Rountree Architects - Articles, Connecticut, Vermont, Solar Architeture, Home Builders, Designers, Green Energy

Neilson VanDujn is sick of utility bills and contributing to air pollution, so he's looking into going solar.

But it'll cost him. He will have to shell out about $20,000 to install solar power cells on the roof of his 1918 two-story home in Fairfield. "I like to pioneer these technologies," said VanDujn, who attended a recent Fairfield University seminar on photovoltaic systems, which provide electricity through solar power.

Costs for such systems have plummeted since they were first made available in the 1970s, but they still exceed electric costs for traditionally generated power. The typical household would only trim its monthly bill by roughly $29 using such technology because it only supplies a fraction of total power needed.

At that rate, it will take more than 50 years for the system to pay for itself. That may account for the scarcity of customers. "We've done about eight," said Everett Barber, president of Sun Search Inc. ofGuilford, which installs solar systems.

There are no tax credits for residential installations, but commercial buildings get a 10 percent tax credit. Most solar panels on homes today are for water heating only. That system is fairly cost effective at $4,500 to $6,500 to supply roughly 50 percent to 80 percent of your hot water.
"Most of the solar panels you see around Connecticut are solar water heating systems," said John Rountree of Solar Works Inc. of Westport, another installer.

If electricity heats your water (for showers and dishwashing), a solar system would pay for itself in about seven to 10 years. If you heat your water with natural gas or oil, expect a 10-year to 15-year payback period. Barber said.

But proponents say the electric systems pay off in other ways. The most-touted is the benefit to the environment. "Solar is a gift from God," Judi Friedman, chairperson of People's Action for Clean Energy in Canton, said. Nuclear plants vent radioactive isotopes, she said, and the "Filthy Five" power plants — referring to five oil and coal burning power generation plants in Bridgeport, New Haven, Norwalk, Middletown and Montville — belch out gobs of pollution.

The Ansonia Nature Center, on Deerfield Road, is installing a $20,000 photovoltaic system on its newest building with a state grant from several years ago. "We want the building to operate on alternative energy as much as possible," Donna Lindgren, director of the center, said. She said making the center as environmentally-friendly as possible is a top priority.

But recognizing the cost is high, Freidman said the utility companies should invest in renewable energy sources, such as solar. Coordinating your'electric usage with patterns of sunlight is tough, too. Translated: When is the last time you checked the position of the sun before popping a bagel into the toaster?

The problem with residential solar systems, though, is that they generate more electricity than needed during daylight, but then fall short after sunset. To offset that disadvantage, you can store some of the electricity in a battery. Electric utilities are also required to provide "net metering" for customers who install their own solar cells. That means during the sunny parts of the day, when your system is providing more electricity than you need to use or store, it is sold back to the utility at the same cost you purchase it for, creating a credit on your bill.

Customers have to absorb some of the costs for net metering equipment, but officials at United Illuminating Co. were unable to say how much.

VanDujn is UI's first net metering customer. VanDujn, a home designer and builder, hopes his home will be a model for others and he can design solar homes in the future.

Homes must have unobstructed southern exposure to install a solar system, but Rountree said most homes are capable.

"Every roof I look at I can visualize solar panels " he said. The roof has to face close to true south, slightly west of magnetic south. The panels work best at a certain angle. Houses designed for solar would take that into account.

But because you're paying a premium for electricity by using solar cells, it's a good idea to make sure you're home is as energy efficient as possible before installing a photovoltaic system, Rountree said. Richard Rosa, program administrator for residential energy services at UI, recommends compact fluorescent lighting and energy-efficient appliances.

Maintenance is easy on the panels, Rountree said.