federal and state tax credits,
can almost eliminate their electric bills using methods
that don't rely on imported oil or have negative impact
on the environment, he said.
Jeff Mehring, of Waikoloa, a client of
Mangelsdorf and ProVision Technologies Inc., is very happy
with his decision to go PV. His 3-kilowatt peak output
system was installed on his two-story, three-bedroom house
two years ago and since, he hasn't had an electric bill
more than $2.
We're happy with it and now we use more
electricity than we used to, Mehring said. He hasn't had
any problems with the system and the only maintenance
required is to clean the panels once a month, he said.
More than cutting electric bills and helping the environment,
Mehring's investment of about $21,000 added to the value
of his home-- an amount greater than the cost of the system.
Larry Riggs is another of Mangelsdorf's
clients. A leading argument in his decision to go with
a PV system was his dedication to renewable energy applications.
It's really cool, Riggs said. There's no noise and no
pollution and I save more than $100 per month.
Riggs, a retired jeweler and homeowner
in Kealakehe, declined to disclose the amount spent on
the system, however he said it cost less than a truck.
He also said he's likely to make his money back in about
10 years. In Hawaii, it's just the right thing to do,
said Riggs, noting the abundance of solar resources available
and concerns about the rising cost of imported oil, as
well as controversy over HELCO's power plant by Keahole
airport. Both Mehring and Riggs became eligible for modest
state tax credits with the installation of their PV systems,
according to the recently extended energy laws.
For more solar and renewable energy news [SolarAccess.com]
