Hawaii enacted net energy metering in June,
encouraging the installation of renewable energy systems
(wind, biomass, hydro and solar) in homes and businesses
by participants receiving credit for surplus power produced
by the systems feeding into the utility electric grids.
Tom and Lana Plum, of Kawaihae, installed
the first net energy metered solar electric system for
their computer consulting company, Plum Hall, Inc. and
signed a net energy metering agreement Monday with Hawaii
Electric Light Company.
"I've waited years to go solar electric,"
Lana Plum said, "and I'm thrilled to be the first in Hawaii
to sign up for net energy metering."
The renewable energy system generates 30
of the 90 kilowatts of power the Plums use everyday to
run their business.
Any surplus power goes into the HELCO Kawaihae
grid, providing electricity to homes and businesses in
the area and HELCO credits the Plums at the retail rate
of the energy generated from their system.
The $70,000 system, which took about a
week to install, was designed by ProVision Technologies,
Inc., a Hilo - based high tech company specializing in
solar electric applications in Hawaii and the Pacific
Rim.
Receiving federal and state tax credits
totaling about 50 percent in the first year, as well as
saving more than $200 per month on the Plum's electricity
bill, the system will pay for itself in about 10 years,
Marco Mangelsdorf, of ProVision Technologies marketing
and sales said.
The photovoltaic panels have a 25-year
warranty and the inverters have a two-year warranty and
are very reliable, Mangelsdorf added.
Mangelsdorf said the 90 kilowatts of energy
used by the Plum's small business is on average more than
what many households would use.
He estimated it would cost $20,000 to install
the system in other homes.
Residences installing this type system,
however, do not receive the same tax credits of small
business owners, Mangelsdorf said, noting households receive
no more than $1,750 of state tax credit.
The roof on the Plum's house and small business
is covered with 48 solar panels facing southwest and southeast
to receive light. The solar energy is fed through conduits
to two inverters, which change the direct current (DC)
electricity into normal 120 house current electricity,
Mangelsdorf said.
The Plums also had eight DC batteries installed
as an uninterruptible power supply for backup in the event
of a HELCO outage, providing electricity to critical load
circuits in certain rooms of the house, Mangelsdorf said.
Mangelsdorf said a benefit of using a net
energy metered solar electric system in a home or small
business is a reduction in the utility bill, especially
as utility bills are increasing.
The renewable energy industry has grown
by "leaps and bounds," Mangelsdorf said, noting
the growth of 44 percent worldwide from last year.
"Solar already makes a lot of sense
for many applications," Mangelsdorf said. "Manufacturers
are having a hard time meeting demand."
Mangelsdorf said he is being "overwhelmed"
with the calls of interest in the system by residences
and businesses on the island.
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