CURRYVILLE, BLAIR COUNTY - Veterinarian Charles Bloomquist likes to consider himself a sensible businessman and a conservationist, so after running the numbers with his accountant, he decided to make the switch to solar power at his office, Cove Veterinary Clinic.
"I'm not going to do anything that's just a funnel of money," Bloomquist said. "I do think it makes financial and environmental sense."
According to Penn State-Altoona Professor Sohail Anwar, Bloomquist is one of many in Central Pennsylvania discovering the benefits of solar energy, combined with incentives and tax-rebates.
"More and more people have started generating electricity themselves using solar panels," he said. "Solar incentives have been very successful in Pennsylvania."
Sohail points to Pennsylvania Act 213, which requires that electric utilities produce 8% of their energy from renewable sources by 2020, along with the 2009 Pennsylvania Sunshine Program which gives energy rebates to those using solar energy as reasons for the growth of the solar power in the state.
He also said improved solar technology has made it more of a practical choice than in previous years.
"We see that excitement because it is available and it is cheap," he said.
Bloomquist's solar panels went on-line in December, and so far he's been happy with the results.
He used to pay about $175 a month in electricity bills for his vet office, but now that's been eliminated because of the panels.
Bloomquist also added solar panels to his home. If the days are too cloudy or the panels malfunction, he's still on the grid.
"We have a two way meter," he said. "If I generate more electricity, they [the utility company] buy it from me, and if I need it, I buy it from them."
Either way, he points to guarantee from the solar company that the panels will generate enough electricity to save money in the long run.
Bloomquist believes it the panels help lessen his dependence on foreign oil.
"I have a son who is a flight surgeon in the army," he said. "He spent about a year in Afghanistan and I definitely have the motivation not to buy foreign oil."
Bloomquist's solar panels were installed by Paradise Energy, a solar company based out of Gap, Pennsylvania.
To follow more reporting from WTAJ Reporter Cody Combs, visit his Facebook page here...
"I'm not going to do anything that's just a funnel of money," Bloomquist said. "I do think it makes financial and environmental sense."
According to Penn State-Altoona Professor Sohail Anwar, Bloomquist is one of many in Central Pennsylvania discovering the benefits of solar energy, combined with incentives and tax-rebates.
"More and more people have started generating electricity themselves using solar panels," he said. "Solar incentives have been very successful in Pennsylvania."
Sohail points to Pennsylvania Act 213, which requires that electric utilities produce 8% of their energy from renewable sources by 2020, along with the 2009 Pennsylvania Sunshine Program which gives energy rebates to those using solar energy as reasons for the growth of the solar power in the state.
He also said improved solar technology has made it more of a practical choice than in previous years.
"We see that excitement because it is available and it is cheap," he said.
Bloomquist's solar panels went on-line in December, and so far he's been happy with the results.
He used to pay about $175 a month in electricity bills for his vet office, but now that's been eliminated because of the panels.
Bloomquist also added solar panels to his home. If the days are too cloudy or the panels malfunction, he's still on the grid.
"We have a two way meter," he said. "If I generate more electricity, they [the utility company] buy it from me, and if I need it, I buy it from them."
Either way, he points to guarantee from the solar company that the panels will generate enough electricity to save money in the long run.
Bloomquist believes it the panels help lessen his dependence on foreign oil.
"I have a son who is a flight surgeon in the army," he said. "He spent about a year in Afghanistan and I definitely have the motivation not to buy foreign oil."
Bloomquist's solar panels were installed by Paradise Energy, a solar company based out of Gap, Pennsylvania.
To follow more reporting from WTAJ Reporter Cody Combs, visit his Facebook page here...
Charlotte Ames is the area's only local Health Reporter and brings you the latest medical health news weeknights. You can catch Healthcast on WTAJ News at 5:00pm and her Health Headlines report on WTAJ News at 5:30pm.