New building in Cornelius finds saving environment is not easy

The recent drought has trained a spotlight on the fragility of our local resources, creating more awareness among commercial property owners.

Aquesta Bank is doing its part, hopping on the train of green, renewable energy by installing a solar energy array on the roof of its new 22,000 square foot Cornelius headquarters.

In addition, Aquesta plans to reuse rainwater collected via cisterns on the roof for irrigation purposes, so as not to tax local water supplies.

So far, though, the road to solar energy has been about as easy as walking on the sun.

For all the benefits of using a pollution-free, renewable energy source, instituting it remains impractical to a certain degree.

"I have learned, you have to really make the effort if you want solar power," explained Aquesta President Jim Engel. "It's an expensive process, but we decided early on we wanted to have solar power."

From installation concerns ("you're making holes in the roof and inviting leaks") to limitations in the technology and legislation restricting the amount of energy that can be generated, its easy to get burned trying to make use of solar energy.

Then there is the cost of the equipment, estimated in Aquesta's case at $100,000.

"It's not all that efficient, and there are certain limitations," Engel said. "It takes a lot of space to create a certain amount of power."

Aquesta hired Craig Gammarino of Big Woods, an energy engineering company with an office in Mooresville, to oversee the installation of the equipment.

"There's an increasing awareness, but are people ready to spend the extra money," Gammarino asked, noting that much of the technology is now over-the-counter, making it easier and cheaper to obtain than in the past.

Aquesta's solar array will be comprised of 15 panels spanning a total of 45 feet, all at a fixed angle to the south.

Once up and running, the array will produce about 10,000 watts, which will only be a drop in the bucket compared to maximum usage for a building of that size.

What makes the effort worth it to Aquesta are the tax incentives available from both the federal and state governments to businesses willing to implement the technology.

Aquesta will receive a 60 percent tax credit for the cost of the solar power equipment. In addition, they will receive 18 cents per kilowatt hour to sell the power they generate from the array back into the main power grid.

Power is bought through the grid at 8 cents, Engel explained, allowing Aquesta to further offset some of the cost of the system.

"It won't offset it 100 percent, but it will save some money," Engel said. "Economically it's pretty neutral. Using the tax benefits, utility bills won't be as much, and we're helping the environment."

Curiously, current state legislation limits the number of kilowatt hours a solar array can produce and still qualify for tax benefits to nine.

A system producing more than that is considered a large producer, which carries a different package of benefits less appealing to a business the size of Aquesta.

"We could create more, but it would not be as cost effective," Gammarino said. "Hopefully that will change in the future."

Energy sources based on fossil fuels pump roughly 2 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere for every kilowatt hour produced, according to Gammarino.

Despite the production limits, the solar panels will be able to take at least some of the pressure off the environment.

"This will be zero pollution," Engel said. "It's saving carbon dioxide that would normally go into the atmosphere. When we're having the 'red alert' days, its nice to know we're not helping to cause that."

Compared to other renewable energy sources such as wind and methane gas from landfills, solar arrays may require more of an investment up front but need little in the way of maintenance after they are installed.

"Ultimately I think it pays off," Engel concluded. "I think if a lot of companies did it, the savings would be substantial."