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Off
the Grid with Solar Power
From a news story by
CNN San Francisco Reporter James Hattori
February 1, 2001
Sally Kemmerer has, so far, escaped Northern California's rolling blackouts.
But up on the roof of her Oakland home, workers are tapping into, perhaps,
the most reliable power source. The sun. It could mean no more worries
about blackouts or power rates.
Sally Kemmerer, homeowner says, "I hope that we'll be able to zero
out, you know, our electric bill. I mean that's definitely our goal."
Turning the sun's rays into electricity is, of course, nothing new.
But California's power crisis has cast a new light on the technology.
Gary Gerber, a solar power contractor, says, "I might have been
getting, say three phone calls a week a couple of months ago. I'm getting
six a day now; it's completely crazy."
Alternative energy is even more attractive, thanks to a state rebate
program. So far this month, California's energy commission has received
200 project applications. That is more than the number of applications
all last year.
Putting in a solar roof is still a relatively expensive proposition.
This project cost around 45,000 dollars. Even taking into account the
state subsidy of 12,000 dollars, that leaves a net cost to the homeowner
of around 33,000 dollars.
Sally says, "We were happy to find out that, eventually, the system
should pay for itself, you know, 20-years, maybe."
Aaron Wellendorf has had a p-v (or photovoltaic generator) for more
than a year. Like most solar systems, his is not off the grid completely.
The utility still kicks in at night, or when there's no sun. But when
there is bright light, things change.
Wellendorf says, "I'm turning my meter backward with extra power
that I'm generating." Backward?
That's right! Wellendorf's meter tracks how much power goes back into
the utility grid. Last year all he paid for electricity was a service
charge. That charge was around five dollars a month.
In fact, even after powering his super-efficient household appliances
and his converted electric truck, Wellendorf generated a net surplus
of more than 2000-kilowatt hours.
Unfortunately, state law doesn't require the utility to pay him for
that.
Wellendorf says, "I don't get it in money, I just get the satisfaction
of helping out the power grid."
And, he gets the satisfaction of being energy self-sufficient.
Additional Notes:
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