Library Talk Reveals Affordable Solar Installations

By Kendra Bobowick

At less than 20 degrees outside with snow in the forecast, thoughts of sunshine this week were pushed aside by the sound of snowplows. Instead, Alteris Renewables will bring the sunshine to us on Saturday, January 31, between 10 am and noon, at the C.H. Booth Library, during an affordable solar energy forum.

“It’s more than cool, it’s solid technology; it’s part of the future,” said Bill Weber of Alteris, and also a Newtown resident.

Does your property see a lot of sunlight between 9 am and 3 pm? Do you have a south-facing roof? Are you interested in making an environmentally beneficial change in power consumption? Find some answers Saturday about solar lease programs offered to residences at the free information session sponsored by Alteris (AlterisInc.com), a combination of former SolarWrights and Solar Works Inc.

Essentially, a solar installation on an ideal rooftop is not the expense it once was, said Bill Weber. “Historically, solar is for the rich because of costly installations,” he said, although the program he will discuss this weekend is designed for an average-income household.

“The [lease] is an opportunity,” Mr Weber stressed. “It’s a lot of good you’re doing, reducing oil consumption … take advantage of something you should.”

Saturday he will illuminate the affordable solar energy options for Connecticut homeowners, brought within reach by the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund, in conjunction with CT Solar Lease LLC. The website CTSolarLease.com explains: “The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund and CT Solar Leasing, LLC have combined the power of CCEF’s innovative Solar Rebate program and the financial power of leasing to create an unbeatable way for qualifying customers of Connecticut Light and Power and United Illuminating to add solar energy to their homes for the lowest possible cost.”

What does this mean? Mr Weber admits, “There is a lot of information” that interested parties would need to hear. The deal translates into a no-money-down installation. “Nothing comes out of pocket.” What changes? Mr Weber said, “The average homeowner spends about $150 per month on electric, and can have a solar system for about the same price.” Electricity payments then shift from the power company to the solar lease, he explained, and that payment would be fixed.

Consider making the switch for environmental reasons. “It’s renewable, clean, nonpolluting, and reduces our reliance on foreign oil,” Mr Weber explained. While not every household will have the ideal conditions to catch the light, many properties present a good surface for the sun, he said. Alteris will perform site evaluations, calculate approximate monthly payments, and complete installation. Nothing within a home will change, other than an “inverter box” that collects DC power from the panels and turns out usable AC electricity for the household.

Will the solar wave catch on? “I think that once people see it’s solid technology it will pick up,” he said. Mr Weber also explained that the effort to promote installations is entirely grass roots. “There are not enough people learning about it, so we’re getting the word out; we have to keep pushing.”

Already closely attuned to environmental and solar trends, Clean Energy Task Force Chairman Dan Holmes also promotes renewable energy sources. “We want more of it,” he said recently. (See related article about green living in this issue).