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Net metering solar panels provide power and savings for local couple

Barriere residents, Phil and Linda D’Entremont, say they have seen their power bill go down significantly since October of 2016
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Thirty net metering solar panels installed last October at the D’Entremonts are providing power for the family’s entire property

By Margaret Houben

Area residents, Phil and Linda D’Entremont, say they have seen their power bill go down significantly since October of 2016.  That was when their son, Daniel, installed a group of net metering solar panels on their property.

Daniel knows what he’s doing, he has been installing such systems for over 10 years through his Alberta business, Sungod Industries.

Solar panels are not new to the D’Entremonts, who say they have “had a couple of panels for years”.  Those panels are set up to charge batteries and kick in when there is a power outage, thereby running a good portion of the outlets in the house.

The 30 new panels that were installed at the D’Entremont’s property in October do not kick in if the power goes out.  They do, however, provide power for the family’s entire property, and can even generate Hydro credits.

It wasn’t that easy at first.

“It took a long time to find the right person to talk to at BC Hydro,” Phil explained, “Several months of calling this person, then that person; initially no one was very helpful.”

But they did finally manage to make contact with someone who could tell them what equipment they needed to hook up to the grid.

Phil says from when they started the phone calls to when the was system was installed, the process took about four years.

He notes the 30 panels recently installed will give them 7800 kilowatts at pull capacity.  But during the winter months, they aren’t likely to reach full capacity, as the sun hits the panels at more of an angle.  Ideally, the sun should be at a 90 degree angle to the panels.

How do the panels help to save money and how do they generate Hydro credits?

• Situation 1 - the panels generate 1000 kilowatts (kW), the family uses 1000 kW; this results in no Hydro bill that month for the D’Entremonts.

Situation 2 - the panels generate 1000 kW, the family uses 2000 kW = the D’Entremonts get billed for 1000 kW.

Situation 3 - the panels generate 2000 kW, the family uses 1000 kW = the D’Entremonts get a credit for 1000 kW.

“We hope to get enough credits during the peak summer months to cover the cost of use in winter,”  Phil stated, “We chose to install 30 panels all at once which cost about $25,000.  A person could choose to just install a few, and then add some as they were able.  The main outlay is for the equipment to hook up to the grid.  Each individual panel just clips in to the next.”

The D’Entremonts say they expect to recoup the cost of the installation via the credits in eight to nine years.