Former Kodak electrical engineer Bob Kanauer, of Penfield, decided to go in a different direction when he voluntarily left the company before a new wave of layoffs in 2008.
Within one year, he started his own business designing and installing solar powered energy systems.
This move required him to be certified by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP).
“It’s kind of like taking the bar exam,” said Kanauer.
Soon after, he started LTHS Solar, a company that installs solar PV systems for commercial and industrial clients.
But the demand for residential solar power proved to be a key market when NYSERDA began offering incentives to homeowners for switching from electric to solar, and state and federal tax credits also started offering tax credits for the same reason.
With more people interested in reducing their carbon footprint for environmental reasons, this helps nudge others into exploring the benefits of clean energy.
“These incentives and tax breaks really are there to move the industry along until they won’t be necessary in the long run,” said Kanauer
George and Kay Shaw, of Penfield, were intrigued by the idea after they heard about the opportunity in 2010. The couple has lived on Jackson Road for 50 years, and hired Kanauer to install a solar Net-Zero system in their home last year.
“If we were going to do it, it seemed like a good time with all the credits that were available, so we bit the bullet,” said Kay.
Their house, built in the 1850s, is surrounded by pasture where dairy cows once roamed. The open space seemed like an idea location for solar panels to stand out in the open.
This particular system supplies 100 percent of power to the home without any electric fee, aside from the cost of being connected, from RG&E.
As Kanauer explained, this system draws energy from the sun and stores it. If the homeowners use less energy than the grid absorbed, the leftover power creates a surplus that builds up over time.
During the winter months, the average homeowner’s power usage is often greater than the intake, Kanauer explained. The opposite is true in the sunnier spring and summer months, although homeowners typically don’t use as much power to heat their homes.
Over time, RG&E takes inventory of the total energy expenditure and determines whether the homeowner owes money or, in some cases, gets a check.
Most often, the energy usage evens out, said Kanauer. Since switching to solar power, the Shaws have not owed RG&E any electric payments.
Said George Shaw, “It’s a nice position to be in.”
Former Kodak electrical engineer Bob Kanauer, of Penfield, decided to go in a different direction when he voluntarily left the company before a new wave of layoffs in 2008.
Within one year, he started his own business designing and installing solar powered energy systems.
This move required him to be certified by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP).
“It’s kind of like taking the bar exam,” said Kanauer.
Soon after, he started LTHS Solar, a company that installs solar PV systems for commercial and industrial clients.
But the demand for residential solar power proved to be a key market when NYSERDA began offering incentives to homeowners for switching from electric to solar, and state and federal tax credits also started offering tax credits for the same reason.
With more people interested in reducing their carbon footprint for environmental reasons, this helps nudge others into exploring the benefits of clean energy.
“These incentives and tax breaks really are there to move the industry along until they won’t be necessary in the long run,” said Kanauer
George and Kay Shaw, of Penfield, were intrigued by the idea after they heard about the opportunity in 2010. The couple has lived on Jackson Road for 50 years, and hired Kanauer to install a solar Net-Zero system in their home last year.
“If we were going to do it, it seemed like a good time with all the credits that were available, so we bit the bullet,” said Kay.
Their house, built in the 1850s, is surrounded by pasture where dairy cows once roamed. The open space seemed like an idea location for solar panels to stand out in the open.
This particular system supplies 100 percent of power to the home without any electric fee, aside from the cost of being connected, from RG&E.
As Kanauer explained, this system draws energy from the sun and stores it. If the homeowners use less energy than the grid absorbed, the leftover power creates a surplus that builds up over time.
During the winter months, the average homeowner’s power usage is often greater than the intake, Kanauer explained. The opposite is true in the sunnier spring and summer months, although homeowners typically don’t use as much power to heat their homes.
Over time, RG&E takes inventory of the total energy expenditure and determines whether the homeowner owes money or, in some cases, gets a check.
Most often, the energy usage evens out, said Kanauer. Since switching to solar power, the Shaws have not owed RG&E any electric payments.
Said George Shaw, “It’s a nice position to be in.”
