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Feeding into the Grid: Installing Solar System Brings Savings on Energy Bill As Electricity Meter Runs Backward

Posted on: Monday, 10 April 2006, 12:00 CDT

By John Dodge, The Olympian, Olympia, Wash.

Apr. 10--Bill Gruver shapes his home-improvement projects with the environment in mind.

It was this commitment to living life in a sustainable, holistic way that led to installation earlier this year of a solar-energy system on the roof of his Mason County home, as well as a solar hot water system.

"I could have spent money on many other remodeling projects," the 48-year-old counselor said. "A much better investment for my family and the environment is installation of this solar-energy system. It generates clean energy, has low impact on the environment while truly indicating there is an alternative."

By choosing a system that ties into the utility grid, Gruver became the first Mason County Public Utility District 3 ratepayer to participate in the utility's net metering program.

Power produced by the nine south-facing solar panels on the roof not only reduces his power bill, it feeds into the utility transmission system when Gruver doesn't use it, providing him with an energy credit on his utility bill.

So when power use in the home is low and the solar system is cranking out electricity, Gruver can watch his electricity meter run backward.

"The meter has even gone backward on some shady, dark winter days," Gruver said.

Gruver has watched his winter electric consumption of PUD power drop from about 20 kilowatt-hours per day to about 11 kilowatt-hours per day since the system was installed. He expects the $13,000 investment in the solar-heating system to pay for itself in 10 to 15 years. The solar hot water system was another $3,000.

Brad Bassett of Eld Equipment in Olympia served as a solar-power consultant for the projects, which Gruver installed, saving about 20 percent in contractor costs.

There are benefits for homeowners to work with their utilities to tie their solar power systems into the utility grid, Bassett said.

"With a grid-tied system, there are no batteries," Bassett noted. "The systems are simpler and more reliable. About all you have to do is keep the solar panels clean."

Bassett, in working with other homeowners, has noticed a home solar system can add value to a home equal to or greater than the cost of the system.

The photovoltaic solar power and solar hot water systems were exempt from the state's 6.5 percent sales tax.

And solar systems brought on line in 2006 and 2007 are eligible for federal tax credits of up to $2,000 per system, which will total $4,000 in Gruver's case.

But Gruver's decision to install the solar heating system was not about tax breaks and tax credits.

"We have a commitment to making a difference with the daily decisions we make, for ourselves and for our six grandchildren," Gruver said. "And the other piece of it is: We want to show people it can be done."

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Olympian, Olympia, Wash.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: The Olympian, Olympia, Wash.

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