Programs Let Homes Produce Green Power

John and Anna Bagnall stand near their barn with its roof of solar panels in Hyde Park, N.Y., in this Jan. 9, 2007 file photo. The Bagnalls "net meter," a state-sanctioned setup that allows homeowners to adopt renewable energy without taking the more radical step of disconnecting from the power grid. On sunny days, they watch their electric meter run backward as they generate more electricity than they use. John Bagnall, a retired anesthesiologist, said he spent about $40,000 after rebates for a 15 kilowatt system. (AP Photo/Lowell Handler, File) (Lowell Handler - AP)

Prices vary depending on how big a system is installed, but prices in the $8,000 range are common. New York offers rebates based on wattage that shave thousands off the costs and there are tax credits from the state and the federal government, according to John Wright of Hudson Valley Clean Energy, which installs the systems.

Wright said systems can provide 80 to 90 percent of a home's electricity, so they are able to pay for themselves usually in 10 to 12 years.

John Bagnall, a retired anesthesiologist, said he spent about $40,000 after rebates for a 15 kilowatt system. But in nearby Rhinebeck, Michael Trimble and his wife spent about $14,000 for a 3 kilowatt system, which is enough to power their guest house. At the end of one year, Trimble's local utility calculated that he produced more power than he consumed, so they wrote him a check for $23.

Trimble plans to frame it.

While participants talk about the joy of meter watching _ "On sunny days, if I want a thrill, I walk outside and watch my meter run backward," said Judith Karpova of Kerhonkson, N.Y. _ it's about more than money for most participants.

"It's philosophical," Anna Bagnall said. Her husband explains that he didn't believe the Bush administration was prepared to tackle energy independence, so the burden falls on individuals. The Bagnalls and Karpova each invested in geothermal heating too. And the Bagnalls bought a used Prius.

In New York, advocates plan to make a push this year to expand net metering to businesses, as is allowed in New Jersey, California, Colorado and many other states.

Larisa Romanowski of the Environmental Advocates of New York said adding the large commercial customers will relieve the strain on New York's power grid, which is particularly congested in the New York City area.

"All these big energy-hog businesses that have these huge unshaded flat roofs that are perfect for PV (photovoltaic) systems cannot net meter right now under the net metering law for New York state, which is horrible," Wright said.

The push for expansion in New York has barely begun, but Cooper believes governments and utilities nationwide will warm up to net metering as the power grid ages and the demand for power increases.

"The regulated utilities will eventually come to the conclusion that they need the help of customer generators," Cooper said. "That realization will come the easy way or the hard way."

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On the Net

http://www.powernaturally.org/Programs/Solar/incentives.asp http://www.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/resources/maps/netmetering_map.shtml