Businessman Makes His Own Electricity

Sep 14 - Alamogordo Daily News

By Laura London, Alamogordo Daily News, N.M.

A local man would like to get Otero County residents fired up about solar energy.

John Kloepper moved to town three years ago from Vancouver, Wash. He said at that time he had money in the stock market, which he cashed out and put into a photovoltaic solar system. The solar panels seemed to be a good way to make some money, he said, so he bought them off the Internet.

Kloepper acknowledged many locals are dubious about solar energy due to bad experiences in the past. He said in the late 1970s, President Jimmy Carter passed legislation to make it easier for people to put solar hot water on their roofs. Kloepper said roofs all over Alamogordo still have solar panels, but a lot of them are either covered over or painted over. He explained that with the older systems the water was too hot, plumbing was bursting and "all sorts of bad stuff" was happening.

"A lot of people in Alamogordo got stung by bad installations," Kloepper said. "So when you mention 'solar' in Alamogordo, a lot of people get a bad taste. So I run into a lot of people who are reluctant to buy stuff off the Internet that's solar-related."

Kloepper had done research and knew what he was getting into, so he had no problem buying solar equipment

off the Internet. Since he set up his solar system, he said many people have expressed interest in doing the same if only they had a local contact. He became a dealer so Alamogordoans could have a local face rather than just a Web address to go to.

"I'm a dealer, so I can sell them (photovoltaic solar systems)," Kloepper said Friday afternoon. "But I guess I would say to people in Alamogordo -- I will give them to them as close to cost as I can, because it's not my main line of business.

"I want to see Alamogordo put on the map, you know what I mean? For something other than the Atari cartridges that are buried out in the desert."

Kloepper explained his main source of income is the mobile home park he owns and manages, Desert View Trailer Park at 904 S. Florida Ave. He lives there with his wife, Andrea, and their entire household is powered by solar energy since they have no gas appliances. The tools and compressors associated with running the trailer park are also electrical, so Kloepper's household uses a bit more power than a typical family.

However, according to Kloepper, the photovoltaic system provides more than enough power for all of their needs. He also found out in April that PNM offers 13 cents per kilowatt as a renewable energy credit for any extra electricity he doesn't use.

"Not only don't we pay a bill anymore, but we typically get a check from them (PNM) back every month -- unless we run the air conditioning all the time," Kloepper said.

Kloepper said he rid the residence of the swamp coolers once perched on the roof because they are inefficient. He replaced everything with an electric heat pump, which provides air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter.

Kloepper said "sadly enough" his household is the only one in the county with photovoltaics hooked up to PNM's system. Otherwise, he said he thinks there is a windmill in Las Cruces and maybe other alternative energy projects in Deming, but, no, it's not out there as much as it should be."

"I'd rather think globally and act locally than be supporting, you know, windmills over in Hobbs or something," Kloepper said.

He said connecting to the grid took a lot of paperwork and legwork because locals had to be brought up to speed. Local PNM officials were not in the know about the photovoltaic system and were "all sorts of squeamish" about having one tied into their grid.

"If I don't do it right some guy down the wire's going to get fried," Kloepper said.

Kloepper said another complication is finding an electrician who feels comfortable working on the photovoltaic system, because many don't know anything about it. He said PNM is trying to find electricians who are up to speed with photovoltaics. He said his system only takes about a week to set up for someone taking their time, and the most difficult part of the process is the paperwork and legwork involved. Since he has been through the process and is a dealer for the systems as well, Kloepper can help others who want to go solar.

"I'd love to help," he said.

Kloepper's solar system cost $15,000, but he said a federal program will rebate 30 percent of the cost and the state will contribute as well. He said "doing the homework" is the hardest part about going solar.

"Fifteen thousand to start -- but you get, let's say, 40 to 60 percent back (through federal and state solar tax credits). And you never pay electric, and you get a check," Kloepper said. "So the thing will pay for itself in about three and a half years."

Kloepper said the federal program ends by the end of this year, but new laws and a new president may make the program even better next year, with bigger rebates.

"The sad thing is, with as much sun as we have here in New Mexico, we're about fifth on the list," Kloepper said. "New Jersey has the best program. New Jersey gives you 80 percent ... the utility loans you the 20 percent the state doesn't give you. So basically they're just churning them out in New Jersey -- not so much here."

Kloepper mentioned the utility in New Jersey also pays 75 cents per kilowatt of power put into their grid, as opposed to 13 cents here.

"If we were in New Jersey I'd have a new car," he said.

Kloepper said $15,000 factored into mortgage raises the price of that mortgage by about $92 a month, but the photovoltaic system will give back about $140 a month.

"So it would be worthwhile for all the contractors in town to offer that standard because they're not really paying for it," he said. "You know, the money's coming back."

Kloepper mentioned he went to a Solar Energy Association meeting recently and noticed there were many people in attendance, but they were discussing old technologies that are all out of date. He said a lot of people, when they think "solar," think back to what they read in Popular Mechanics 15 years ago.

In Vancouver, Kloepper said he knew a lot of people with photovoltaic systems installed. Although the weather is cloudier and rainier, they can still generate power. He said generally nowadays as long as there is enough light to read a book, there is enough to generate power. He said perhaps Vancouver residents generate only six months out of the year, "but if it's free, the feds pay for it to be up on the roof, then why not?"

Contact Laura London at llondon@alamogordonews.com

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