By DENNY KUBAL, guest columnist
About a year ago my wife, Donna, and I decided it was time we did something about the environment. We decided we wanted to try to concentrate on improving air quality. We did some research and found that Indiana remains the state that leads the nation in toxic pollution emitted per square mile.
Upon further investigation, we found that Duke Energy remains a super polluter and their Gibson, Indiana plant is one of the dirtiest plants in terms of carbon dioxide emissions. We are getting our power from Duke.
There are many options to choose from to help reduce CO2, but we chose to install solar panels. So, for less than the price of an electric vehicle, we installed 43 Panasonic 325-watt solar panels on our roof last fall. We are so glad we did.
First, when I filed my taxes this year, I received a 26 percent tax credit back from the feds, meaning the government paid for 26 percent of my system.
Second, according to a recent study by Zillow, solar panels can increase the value of my home by up to 4.1 percent. This is a plus, and something to consider financially, but not my primary reason for us to install the system.
Third, I get the joy of not supporting Duke and having them send me greatly reduced bills, like this month’s $17.35 bill. If we stay in our house long enough, the system will pay for itself in savings.
Fourth, we get the daily satisfaction of watching what a difference we are making in the environment. As I write this, we are generating 8,000 watts of power. In the time since installation, we have generated 12,000,000 watts of power! We’ve saved 18,500 pounds of CO2 and the equivalent of 141 trees planted! Great!
Fourth, the system operates during daylight hours all year and is guaranteed for 25 years by Panasonic. We value that we are creating a system that will continue to provide savings for the planet long after we move on. Who knows how many new residents will live here and enjoy the savings and the value of helping to save the planet? We very much like passing on something permanent to others!
So, if you are serious about making a difference in our air quality here in Indiana, consider solar.
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Earth Rising will offer a free Solar Tour on Saturday, Aug. 21. Drop by the Nashville United Methodist Church to see specific figures on what some homeowners have spent on solar, how much they are saving annually, what vendors they worked with and more.
The church invested in solar in 2018 and immediately began seeing savings; the Brown County Public Library has committed to converting to solar, too.
Come to the church at 36 S. Jefferson St. between 10 a.m. and noon. Park in back and go downstairs. From there, you may choose to visit some of the homes by signing up for time slots.
This free Solar Tour is sponsored by Brown County’s Earth Rising, which strives to learn and share how to tread lightly on the Earth.
[sc:pullout-text-end]Denny Kubal of Brown County submitted this information on behalf of Earth Rising, a local group with the mission “To learn and share how to tread lightly on the Earth.” Earth Rising can be reached at [email protected].
