Energy-saving technology has reduced that
by about two- thirds.
Next month, President and General Manager
Roy Kitagawa will expand the facility's solar electric
system with help from Hilo-based ProVision Technologies
Inc.
"I decided to expand the system to
its optimum size, to get the full benefit of the inverter
that I had installed a year ago," Kitagawa said.
"As far as the savings, we have a
combination. Not only the photovoltaic, but we have ice
storage, whereby ice is created by the air conditioning
unit at night and the following day that melting ice is
blown into the building.
"What it does is offset our day-use
of the power ... and the ice storage helps us as far as
utilizing power when it is cheaper.
"I'm doing it for my kids. They're
taking over the business and I don't want to see them
have to worry about the high cost of energy. It's only
going higher every year. I'm just trying to do my fair
share of being less dependent on oil."
Fascinating talk from a 44-year car dealer
whose dad was a gas station operator.
"My wish is that more people would
get involved, especially the business community, with
roof space, to take advantage of Mother Nature,"
Kitagawa said.
ProVision President Marco Mangelsdorf describes
Kitagawa as a solar pioneer. The expansion project "implies
he's satisfied, if not more so ... or he wouldn't spend
a bunch more money."
The savings are possible through a 2001
law governing net energy metering. It allows commercial
and residential electric customers with renewable energy
systems to be credited for any surplus energy the systems
feed into the grid.
It is a step beyond solar energy to keep
your water hot.
"Price reductions, greater reliability
and less maintenance has been achieved with grid connection
systems that do not need batteries. You're using the grid
as the battery," said Mangelsdorf.
There is a however.
"For those people who would like to
have a zero-dollar-per-month-bill, that's not possible,"
he said. There is still a minimum customer fee.
ProVision residential and commercial customers'
systems range from one kilowatt of solar output to Island
Dodge's more than 52 kilowatts.
By the end of last year there were 45 solar
electric systems that are net energy metered, according
to the state Public Utilities Commission.
A one-kilowatt system could be installed
for approximately $7,000 to $9,000. "There is an
economy of scale. A larger system would bring the dollar-per-watt
cost down," Mangelsdorf said.
He jokes about a possible company slogan
that plays on the word green as environmental and monetary,
"More green mo' bettah," he chuckled.
Incentives are greater for businesses than
for homeowners.
Businesses "can get essentially 80
percent of the system paid for through tax credits and
depreciation over five years," so with cost savings
on electricity the system has paid for itself over five
or six years, said Mangelsdorf. Additional tax credit
information is posted at . ProVision cites PowerLight
Corp. as a friendly competitor.
Technologies such as net energy metering
and ice storage are beneficial, rather than detrimental
to the utility company, according to Karl Stahlkopf, president
of Renewable Hawaii, a subsidiary of Hawaiian Electric
Co.
When peak usage is shaved by energy-saving
technology it delays the need for construction of generating
plants, he said.
"It's one of these deals where everybody
wins," Stahlkopf said.
Auto dealer Charles King will soon install
a system at King Auto Center in Lihue, Kauai, Mangelsdorf
said.
Stahlkopf is heartened.
"I'm glad there's another true believer
and I'm glad to hear Marco is making a little money,"
he said.
For more solar and renewable energy news [SolarAccess.com]
