Local Business Sells 'the Power Of The Sun'

By Author: jontan trott
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A new Fernandina Beach company is helping Nassau County residents slash their energy bills using the power of the sun.

A1A Solar Contracting opened for business in the spring, but company president J. Peter Wilking said his fascination with solar technology began long before that.

In the early 80s someone showed me a solar electric panel with a fan on it, he said. Put it in the sun, and the thing spun around. It made me a believer. Basically fuel is falling from the sky, and all you've got to do is catch it.

In 2006 I purchased a solar water heating system, and I was so impressed I decided I wanted to work in the industry.

Wilking said that although many people worry about the cost of installing solar equipment, the energy savings more than pay for the initial outlay.

The energy is free every day, although you do have to purchase the equipment once, he said. Instead of renting the energy every day or buying it from the utility company, you essentially build a small power plant. I have solar panels on my home and Ive never gotten a bill from the sun. The longer you own it, the more it pays for ...
... itself and the more money you save.

Although most solar energy users don't get 100 percent of their homes' power from the sun, Wilking said going solar could significantly cut the average utility bill.

Going off-grid for most people is really a tough thing to do, he said. For residential, typically you start with solar hot water, and that usually chops the electric bill 20 to 30 percent on average. And if you do a 5-kilowatt photovoltaic system (for electricity), that can chop the bill another 60 percent. So if you do both systems, you can chop 80 percent of your dependence on the electric company. And that's typically over a yearly cycle, not a daily or hourly thing. You've removed 80 percent of the load from the utility company to the roof.

And right now, the government is offering subsidies to encourage the use of clean energy. As part of the federal stimulus package, homeowners who install solar power are eligible for a tax credit for 30 percent of the cost, and businesses are eligible for a 30 percent grant. The residential tax credit is available until 2016, Wilking said - but the grant is ending Dec. 31.

The good thing is that the project doesn't have to be done by Dec. 31 - but it needs to be started, he said. So I'm trying to get people aware of this.

Wilking said he's a believer in solar energy because it's clean, abundant - and free.

People don't seem to realize that theyre going to be paying utility bills as long as theyre drawing air - that bill is never going away, he said. So the one-time cost of solar - particularly if it's financed - makes a compelling financial argument.

For more information, call (904) 472-4806.

At A1A Solar, we see a perfect site for a Jacksonville solar energy plant that powers your home while saving you money. The average home's roof collects enough sunshine to supply up to 90% of its energy needs? It's an untapped goldmine. For more details solar company Jacksonville fl visit online.