PVT

Valley Electric Association (VEA) ambassadors are seeking qualified volunteers for the associations's domestic solar water heater (DSWH) pilot program.

In early 2006 VEA began researching residential solar water heating based on member interest and rising wholesale/retail energy costs. The intent was twofold:

1) To reduce rising member energy bills and respond to the increasing demand for alternative energy choices and,

2) Reduce the utilities system wholesale power cost and share the avoided cost savings with the participating members through a one-time rebate program.

Approximately 25 to 30 percent of an average VEA residential bill is composed of heating water when an electric water heater is used.

Accordingly, a domestic solar water heater (DSWH) could reduce that energy usage by 70 percent, according to solar industry information.

Tom Husted, VEA CEO, said, "Specific information needed to perform a proper analysis and business case was and is lacking from both the solar and utility industries. It is our opinion that most if not all utilities involved in such programs do so because of state commission mandates. As a result, no real cost benefit analysis is done beforehand."

The purpose of the pilot program is to collect data that will enable VEA to determine if offering a solar water heater program to the full VEA membership is financially viable both for the members and VEA. Data collection is expected to take approximately one year. The pilot program will be evaluated monthly.

A data committee of VEA Ambassadors, cooperative members who volunteered to assist with the pilot program, will choose the consumers for VEA's DSWH pilot program from a detailed questionnaire that gives them the information they need to determine those members who will participate in this program.

"A total of eight to 10 residential consumers will be chosen for the pilot program," said Staci Behnke, VEA Marketing Manager. "We hope to get a representative cross section of Pahrump Valley demographics from our volunteers."

The questionnaire will ask for VEA residential members in Pahrump who are willing to pay an up-front cost of $1,250 -- which is equal to one-fourth of the total cost for a closed loop domestic solar water heater system.

The questionnaire will also ask for those interested in taking part in this program to be full-time VEA member-homeowners who live in conventional framed homes or manufactured homes not older than three years. Prospective volunteers must allow access for readings and inspections and also have space available for all necessary solar equipment.

In addition, because at least two 7-by-4-foot solar collector panels will be put up on each participating member's roof and must face south, all roofs must have unobstructed exposure in that direction and have no trees or buildings around it that would impede exposure to the sun. The questionnaire also asks the type of water heater in use, gas or electric.

Plans call for VEA to pay for 50 percent of the cost for each solar hot water system after each member's up-front investment.

The estimated total cost for each system is from $6,000 to $6,600. There is a Federal tax credit of up to $2,000 to homeowners who install DSWH and who qualify for the rebate.

"VEA members over the years have approached the cooperative," Behnke said, "asking VEA to offer such solar-powered programs to its members. We're hopeful this pilot program will give us the data we need to get answers and give the cooperative and our members the direction as to our solar future."

You can pick up or request a questionnaire from our main office at 800 E. Hwy 372, contact us at 775-727-5312 or print the form from our website at www.vea.coop.

Deadline to turn in your questionnaire is Sept. 1st.