Solar energy backers say sun power time is now

A $200,000 solar energy grant from the U.S. Department of Energy and fresh tax incentives signal the dawn of more affordable, renewable energy for New Orleans homeowners, city recovery officials say.

The New Orleans Office of Recovery Management is incorporating solar energy into its planning after the Crescent City was named one of 13 “Solar America Cities” for 2007. The DOE’s Solar America Initiative will provide $2.5 million and advice for chosen cities.

The DOE program is based on a 50 percent match from the ORM for a total $400,000 to include solar energy in rebuilding plans, said ORM Director Ed Blakely.

“We have a requirement to do this because it’s a part of (the Unified New Orleans Plan) to look at smarter and greener technology,” said Blakely. “We will look at possible new (solar) projects in all 17 recovery target areas. There’s so many different avenues in solar power, which is why we have the grant to study it.”

The Solar America Initiative aims to make the technology more affordable for homeowners.

Solar window panels are a transparent screen window installation designed to convert 10 percent of sunlight into energy compared with 100 percent conversion by solar cells, according to ecomall.com, an online solar tech reference Web site.

Recovery officials would study how to use solar panels on a smaller scale in municipal buildings, schools, police and fire stations and hospitals.

Solar energy will not be relied upon to power an entire building, Bradley-Wright said. To do that “there’s going to be a need for creative funding,” he said.

Bradley-Wright said resident interest in solar energy is up significantly but there are few solar retailers and installers.

“One tangible piece of this grant is job training for installation. Presently there are three solar installers in the state,” said Bradley-Wright.

Senate Bill 90 provides a 50 percent tax credit of up to $25,000 for residents to buy and install solar equipment. Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco signed the bill into law July 10.

A 30 percent federal tax incentive for purchases and installation of solar technology for businesses and residents, capped at $2,000, will also make solar power more affordable by providing “an 80 percent reduction of the costs,” Bradley-Wright said.

A solar transition can cost a homeowner anywhere from a few thousand dollars to $100,000, Angelette said. The average cost to homeowners for purchase and installation ranges from $8 to $10 per watt of consumption.

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