SR-Solar Installations in 2014

Ben Liles lives just west of Salado and was the first new owner of a solar installation that we heard from. As a graduate student in the 1960s, he became curious about alternative energy sources and then as a professor in Maine, the constant wind on his hill seemed like the best choice for power. But he never put the idea of solar generated power out of his mind and finally realized his dream of solar powering his home this August with a 5.2 kW system installed on his roof. Like most solar owners, he keeps a close eye on his production. Since the installation, his electric bill has been reduced between 40-50%. A true solar ambassador, he highlighted the decision to go solar in the 150 Christmas cards he mailed out. Friends from California to Georgia have responded with congratulations and praise. Next year we will be checking to see if any of those friends and family have installed solar power.

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Glenwood Energy Partners went live in December with this 40kW system on their roof and carport in Fort Worth. The partners came to the decision for solar because ” Energy prices won’t stay low forever. The business case today already pencils, but will look even more prolific as electricity rates nudge up.”

Kevin Carpenter’s GreenThwaite in Spring (left) was a “decade in the planning and one year in the doing.” The 7.2kW array, in operation starting January 1, 2014, is only a part of this project named for the Old English concept of reclaiming land from a forest. Since the connection to the grid, Kevin has not seen a bill and claims it’s time to buy an electric vehicle to better use his PV capitalization.

                                   

The savvy parents of students at Dallas Academy(right), a school for students with learning differences, applied for and won a grant from Green Mountain Energy’s Sun Club to install this 73.7kW  system. A rebate from Oncor and a series of fundraisers sealed the deal. The monitoring system is a teaching tool and the installation is expected to produce 106,000kWh of electricity yearly while saving $513,000 over the  life of the system. As a bonus, students  and staff noticed the immediate benefit of a cooler gymnasium from the solar panels shading the roof.

HausBar Urban Farm & GuestHaus (left) is a sustainable urban farm in East Austin raising vegetables and offering vacation rental space, day camps, and workshops. The 22kW solar array installed this summer  provides 70-75% of electricity needed to power the farm house, guest house, the farm, extensive refrigeration needs and a pool. “Our goal is to become more and more sustainable everyday and solar is a great piece of that puzzle,” says co-owner Dorsey Barger. Installed in an area that was vacant during the hot summer months, the ground mount solar array now provides shade for the farm donkeys.

Houston residents Georgina Maldonado and Greg Hook’s first solar panels were inspired by a hurricane. “We had a small set of Arco solar panels, vintage 1980’s.  These panels were able to power fans after hurricane Ike.  Not much power, but I had moving air and could charge devices when no one else could,” Georgina explained.  But much like a retirement account, they needed to plan for the long term. “The price of energy in 20 years time is unknown,” says Georgina.  They had a 4.4kW system installed in October which delivers nearly all the energy they consume,   putting to rest one variable in their retirement calculations. And those ARCO panels?  They are still producing power and are off to a young nephew who will use them for his school science project.