Monday, April 27, 1998 | 9:51 a.m.
Architects, builders and consumers were urged to use solar energy at their homes and businesses during a workshop sponsored by a non-profit organization formed to promote the use of solar and renewable energy resources.
The Corporation for Solar Technology and Renewable Resources provided information on topics that included technology and design, funding opportunities and legislation relating to solar energy and energy efficiency.
More than 100 attended the four-hour session held Friday morning at the Nevada Power Co. headquarters.
Among the speakers were Marion Barritt, owner of an energy-efficient solar home and the first person in the state to sign up for a new program called "net metering," which was approved by the 1997 state Legislature.
Seventeen states now have net metering programs.
Net metering will let Barritt send electricity generated by solar tiles on her roof to the power company or to draw it in, depending on how much energy is generated by the tiles.
"It is not very cost-effective today," said Barritt, a glider pilot instructor who settled in Northern Nevada more than 16 years ago. "But it will become so as more people use it. Home owners should wean themselves from dependence on fossil fuels and become energy self-sufficient."
Barritt's first home was a passive solar house. When she decided to move into Gardnerville, about 15 miles south of Carson City, she wanted to live somewhere that was as energy efficient as the place she left. But she said none were available and so she built one and moved into it in October.
The 1,544-square-foot residence was built for energy efficiency. On the roof is an array of 60 Atlantis Energy "Sunslates" grid-connected in a net-metering configuration, according to Barritt.
She estimates she uses 60 percent less energy than she would otherwise be using if not for the solar power and energy efficiency.
During the day photovoltaic (PV) cells convert sunlight directly into electrical power. Any excess electricity will go to the Sierra Pacific Power Co. grid. At night, electricity will flow into the house from the power company.
"You can be the leading edge of builders," she told the audience. "Build houses for the 21st century."
In addition to net metering, some power company customers are eligible to take advantage of a second energy saving option called "green power."
The green power program is available to the first 100 customers, said Bill Jackson, director of marketing product development and management for Nevada Power.
Green power allows customers who are concerned about wasting energy and using up no-renewable resources to pay more for their electricity in order to make it possible for the company to offer solar energy to the first 100 to sign up.
A consumer could either round up the monthly power bill to the higher dollar or add a flat rate of $5, $10 or $20 to the bill.
The PV systems, measuring 80 feet by 80 feet, will be scattered around the city in highly visible locations to gain the attention of the public, according to Jackson.
They will be placed on the roofs of businesses, in parking lots or in open land.
The energy generated will be mixed with the regular power.
Producing a kilowatt of solar energy will cost 30 to 40 cents, compared to the present 6.5 cents for the average homeowner in Las Vegas, which has one of the lowest rates in the nation.
Jackson said marketing researched revealed that 80 percent of the customers say they are willing or wanted the Las Vegas utility to offer renewal resource choices. And 25 percent of that 80 percent were willing to pay extra for such a program.
Nevada Power is taking a conservative estimate that 3 percent of the customers will sign up. The first photovoltaic system, to cost an estimated $180,000, will be ready around June 1. It will produce 20,000 watts of power, enough to serve five homes.
When asked what the benefits to this program were, CSTRR President and CEO Rose Mckinney-James said there is not a lot of financial savings at this time.
The benefit for those in the room was the knowledge that they are starting the program, said James, who also is a Clark County commissioner.
"You can't measure that in dollars and cents," said James, whose corporation is funded by the federal government
Bill Brooks, director of training and program marketing for PVUSA, said the worldwide demand for PV is exploding, which is keeping the cost of the product high in this country because consumers in other countries are willing to pay higher prices.
As the demand continues to grow in the United States, the price will come down, Brooks said.
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