Clean and cost-effective energy accessed with photovoltaic system

By Bruce Barton,

Los Altos resident Mark Byington thinks he’s got the home energy system that’s too good to be true — except that it is true.

His photovoltaic system, which generates electrical power from the sun, pays immediate financial dividends for the user, while preserving the environment. Byington estimates current government rebates pay 40 percent to 50 percent of the system cost (between $20,000 and $40,000, depending on the size). The system pays for itself after about five and a half years, Byington said, essentially generating free electricity after that.

What’s also an eye-opener is the maintenance aspect — limited to washing the panels atop the roof once every three-to-six months with a garden hose. The nonmovable parts make for a durable — and noise-free — energy alternative. Byington said the average life of a solar system is approximately 25 years.

“I’m pretty excited about it,” Byington said of his move into photovoltaics. “Solar is the most accessible of the alternative energy sources.”

Byington, an electrical engineer, founded Cobalt Power Systems Inc., this year, after his research led him to conclude solar power is the alternative source from which homeowners and small businesses could benefit now.

“There are tremendous financial advantages,” he said, citing a typical return on investment is 15 percent to 25 percent per year. He also cited a positive impact on property values.

He quoted from an issue of Appraisal Journal that noted a home goes up in value by $20 for every $1 saved in energy costs.

Byington also pointed to environmental benefits. He calculated an average-size system will prevent 75 tons of carbon dioxide, pollution generated through the production of electricity by materials such as coal, from being emitted into the atmosphere. Such production has contributed to global warming, an irreversible heating of the earth’s atmosphere mostly caused by carbon dioxide gases.

Clear sources, such as solar and wind power, offer solutions to this problem but have yet to catch on in a big way with the utility companies or the public.

Although solar power has been around for more than three decades, Byington said it is at last within financial reach of many homeowners.

He said the cost of solar panels has dropped by 10 times over the last 20 years. Meanwhile, energy costs have risen an average of 6.7 percent per year during that time, he said, making solar a more tempting alternative than ever.

As for performance on not-so-sunny days, Byington said systems work best on bright, cool days because they work best with light, not heat. On cloudy days, they operate at about 60 percent of their maximum capacity, he said.

Installation of the average system takes about a week, Byington said.

For a free consultation, which involves a 60- to 90-minute visit by Byington, call 948-9574. For more information, logon to www.cobaltpower.com. ◊