Sun Worshippers

By Stevenson, Jaclyn C

In its first few years of operation, Kosmo Solar has used energy from the sun to help power structures as large as a sprawling wholesale club and as small as a free-standing corporate sign – not the business, mind you, just its sign.

These are examples that Kosmo Solar’s owner and founder, Mike Kocsmiersky, likes to give to illustrate the pliability of solar power – an energy source that’s gaining more widespread acceptance than ever before, along with other types of renewable resources.

Kocsmiersky said the volume of business in the solar industry is increasing by about 30% a year across the country, and the same holds true for his own business, based at the Indian Orchard Mills in Indian Orchard.

The company installs solar electric systems, also known as photovoltaics, which convert the sun’s rays into electricity that can power both residential homes and commercial properties; solar hot water systems, which use a ‘collector’ to trap thermal heat given off from the sun, which in turn is transferred to a hot-water tank; solar pool heating systems; and battery backed-up solar energy systems.

It also provides energy audits for homes and businesses, assessing where electricity is used, lost, or saved, and helping a client create the most efficient system possible. Kosmo Solar is entering its third year in business, serving primarily the Western Mass. region as well as several areas in Connecticut and Worcester County.

Its projects vary greatly in size and complexity – some clients have just a few solar electricity or hot-water heating panels installed on their roofs to defray energy costs, while others require more complicated systems.

At Riverland Farm in Sunderland, for instance, Kosmo Solar installed a solar awning on the side of a building, under which seasonal produce is sold. The system required 15 190-watt panels, and offsets the electricity needed for some of the refrigeration and lighting at the farm.

But Kosmo Solar can also provide just one or a few panels for a roof or a freestanding system, mounted on poles, and has been experimenting with a few other solar solutions such as those sign- lighting systems Kocsmiersky said he’d like to see more of, and solar ovens, a technology he’s been perfecting.

Kocsmiersky said there are a number of variables associated with a solar power business; in addition to his engineering background, he and his employees must also have strong arms to affix large solar panels, as well as a working knowledge of building architecture, plumbing, and heating and electrical systems. Kocsmiersky said that, while solar panels for hot water heating and those for electricity generation look similar, the technologies behind the two are actually very different.

And in addition, any solar business requires an excellent understanding of the complicated rebate and credit programs on both the state and federal levels, in place for homeowners and business owners who use renewable energy.

Still, it’s a growing industry that serves homeowners in a variety of income brackets and small business owners as well as large corporations. Kocsmiersky said he likens the solar sector to the HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) industry in the 1950s – a burgeoning service that resonates with an expanding pool of clients.

“We started small, but the industry is growing,” he said. “And to me, that makes sense. This is technology that is not for everybody, but it does work for many. It holds merit, on societal, fiscal, and environmental levels.”

Let’s Go to the Panel

There are a number of reasons why solar power is receiving a better reception of late from home and business owners alike, said Kocsmiersky.

First, there is a push to make renewable energy sources more accessible to people around the globe, in part to address skyrocketing electricity usage; Kocsmiersky estimated that electricity needs increase by 2% each year in the U.S. alone.

That growing accessibility has resulted not only in greater acceptance of the technology, but also a number of financial incentives put in place by governmental bodies, to make solar and other renewable energy sources a more attractive option for both homes and businesses.

Kocsmiersky said that, on a global scale, Germany, Japan, and the United States are the world’s leaders in terms of solar initiatives, and Germany is far ahead of its competitors.

Stateside, California generates the most solar power, representing 85% of the country’s total market, and it’s from this state that the remainder of the U.S. is taking its cue. The Golden State’s latest move was to put the California Solar Initiative in place, develop new policies and rules, and provide $2.8 billion in incentives for solar development over the next 11 years.

“All states have some sort of rebate or credit system,” said Kocsmiersky, “in addition to federal tax credits.”

Homeowners can expect a 5% to 8% return on their investment, which varies based on the size of the system installed, over 30 years. Commercial property owners often see even quicker results, about a 36% return in 10 years, according to the Mass. Technology Council’s recently updated financial calculator.

But despite those financial considerations, Kocsmiersky said solar power has other, more broad benefits, including the creation of clean, renewable energy.

“Within all of these financial equations, there is never any value put on the environment and the quality of the air we breathe,” he explained. “If we did assess some sort of value, everyone would have these systems in their homes. Everyone asks about payback, but the very fact that there is any kind of payback is already better than the electricity we’re expending now, with no incentive.”

Kocsmiersky added that solar power also has some advantages over other kinds of renewable energy. Solar paneling for hot water heating and electricity has no moving parts that can fail, and the modules Kosmo uses generally have 90% of their power output 25 years after installation.

Typically, the physical warranty is 10 years, and Kosmo Solar warrantees the entire installation for five years, he said. “I cannot think of a single system that, once it got up and running, had problems a couple years down the road. These modules are sturdy; you can throw a baseball directly at one and it won’t break, unless you’re Nolan Ryan.”

Heat of the Moment

In keeping With the 30% increase in solar business across the country, Kocsmiersky said his company, which employs six people, is seeing similar growth. “Now, we’re buying equipment piece by piece, and I would like to get a better flow of business,” he said, noting that each solar module costs about $700.

To increase that book of business, Kocsmiersky said he’s now researching a partnership with a local bank to provide financing options for the systems’ installation, and also making a move to recruit more small commercial businesses.

The company’s energy audits are also becoming more comprehensive, using more sophisticated equipment to detect energy loss and safety issues as well, such as gas leaks.

“We’ll be using gas-leak detectors to look for such leaks, CO detectors to monitor carbon monoxide levels near combustion appliances, smoke pencils to measure flue spillage, and vacuum gauges to measure proper draft,” he said. In addition, Kosmo Solar will implement any changes a home or business requires at the same time as the audit, using air-sealing guns and weather stripping to fix air leaks, for instance, and pipe insulation to prevent thermal losses, and also by installing resource-saving fixtures such as low- flow showerheads.

“It’s a move to make people more energy-efficient by taking care of all the little things in a home that lead to energy loss,” he said, noting that his company tries to “walk the walk” as much as possible, by lighting its storage trailer through solar power, for one thing, and recycling all of its materials, from copper wiring to cardboard boxes. Kocsmiersky said he’s looking into converting one of the company vehicles into a grease-powered car, as well.

“It’s not everyone’s top priority to minimize their energy usage to that point,” he said. “People have lives and a lot of different things to think about and take care of. But we eat, live, and breathe it.”

And as his industry grows, Kocsmiersky said that so is the number of people who are saying the same thing.

Copyright BusinessWest Apr 02, 2007

(c) 2007 BusinessWest. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.