Considering the alternatives
More homeowners are warming up to solar, geothermal systems By Jon Bleiweis Baltimore Sun Media Group When Drew and Lily Derrick decided theywantedtoadd centralair conditioning to their 200-year-old Catonsville home, they turned to an unexpected source: the ground.
The couple installed a geothermal system that uses the constant 55-degree below-ground temperature as a means for both cooling and heating. The system — which required drilling three 430-footdeep wells in their front yard, plus piping and ductwork —was completed in July.The next month, they cranked up the air conditioning.
Even with the addition of central air to cool the entire house, their utility bill was only $20 higher than the month before — when they had window units cooling only “I thinkplugging into things like solar energy ... is agreat opportunity.”
Dave Sinclair,homeowner parts of their home.The new system is far moreefficient,they say.
Notfar away,DaveSinclair and his wife, Angela,chose to have solar panels installed at their Catonsville home in spring 2015.In 2014,their average utility bill was $165 a month. The solar-panel system has since cut their bill by more than half,to the point theyare sometimes paying aminimum $22 fee on their monthly bill.
Across the region, more homeowners are looking at alternative energy sources, spurred by anew generation of efficient, cheaper systems, as well as tax credits, rebates and incentives —aswell as the desiretoreduce the use of fossil fuels.
“Resources are finite. Fossil fuels are finite,” said Lily Derrick.
Since 2008, morethan 21,000 of Baltimore Gas and Electric Co.’s938,000 residential electric customers have added solar systems, the utility said. More than 1,800 geothermal units have been installed since 2012 by BGEresidential customers.
While stateand county agencies don’t actively track installations, in the pasttwo years, Baltimore County has done an average of150 solarsystem inspections a month, up from 15 amonth in 2013.
The Solar Energy Industries Association, anational trade group,said $410 million was invested in solar installation projects in See ENERGY, page62
The couple installed a geothermal system that uses the constant 55-degree below-ground temperature as a means for both cooling and heating. The system — which required drilling three 430-footdeep wells in their front yard, plus piping and ductwork —was completed in July.The next month, they cranked up the air conditioning.
Even with the addition of central air to cool the entire house, their utility bill was only $20 higher than the month before — when they had window units cooling only “I thinkplugging into things like solar energy ... is agreat opportunity.”
Dave Sinclair,homeowner parts of their home.The new system is far moreefficient,they say.
Notfar away,DaveSinclair and his wife, Angela,chose to have solar panels installed at their Catonsville home in spring 2015.In 2014,their average utility bill was $165 a month. The solar-panel system has since cut their bill by more than half,to the point theyare sometimes paying aminimum $22 fee on their monthly bill.
Across the region, more homeowners are looking at alternative energy sources, spurred by anew generation of efficient, cheaper systems, as well as tax credits, rebates and incentives —aswell as the desiretoreduce the use of fossil fuels.
“Resources are finite. Fossil fuels are finite,” said Lily Derrick.
Since 2008, morethan 21,000 of Baltimore Gas and Electric Co.’s938,000 residential electric customers have added solar systems, the utility said. More than 1,800 geothermal units have been installed since 2012 by BGEresidential customers.
While stateand county agencies don’t actively track installations, in the pasttwo years, Baltimore County has done an average of150 solarsystem inspections a month, up from 15 amonth in 2013.
The Solar Energy Industries Association, anational trade group,said $410 million was invested in solar installation projects in See ENERGY, page62
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