by Bea Peterson
Travel along Route 22 in Hoosick and you can’t miss them. They are huge. There are two rows of panels facing “Solar South” that will soon be generating electricity for the Wysocki farm and home across the road. In place are 144 modules or solar panels, three feet by five feet in size, placed twelve arrays to a section with six sections on each row. [private]
With this state of the art system every module generates its own power. When all is well, a green light glows on the back of the module. When all is not well, a light blinks red. “This way,” said David Elliott of Enlighten Power Solutions, “it’s easy to fix the one problem module.” In central inverter systems where all the panels are wired together, they only produce as much power as the lowest producing panel. That is where micro inverters have an advantage. The panels and their serial numbers, each with its own signal, are monitored from a computer at the farm. That way any single module can be repaired or replaced.
“The system has a 25 year warranty and will produce all the power they need plus ten times over,” said Elliott. With the initial cost, including grants and incentives, it is estimated the system will pay for itself in three to four years. “It will offset 100 percent of the farm and house needs and the rest goes out to the grid,” said Elliott. Actually, the system is connected directly to the grid, developing a surplus until the farm and the house need it. That extra electricity is purchased by the power company.
At the same time the solar panels are being installed, a new milking parlor is being constructed across the street. “Our choice was to keep going or quit,” said Jeff Wysocki. He and his Dad, Dave, chose to keep going. Little more than a year ago, as a result of Tropical Storm Irene, there was over eight feet of water on parts of the farm, causing severe damage. Today, as a result of FEMA funds, energy incentives and a Credit Union loan, the farm will become a flagship for energy efficiency. The barn will use solar thermal power and have all new milking equipment. There have been some delays in getting the equipment, but Jeff believes the whole thing will be operational by Halloween.
Space For Growth
Another conduit is in place should the Wysockis decide to expand usage to cover other family homes. There is plenty of room near the solar panels to add more of them, without losing valuable farmland. Only time will tell.
Future Of Farming
Beatrice Berle was the first farm in the area to install solar panels. Jeff said Chuck Phippen on Breese Hollow and Dan Tilley on Route 7 have also gone solar. Other nearby farms are also considering the possibilities. And it is not just farms. In the last couple of weeks solar panels have appeared on the roof of Creative Custom Woodcraft on Route 7 and the Berlin Fire House as well.[/private]