Going Solar Goes Mainstream

If you're not sure what shape you're house is in, schedule an energy audit from a qualified contractor. "That is a good first step," said David Peabody, principal architect with Peabody Architects in Alexandria.

Peabody and other design professionals take audits one step further by performing "energy modeling" using a software-based system that allows designers to build a model of a house on a computer. Virtual changes can then be made to windows, doors and insulation to see the effect on energy demand before installing solar panels.

"I admire the people who are [installing solar], but we also need to look at reducing on the demand side," Peabody said.

William Wurtz and Lisa Swanson have been working on the demand and supply sides at their turn-of-the-century Italianate townhouse in the District, which they have owned since 1991. They recently had photovoltaic panels installed on the roof, but only after acing their energy audit. Swanson works for the Postal Service, and Wurtz is a carpenter.

In November 2006, the couple began an extensive renovation. They have been doing most of the work themselves but got some design help from Janet Bloomberg and Richard Loosle-Ortega of Kube Architecture in the District.

"About half of the clients we talk to now say something about wanting to build green, but it never used to be like that at all," Loosle-Ortega said.

"I've been waiting my whole life for a solar panel," Wurtz said. They also considered installing a solar thermal system on the roof -- a device that looks like an array of oversize radio tubes -- to provide hot water but instead opted for a tankless water heater. Their roof-mounted 2-kilowatt photovoltaic system cost $21,000.

The couple hoped to reduce the upfront cash outlay when they applied for a D.C. Renewable Energy Demonstration Project grant. "We were led to believe that everything looked good on the application, but then we were told they ran out of money," Swanson said. The grant would have paid for half the cost of the system.

According to Karen Davis, an energy program specialist for the District's Department of the Environment, the most recent round of the grant program ended this week. A new round will soon be announced for fiscal year 2009, and applications can be downloaded from the Department of the Environment's Web site.

Swanson and Wurtz didn't get their grant, so they are taking advantage of the federal tax credit and paying for the rest of the project out of their renovation funds. Illustrating the still-experimental nature of mainstream solar, the couple's first electric bill with the new system was for $1,214. Because their typical bills previously were $100 or less, the couple called Pepco. After several calls and some recalculating, Pepco reduced the bill to $40.

Although some kinks remain in the billing process, the couple said solar in the District is a no-brainer. "The viability of PV [photovoltaics] is not a big leap, and on a flat roof it's not a risky proposition," Swanson said.

While the role of solar in the energy mix is increasing, the folks selling the systems are more impressed with changes among users. Greater awareness of how much energy is being consumed or generated can be life-altering.

"You can get the energy readings for how much power your system is generating sent right to your BlackBerry," Clifford said. "It absolutely changes behavior."