Family Business Is Selling Solar

For The Mainstream

By John Voket

Up to now, deciding to switch to solar power may have been similar to considering acquiring a Jaguar. The car or the animal.

Installing the door-sized solar panels and equipment to convert the sun’s power into electricity was something thought to be elusive, expensive, exotic, and challenging to maintain.

But with an unprecedented combination of relatively simple and long-lasting hardware, and incentive programs (among the best in the country), Connecticut is helping homeowners in Newtown flick on the solar switch.

Hooking up residents and businesses to solar power has become a busy family enterprise for Jack Ross and his son, Jason. In recent months their company, the Ross Solar Group, has completed two residential installations in Newtown.

There was almost no waiting period between when the father-son team and their expert crew completed a project on Taunton Hill Road and when Newtowner David Barzetti came calling. He had plenty of south-facing expanse to accommodate solar panels on his roof, as well as wall space to mount the interior conversion equipment next to his existing electrical circuit box.

He also had an average monthly electric bill running in excess of $500 for his newly built 4,200-square-foot Beaver Dam Road home. So after just a few months of writing checks to the electric company, Mr Barzetti went looking for an economical alternative.

He learned about a combination of state and federal programs that would eventually cut his total expenses for an effective solar system by more than half. And in about ten years, the system will have paid for itself in electricity cost savings, leaving the Barzetti family revenue neutral for the installation and making money on the power they generate for at least another 15–20 years.

“And if we go to sell the house, we know the extreme green factor of a solar power system will make the home a unique and attractive investment,” Mr Barzetti told The Bee this week, as Ross Solar crews put the finishing touches on his residential system.

When oil prices hit their peak early last summer, Mr Barzetti said “enough.”

“I realized that fossil fuels were not the only alternative for us, so I started researching solar energy generation,” he said. “I saw the state was giving an attractive rebate if I qualified, and there was a federal tax credit program I could apply as well.”

Due to luck in timing, the Barzettis not only qualified for a 50 percent system rebate from the state, and a $2,000 initial federal tax credit, but an additional tax credit program that went into effect while the system was being designed.

“I was able to cut the balance of the system cost by another 30 percent,” he said. That brought the initial system cost, installed, from $88,000 to less than $30,000.

“The minute I turn this on I’m going to start saving between $250 and $300 a month. And we expect to start making money in about its 11th year,” he added.

According to Jack Ross, Ross Solar Group founder, he can warranty a residential solar system for up to 25 years with a few restrictions to allow for a slight loss in photovoltaic efficiency. But he said the systems can continue generating for years beyond the warranty life.

“Most people try to maximize the system based on the maximum application of rebates and credits,” Mr Ross said. “But Mr Barzetti decided to go a little beyond, carrying a bit more of the expense himself to achieve maximum generation benefits.”

Mr Ross said a good average output for a residential home generation system is 5–6 megawatts daily.

“If you pay about 18 cents per kilowatt hour, an average home solar system will produce enough electricity for a client to not only pay for itself, but to continue producing no-cost electricity,” he said.

While the Barzettis have yet to switch on their solar system, Mr Ross points to another Connecticut job he and his son completed last year.

“We had a family that was paying 21 cents per kw/h in Cromwell,” he said. “And they produced enough electricity in a year to save more than $1,511. Factoring all the rebates and credits, their total earnings within the 25-year average life of the system will save them more than $77,000 against a final out-of-pocket cost of $20,249.”

Besides roof mounted systems, the Ross Group can install ground mounted panels as well, although the cost due to significantly more hardware is much higher, he said. Currently he is among only about two dozen installation companies in Connecticut that are participating in the 50 percent rebate program, and his son is among only a few licensed electricians in the state certified to install all residential and commercial solar systems.

“We have the highest level of state and federal certifications,” Mr Ross assured.

Mr Barzetti, for one, is sold on the company.

“If you have a south-facing roof, I highly recommend researching these solar systems,” Mr Barzetti said. “We found Ross Solar to be very professional.”

And the Barzettis are not stopping in their quest to save electricity. They are considering a ground mounted system to power their pool heater and pump equipment, which could help save more than $1,000 annually, and Mr Barzetti is considering installing a solar hot water system as well to cut down on his boiler’s heating oil consumption.

“It’s easy and cost effective,” he said. “And if you qualify for the maximum savings, retrofitting virtually any house with the conversion equipment is no problem at all.”

To learn more, visit www.rosssolargroup.com or www.ctcleanenergy.com. Information on federal energy saving programs and tax credits can be found at energystar.gov.