FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 13, 2009
Contact: Richard Lee, (541) 490-9771
SOLAR ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR
FIRST IN THE GORGE
HOOD RIVER, Oregon – Homeowners and businesses in the Columbia River Gorge now have access to solar electric installation services through the first-ever electrical contractor to be licensed in the Gorge. This means homeowners and business owners only need to work with one person to both design and install their solar system – and gain access to all the tax incentives and rebates currently available.
Richard Lee, a licensed electrical contractor who owns Ridgeline Electric & Design in Hood River, Oregon, recently received extensive training in solar installations and gained certification as a Tax Credit Certified Technician with the Oregon Department of Energy and as a Trade Ally of Energy Trust of Oregon. This means Lee is licensed and certified to both design and install solar systems for homeowners, businesses and not-for-profit organizations.
“With Ridgeline Electric & Design, the designer is also the installer,” Lee explained. “With other solar services available, a separate electrician has to be brought in to install the equipment – generally one who is not familiar with the design or set up of the solar system. With the certifications I’ve gained, homeowners and business owners can be assured their system is not only being designed, but is also being installed, by somebody who has solar-specific experience and certifications.”
Oregon currently boasts some of the most progressive and aggressive incentives in the country for solar electric installations. With the certifications noted above, Lee can qualify homeowners and business owners for all the available rebates and tax credits.
Solar energy has long been an available option for alternative energy but in the past, the high price and length of the payoff has deterred many homeowners and business owners from considering solar energy for their properties. With some of the recent changes in legislation and programs in Oregon, solar electric systems have now become very affordable for homeowners. For example, an $18,000 installed solar array would cost $3,800 with all rebates, state and federal tax credits now available through Ridgeline Electric & Design. For a business installation, the incentives are even more aggressive, with a $400,000 system costing the business owner only $33,000 after all rebates and tax credits.
“There is no better time for Oregon homeowners and businesses to consider solar energy,” Lee said. “Oregon has some of the best incentives available and these systems are now very affordable and have a short-term payoff in terms of savings on your annual energy bill. For businesses, there’s also a significant tax advantage. ”
As Lee said, in addition to the low cost of installation, today’s solar electric systems provide significant cost savings on monthly energy bills. In fact, Lee is currently working on an electrical and solar electric installation for a new home in Hood River that has the potential to be an “energy-neutral” home. The electrical lighting design in conjunction with the solar installation, both designed by Lee, as well as Energy Star appliances have the potential to make this happen.
Lee uses the latest in technology to analyze a homeowner’s or business’s site for eligibility and can tell owners after the initial assessment what they can expect to see in terms of energy production and cost savings from a solar electric system. Lee provides an initial consultation to homeowners and businesses at no cost. Lee also provides lighting analysis of existing homes and commercial spaces to determine what costs savings would be if more energy efficient lighting were installed.
“What most people don’t realize is there’s a lot they can do with their current set up to save on energy costs – just by retrofitting energy efficient lighting and controls, there’s more to it than just replacing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents” Lee explained. “If you add on top of that, a solar electric system that generates energy, the cost savings and energy use reduction is very significant.”
