Stephen Gilbert recalled the moment he decided it was time to make a change in the way he powered his life.
B次元官网网址淟ast September, after a succession of huge hydro bills that were consistently more than $1,500, I realized that this was money that was gone forever. I knew there had to be a better way,B次元官网网址� Gilbert said.
He explained how he went online to look for alternatives for his Ferncliffe Place home and realized he could convert his residence with a sustainable solar generating system B次元官网网址� one that would pay for itself in the long run.
But his move to sustainable energy wasnB次元官网网址檛 without challenges.
B次元官网网址淲hen I first went for quotes the amount was quite high so I went back online and found a company in Ontario that was able to deliver the material I needed to Victoria at a considerably lower price than IB次元官网网址檇 been quoted locally. IB次元官网网址檓 guessing that competition in Ontario has resulted in lower prices,B次元官网网址� Gilbert said.
When the solar units were delivered, Gilbert did much of the installation himself, opting for a ground level system augmented by some rooftop units on the awnings of his house. He built metal racking and did much of the 146-solar panel installation himself, even though he has no training in construction or installation.
In the first year his 35 kilowatt system has generated more than $6,000 in electrical power and Gilbert is able to benefit from the power he produces, not only by reducing his power bill to virtually nothing but also by selling his surplus power back into the power grid for a cash benefit.
B次元官网网址淭he economics makes sense and itB次元官网网址檚 really not as hard as you might think. There are all kinds of videos on YouTube that show you what to do. I guess I went to the University of YouTube to learn how to do it,B次元官网网址� said Gilbert with a laugh.
A licensed electrician was required to do the final hook-up to the electrical grid, but even with outside help, GilbertB次元官网网址檚 final cost for converting his home to solar power was a little more than $43,000.
B次元官网网址淚 know that itB次元官网网址檚 a big ticket item, but you have to figure out that the system will pay for itself in less than 10 years and after that, I will never have to pay for electricity again. In fact it (the pay back period) may be a lot less than that since IB次元官网网址檝e just purchased electric vehicles and will be powering them from my system,B次元官网网址� explained Gilbert.
B次元官网网址淲hen you factor in that I wonB次元官网网址檛 be paying for gas or hydro, and I am actually selling power into the grid so BC Hydro pays me, the break-even point could be exponentially less than 10 years.B次元官网网址�
GilbertB次元官网网址檚 last hydro bill showed a credit of $698 B次元官网网址� a far cry from the quadruple figure bills he used to receive.
Another factor that Gilbert points out involves taxation.
B次元官网网址淲hen you buy power from BC Hydro, youB次元官网网址檙e doing it with after tax dollars. Factor in that when you produce your own power and sell onto the grid, you are doing it with before tax dollars. It all contributes to making the decision to go solar.B次元官网网址�
Gilbert admits that his wife and four children initially thought he was B次元官网网址渃razy.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 50 years old now and I grew up during a time when you had no options and no one was thinking this way; a time when muscle cars where normal and generating your own electricity like this would have been impossible, even illegal. My solar units are guaranteed for 25 years, and when itB次元官网网址檚 time to replace them, just think about what technology we might have,B次元官网网址� Gilbert said
B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 have to wait for the future to make this change. The future is right now.B次元官网网址�
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