<< Previous   of   Next >> For the Enterprise/DAN BATES  (click to enlarge) Eric Teegarden works on his house in Brier, which he equipped with a complete solar power system.

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Solar power

Brier man hopes to set example with project helped by PUD

By Oscar Halpert
For the Enterprise

BRIER

Don't complain about clouds and rain to Eric Teegarden.

He'll tell you there's plenty of sunshine here, more than enough to power a house using only the sun's rays.

“We actually do better here in the Northwest than folks in L.A. or Phoenix,” Teegarden said. “We get more sun on an annual basis than southern Germany, and Germany has half the world's installed solar.”

Teegarden, 40, recently put the finishing touches on a home electrical system that relies completely upon solar energy for power. It uses photovoltaic cells that convert sunlight into electrical current.

A device called an inverter converts the power generated from direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC), so it can be used to run appliances and supply light and heat.

With help from an electrician, Teegarden spent three months planning and about a day and a half installing 18 solar modules — a collection of silicon-based photovoltaic cells — on the roof of the 1,700-square-foot, three-bedroom, single-story house he shares with his wife, Heather, and their two young children.

To pay for the system, he secured a $25,000 loan at 2.9 percent interest through the Snohomish County PUD's recently launched Solar Express program, which offers cash incentives and educational support to help consumers and businesses install photovoltaic and solar hot water systems.

The PUD offers residential customers cash incentives of up to $2,500 or the low-interest loan.

“This year, we have received 29 applications for solar PV systems and eight applications for solar hot water systems,” PUD spokesman Neil Neroutsos said.

“Our customers have consistently been interested in green energy sources,” he added. “We tend to get a lot of questions from our customers about how these systems work.”

The utility district also is funding some demonstration solar projects such as the solar panels at Mukilteo's new City Hall and its Everett headquarters.

Solar electric capacity increased more than 40 percent a year worldwide between 2001 and 2008, said Neil Lurie, spokesman for the American Solar Energy Society, a 54-year-old nonprofit representing solar professionals and advocates. He said the cost of photovoltaic solar modules has decreased 30 percent in the past year.

Like many attracted by the idea of a greener, more environmentally friendly approach to energy consumption, the Teegardens have re-examined the way they use energy.

Even before installing the new system, the family reduced its use of electricity. Teegarden said his next project will involve making sure most of the water the family uses is recycled.

“It's going to cut my water usage by a third, maybe a half,” he said.

By collecting his own energy from the sun, Teegarden said he'll eventually be able to send any extra, unused power to someone else who needs it — possibly his neighbors.

That's because any extra power he generates beyond what he needs for his house automatically flows to the nearest user.

A meter shows the amount of electricity his system is producing.

The fact that Teegarden, who has worked in the solar power industry, is an engineer and carpenter helped him save time and money.

Teegarden, who's run unsuccessful campaigns for the Mountlake Terrace City Council and PUD commissioner, said he hopes his efforts will inspire others.

“I'm setting an example in my community,” he said. “This is doable.”

Oscar Halpert writes for the Herald of Everett.