‘Green’ power advocate provides all his own energy

With electricity costs on the rise, the image of an electric meter spinning backward is a fantasy for most homeowners.

By Kristen Inbody, The Montana Standard

For some people, however, every time the wind blows or the sun shines their meter may start spinning backward.

The tables turn as they sell electricity back to a power company.

By using solar and wind energy, "your house is a little power plant," said Chris Borton, director of Sage Mountain Center west of Whitehall near Pipestone.

Through NorthWestern Energy, Montana has one of the easiest programs to sell energy back to the power company, Borton told a gathering of nearly 40 people at a recent presentation on renewable energy sources. The presentation was sponsored by NorthWestern Energy.

"Can you get rich selling your power back to the power company?" Borton said. "No. The best you can do is to zero out your energy costs."

While still connected to the power grid, a homeowner may add energy from his or her own wind generator or solar panels.

During the summer, the solar panels may generate more electricity than the house consumes. That energy goes back onto the power grid and is available for public use. The customer gets credit for the extra power at market value.

In the winter, when the sun shines for fewer hours, the house may consume more power than it produces. The credit racked up in the summer is taken off winter power bills.

"It’s a real good deal," Borton said.

Another option for incorporating alternative energy is to use the power grid and have a battery backup to store energy instead of sending it back on the power grid.

Borton hasn’t needed to pay a single power bill in the past 13 years. He doesn’t intend to start now, but it’s not just about the money.

"It’s about money, but it’s more about principles and values," Borton said.

By supplying all his own energy, he’s found control over his own life and connection to the environment, Borton said.

"Personal values, principles and convictions drive the market for ‘green’ electricity," he said.

Borton’s home and the Sage Mountain Center are not tied to a power grid. He uses wind and solar energy for most of his needs. The rest comes from propane. His water is heated by the sun.

"Solar and wind go together perfectly," Borton said. "They’re like the perfect marriage."

His system cost $14,000. Compared to buying a car, "that’s nothing," Borton said.

"Is a $20,000 car cost-effective?" Borton asked. "What’s the pay back on a new fridge?"

He has a limited amount of energy because he supplies it all himself.

"There are things you cannot have," Borton said.

He gave up the appliances that really drain energy, among them electric baseboard heating, an electric stove, a hot water heater with electric elements and an electric dryer.

"We have no problem living with it," he said. "You have to be selective."

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Programs help fund alternative energy

By Kristen Inbody – Helena IR

Paying for solar panels or a wind generator may seem even more daunting than rising power bills, but help is available through tax credits, loans and rebates.

Montana offers a tax credit of 25 percent of the cost of a solar or wind project, up to $500. Every year a homeowner adds on to a system, he or she is eligible for another $500 credit.

The tax credit can also be used for conservation projects — the best place to start with any energy project, said Kathi Montgomery of the state Department of Environmental Quality.

Investing $2,000 in new, energy-efficient windows would mean a $500 tax credit and lower power bills, Montgomery said. Conservation would also mean a smaller, therefore cheaper, solar or wind system would be needed, she said.

"When investing in efficiency, it does pay off over the long term," she said.

Besides the tax credit, low-interest loans are available from the DEQ. The program is funded by fines charged to companies that violate air quality. The loans will cover up to $10,000 for a project at a 5.5 percent interest rate.

The department just handed out its first three loans, for two solar projects and one wind project.

Rebates are a huge factor in his decision to use solar heat and hot water, said Todd Mohr. Mohr hopes to build a house that’s environmentally friendly.

Rebate programs have funded up to 50 percent of projects, said Chris Borton, director of Sage Mountain Center, west of Whitehall near Pipestone.

NorthWestern Energy customers pay an average of $1 a month for the typical home toward the Universal Systems Benefits Renewable Fund. About $1 million is given out every year for renewable energy projects through that fund.

"If someone has to have an incentive to do the project, the money is available," said Dave Ryan of NorthWestern Energy.

For a solar energy system, the company will pay $4 per watt of energy the system is capable of producing, up to $8,000.

Most projects generate 1,000 to 2,000 watts, about half of what the average household consumes.

A more cost-effective choice is wind power, for which rebates are also available. Successful applicants will receive an incentive of $1.25 per watt of the power a system can produce.

For example, a 10-kilowatt system would be eligible for an incentive of $12,500, which covers about a third of the total installed cost.

The program evaluates applications and works with successful applicants to help them choose the most appropriate system, Ryan said.

Only NorthWestern Energy customers are eligible for the rebates. Electric cooperatives offer different incentives.

For more information about tax incentives and loans, contact Kathi Montgomery at (406) 444-6778.

NorthWestern Energy rebates are administered by the National Center for Appropriate Technology. For more information, call NCAT at (406) 494-4572.

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