People hoping to harvest the sun’s power and save a couple of dollars can get a little help from Peterborough GreenUp.
The organization received $82,000 from the Ontario Power Authority for a two-year pilot program, said Alex Mortlock, manager of energy efficiency.
The program will audit homes and see if installing solar panels is a feasible option for homeowners, he said.
“People will phone us up and we’ll come to their house,” Mortlock said. “We’ll assess the potential for solar energy.”
Solar energy can be used for electricity, domestic hot-water heating and heating a swimming pool, he said.
GreenUp will assess things like the home’s location, the amount and duration of available sunlight and possible locations for solar panels, he said.
At the end of the assessment homeowners receive a report they can pass on to a contractor if they decide to install panels, Mortlock said.
“What we’re trying to do is give them research in a bag,” said Mortlock.
Of the three options, Mortlock said, hot-water heating will likely be the most popular.
A solar-powered hot-water heater pays for itself in about three to five years, he said, and it’s a green power source that’s been recognized by the federal government.
“The government provides a $1,000 rebate for domestic hot-water heaters,” Mortlock said.
