Business & Tech

Making Tolland a Little Greener

Ken Houck's Tolland home only uses electricity generated by the solar panel system in his backyard.

Tolland resident Ken Houck is making the planet a little greener this Earth Day, and every day, due to the solar panel system powering his home. 

The system was installed by , which is owned by resident Glenn Martin.

According to Martin, the 35 solar panels mounted on a pole behind Houck's home are providing for all of his electrical needs, erasing Houck's carbon footprint.

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"We don't really need to continue in fossil fuels," Martin said, explaining that Houck used a "turn-key" solution in his home, replacing his oil heat with an electrical system that uses the solar generated power. 

"With planning, this technology is affordable," he added.

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Houck said he decided to install the solar panels last summer after speaking with Martin about the systems, which GMI Solar has been specializing in for around four years.

"When I talked to Glenn my curiosity was piqued. It made sense to me economically, but the only way it made sense was for me to go electric," Houck said. The house's oil heat system was converted to an electric system.

Houck can monitor the solar panels with a computer program, which details how many watts are being created each day. Houck also receives credits from CL&P for his excess electricity that is transferred over onto the general grid. He said that the panels can create over 10,000 watts on a sunny day.

"It makes me aware of when the sun comes up and goes down," Houck said, admitting that he loves to keep an eye on the computer program and track the electricity generation numbers.

Martin explained that the solar panel system maximizes electricity generation in several ways; it moves every three minutes to track the sun and is designed with circuits on the back of the system to prevent any shadows from falling onto the panels. 

He said that the high-density panels have a 20 percent efficiency rate and can last for 50 years. 

The system also has the ability to go vertical to dump snow accumulations from its surface in the winter and flattens itself during exceptionally windy days, Martin said.

The installation for a system, including turn-key additions such as converting from oil heat, can cost $85,000 to $95,000, Martin said. However, he added that the cost is interchangeable for many families, who simply exchange an oil heating bill and electric bill for the monthly payment to pay off the solar panel system.

He added that the state provides a $19,000 grant for homeowners installing these systems, and that the federal government gives a 30 percent tax credit. The solar panel system can be written off on taxes for five years, Martin said. Homeowners have to pay CL&P about $20 a month to monitor the meter at their homes, as well. 

Martin has been installing solar panel systems for around four years, he said. He started GM Industries in 1980, and worked with satellites and other technologies before specializing in his current field.

For more information on the systems, visit the GMI Solar website.


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