Today I'm in Leola, PA talking with Steve Mellinger, owner of BME Solar and one of the first serious solar integrators in Lacaster County PA & all of Central Pennsylvania. Steve has been in business for over a decade and his experience shows in his knowledge of systems and needs analysis when it comes to Solar PV (Photovoltaic), Solar Thermal (hot water) and solar air.
This discussion is about the resurgence in demand for "off-grid" solar systems. The "grid" is the local utility company power lines that come in to your home. Most installers today are focusing on "grid-tie" systems that are designed to power the whole home, with the possibility of overproducing power and then selling it back into the grid. Such systems tend to cost at least $20,000 and usually run into twice that to install, with the reality of selling power back being fairly slim given most family's power usage.
Off-grid systems, by contrast, are designed around specific uses such as well-pumps, septic pumps, appliances etc. and use a battery system to keep the power flow steady even in low-solar production times (as opposed to the grid power). According to Steve, he's seeing more prospective solar customers looking at off-grid systems due to the cost savings and potentially shorter payback periods. Both grid-tie and off-grid systems qualify for the federal 30% tax credit through 2016, and certain state financial incentives exist.
If you're interested in solar power of some sort reach out to Steve at bluemoon@bmesolar.com. You can always comment here or email me at jeff@yourlancasterhome.com. (c) 2011 Jeff Geoghan
