Tapping The Sun
By Nicole Pressly Wolf

This is the first of two articles on solar power that will run in The Fire Island News.

We’ve come a long way since Carter installed solar panels on the White House roof (or since Reagan had them taken down). Solar energy has had a reputation as being very costly, almost a rich person’s nod to the environment, but it’s come a long way.

Technological advances made today include the consistently decreasing costs for photovoltaic cells and panels and other equipment, as well as greater longevity and efficiency. While solar energy is still pricey (see below), these lower costs translate to faster payback periods, as well as increased property value. Also available are new options to capture the sun such as solar shingles, to replace tar roof shingles and solar surfaces, such as the integrated photovoltaics on the building “Solaire” at Battery Park City.

Janet LaViolette, or Nurse Janet, as she is affectionately known in Ocean Beach, is a woman who thinks in terms of prevention. Besides being in private practice as Nurse by the Sea, Janet is manager of health services at the Woodhull School, and creates annual health education programs for children, as well as a political organizer for the Islip Town Democratic Committee. Her patient is the planet, she says.

“I’m a nurse. I’m into prevention. So if I can be one small part in protecting the earth, I’ll do it.”

Last fall, Janet began doing research on the Internet for solar energy resources. Finding the company was really by accident. “I was shopping on the Internet at ABC Home’s web site and saw they had a solar division. I called, spoke to Rob, and the rest is history.” They installed the unit later that spring.

When ABC Real Goods Solar technician Rob Ashmore came out to Fire Island, he was impressed. He saw this as the perfect environment for solar energy, as every home has unfettered access to the sky.

“ Fire Island is a really exotic place. I couldn’t believe I was in New York.”

Although there are some unique challenges to transporting the panels out here, “it went smoothly,” she said. The panels and equipment were transported by freight and then by wagon. The equipment is actually lightweight and already on pallets.

ABC Real Goods Solar is the collaboration of Real Goods and ABC Carpet & Home. Real Goods, a subsidiary of Gaiam, is California's premier solar electric provider. Since 1978, Real Goods has installed over 60,000 solar systems in homes and businesses.

ABC Carpet & Home is the New York City prestigious retailer, located in its flagship 19th and Broadway store as well as in four other locations in New York and New Jersey. ABC Carpet, founded over a century ago, is the world’s largest retailer of carpets. ABC Home, established in the 1980s, has developed a worldwide reputation as a cutting edge home furnishings store, which, according to their Web site, helps customers “articulate their personal expression of home by integrating beauty, spirit and culture from around the world.”

Paulette Cole, CEO and owner, is committed to supporting a more “sustainable energy future for our country and planet, and committed to helping our customers enhance how their homes reflect their values.”

“For me, ‘home’ is about much more than the physical space in which we reside. Home is an expression of our values and commitments, from family and spirit to culture and worldly interests. It may seem edgy for a leading home furnishings store to sell solar systems which produce clean energy; in my view, it’s almost a responsibility for a store which promotes self-expression in a home to offer ways that home owners can generate comfort consistent with sustainability and their commitments to a greener world,” said Cole.

Within that vision, ABC Home created ABC Solar, which operates as ABC Real Goods Solar, to bring full service solar system installation to New York and New Jersey.

It Pays to Go Solar

Almost all homes on Fire Island receive plenty of sunshine to effectively power a solar system. And recent rebate programs enacted in New York make it attractive to install a solar system. These programs provide for a rebate (which ABC Real Goods Solar will collect on your behalf) of up to 65% of the cost of your system, including installation. If you finance your portion of the system costs, in most cases, your financing costs will be the same or lower than what you currently pay for electric power. If you choose not to finance, the energy savings alone will generally allow you to recover your investment in as little as 7-10 years.

For Fire Islanders (and all of Long Island), the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) offers a rebate of $4 per watt on grid-connected solar electric systems for residential customers. Purchasers will also be eligible for a New York State income tax credit of 25% of total installation costs (up to $3,750).

In addition, your new solar electric system will produce extra energy called Green Tags, certificates that represent the power generated by your system. LIPA will purchase these Green Tags and generate annual income for you.

The Environmental Benefits of Solar Power

By producing clean electricity from the sun you help eliminate greenhouse gas emissions and reduce our national dependence on foreign oil. Over its 30-plus year lifespan the average solar system will offset 300 barrels (16,500 gallons) of oil, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions by more than 200,000 pounds. This is equivalent to planting 500 mature trees.

According to Ashmore, solar energy is especially gaining in popularity now because not only are the financial incentives good, but because “people are spooked by going to war for oil.”

Join Rob Ashmore, ABC’s Solar expert, for an open house/short solar discussion on Saturday, July 22 (Saltaire) or Sunday, July 23 (Ocean Beach) at 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 pm.  Presentation at 5:30 pm Complimentary fine chocolate and champagne will be served. to RSVP: SolarizeFI@gmail.com or call (917) 496 4439.