WMDT 47 News - Delmarva's ChoiceJul. 14 - Wicomico County's Largest Solar Electric System

Jul. 14 - Wicomico County's Largest Solar Electric System

MARDELA SPRINGS, Md. - A July 16 Open House at The Hardware Store in Mardela Springs will show visitors how a solar electric system can supply clean, renewable, and affordable electricity for a business, a farm, a home, or a school. At the Open House, visitors will have the opportunity to see Wicomico County's largest solar electric system at work and to learn from a certified expert if such a system is a practical choice for them.

Paradise Energy Solutions of Salisbury has installed a 38 KW system that powers The Hardware Store. Owners Dave Kenney & Sons studied solar power extensively before they decided to invest in  the system, and they're happy that they did.

"This isn't an expense. It's a great investment in our future. Our system has an estimated payback of 6 years, and at least a 30-year working life. That means that after 6 years, we'll have free electricity for a quarter of a century."

Solar electric systems come with significant price tags, but government grants are helping to defray a significant portion of the costs. Both state and federal grants are available, and farmers may be able to receive USDA grants as well. And, if a project is placed in service in 2011, the property owner will be eligible for a 100% depreciation deduction.

With the installation of the new system at The Hardware Store, Paradise Energy Solutions now has the distinction of having built the largest solar electric systems in both Worcester and Wicomico counties. In Worcester County, PES installed a 78 KW system at James Kurtz's farm in Snow Hill. That system powers a chicken house on the farm, and Kurtz believes that it has the potential to handle a second chicken house.

The most visible objects that Open House guests will be able to see are the 168 solar panels that Paradise Energy Solutions has placed on The Hardware Store's roof. Visitors may also see the unusual sight of an electric meter running backwards, which means that the system is producing more electricity than the store needs. For Kenney & Sons, that's especially good news because their excess power goes into the electric grid, and through a process called Net Metering, they receive credit for it.

A solar electric system has no moving parts, and it makes no noise, so visitors will be able to hear everything that the speakers from Paradise Energy Solutions are saying during the presentations that they'll be giving every hour. One of the speakers will be Tim Beiler, who recently received his certification as a solar energy expert from the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), headquartered in Clifton Park, NY. His certification distinguishes PES from the majority of solar installers, and he has the training and the experience to answer everyone's questions about solar energy.

Beiler co-founded PES with his brother Jason in 2009. Jason is Branch Manager of Paradise Energy Solutions' office in Salisbury, while Tim works out of the company's Gap, PA office.

As concerns about the cost and the environmental effects of fossil fuels continue to grow, natural sources of power such as the sun and the wind are becoming much more appealing, and many people have questions about which of the two is better.

"We hear that question a lot," Tim Beiler said. "Both systems are good, and neither is perfect. Solar is dependent on sunshine, and a wind system is dependent on the wind blowing. We think that two major advantages of solar over wind are noise and maintenance. We've been seeing a lot of stories about people complaining about the noise that wind turbines make. And wind turbines obviously have a lot of moving parts, so they need regular maintenance. The moving parts mean that they have the potential to break down, and I've even seen stories of wind turbines catching fire. With a solar electric system, nothing moves, and there's no noise."

The sun sends enough energy to Earth in one hour to supply the entire planet's energy needs for an entire year, and even if the sun does happen to duck behind a cloud on July 16, the Open House will go on. "Regardless of the day's weather, we'll have plenty of good food and even more valuable information on the benefits of solar power," Jason Beiler said. "We invite business owners, farmers, homeowners, and school officials to come out and learn what solar power can do for them."

Paradise Energy Solutions' Open House will take place on Saturday, July 16 from 9 AM to 4 PM at The Hardware Store, 25442 Ocean Gateway (Route 50), Mardela Springs, MD 21837.

For information on the Open House contact Jason Beiler at 1-888-272-0542.