This is the story of how one very non-technical person inched her way into the world of solar power. The story is still in process, but things are moving along – it’s really happening. I offer this account as encouragement to fellow non-technical enthusiasts who dream of off-grid living and as an incentive to hang in there when things don’t work quite right, until they do...

The idea of using electrical power made by the sun has always been terrifically appealing to me. For years I visited solar powered houses, attended alternative energy talks and read about others who actually had made that solar decision of which I only dreamed.  With each lecture, each story, the amount of new information I felt I needed to absorb left me feeling overwhelmed. Yes, I was fairly handy, but in a technical way? Absolutely not.

Time passed. I subscribed to Home Power and learned yet again how much I didn’t know. The Real Goods catalog kept telling me how easy it was. I had serious doubts. Meanwhile the world was changing. More people were getting involved with selling component parts and with actually installing them. I came to wonder if I might find somebody with appropriate experience to do the designing and installing for me. Running the system myself didn’t seem like too daunting a task. I thought with proper instruction and back-up I could learn to do it. I had non-technically oriented friends who were living off the grid. If they could do it, I was encouraged to think perhaps I could, too.

For a while, my luck wasn’t outstanding. I used the Internet in an attempt to connect with folks on this side of the Mississippi to help me get going. Most of them didn’t seem very interested in responding. I resorted to using the phone. Bingo. Excited, I talked with a lot of interesting people with varying degrees of success. One assured me I couldn’t go completely solar in Maine. (His system was tied to the electrical grid and only supplied power on sunny days.) Another told me I couldn’t pay for his travel time. How did he know? When I asked what specifically that might cost, it became clear the truth of the matter was he didn’t want to travel. One person actually came, promised to do the installation for me, then called and said he could not. This all was beginning to feel a little weird to me.

Because I had been looking at all those catalogs and magazines, I had an idea of what things cost. This was fortunate because the prices quoted me varied in a way I can only describe as “wildly”. The highs and lows for designing and installing a simple system were literally $10,000 apart. This was not a promising beginning. I felt frustrated and confused about what was happening. I wondered if I had really poor communication skills. Regardless, I continued to make phone calls.

I had non-technically oriented friends who were living off the grid. If they could do it, was encouraged to think perhaps I could too.

I eventually made contact with a company about an hour from my house that installed a nifty little direct current system on one of my outbuildings with minimal confusion and for a very reasonable amount of money. I can run lights, fans, a CD player and other low wattage DC accessories. In this particular application, it is all I need. I also have a small inverter, which can convert my direct current to the alternating current standard appliances use. But it hums, so I seldom use it. My battery is a sealed gel battery that does not require routine addition of water every couple of months. I brush snow off the collection panels in winter. I need to be aware of the wattage I use. That’s it. The cost was less than $1,000.

Through using this simple set-up, I became more comfortable, but I still lacked a really good understanding of what wires went where and why that was so. Without this understanding, I do not feel competent to add to or otherwise work on my system alone, something I would like to be able to do.

Meanwhile, back at the main house, I monitored my electrical usage for about a year. I wanted to know where I could cut back my energy consumption. Because we have so few consecutive sunny days during the winter in Maine, I wanted to know how seasonal changes affected the amount of power I needed. I wanted to learn quite precisely how large a system I would need. In northern New England an average household uses 600 kilowatts a month. I was using between 100 and 400.

I couldn’t figure out why the figures were not more consistent. Ultimately I found two reasons for the variations. Central Maine Power occasionally estimated my meter readings. On the CMP monthly bill, when the meter reading is estimated, the monthly kilowatts are starred. My estimates were based in some way on past history, not what I had been experimenting with the month the estimates covered, thus rendering them quite inaccurate. The second issue involved a deep well pump that sometimes ran when it should have been off. By locating and addressing these problems, although I never came to terms that satisfied me with CMP, I managed to reduce my actual electrical usage to between 100 and 200 kilowatts. This seemed workable.

Solar power is expensive. Purchasing a system is something akin to buying a new car. When one is miles away from the nearest utility pole, it can cost less than running a new line to one’s site, but it is not cheap. Each dollar a user can save upfront by using energy efficient appliances and eliminating non-essential power run gadgets can save from $3 to $5 on the cost of the system. Knowing this, I was more than happy to shave off those extra 200 kilowatts.

I was ready to roll.

In late September, I took myself to the alternative energy section of the Common Ground Fair in Unity, Maine. This event, offered annually by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA), is a wonderful place to meet people who are using, explaining and selling just about everything that falls into the category of alternative power. There is nothing like meeting people face-to-face and talking with them. It was at this point I felt my luck change.

I talked, listened and collected cards and printed information to take home for mulling over. Again I made phone calls and scheduled site visits. Checking out the location of a possible installation is important. Although optimal orientation to the sun is vital in this part of the country, there are a number of ways collection panels can be set up. If a house roof is facing properly south and not shaded by trees or other objects, panels can be placed on the roof. They will need to be kept clear of snow in winter so access to them is important. If the roof is not suitable, panels can be located on a number of different kinds of frames on the ground. Some setups even turn with the sun. Although the benefit of this in Maine is debatable, I know people who use and swear by them.

In my case, the roof faces west, not the necessary south. There is ledge to consider, but a good southern exposure. This could be workable.

There is another aspect of a site visit. An astute installer can check out the habits and mind frame of the homeowner. Living with solar is more than a matter of switching sources of power. Changes in thinking and habits need to happen for the conversion to be satisfactory. Conservation is important. Household use of power needs to be scheduled around sunny days. For example laundry, vacuuming and running that skill saw in the shop all are best scheduled during sunny hours. For some people this is no big deal. Others are not willing to make these adjustments.

The site visit is a good time to ask any questions one can think of. If the answers are clear, willingly given and understandable, that’s a good sign. Good communication is important. Some of the best people have such different styles of thinking and conveying information that serious communication problems can arise.

Expect to pay for this initial visit and determine if the cost will be taken off the price of the system when it is installed. Generally that is the case. Within a reasonable length of time after the visit, a proposal is drawn up and sent to the property owner. It should include itemized component parts, pricing and the amount of power generated. Review it carefully and ask questions. Keep asking until you reach a point at which you feel you really understand what it’s all about.

And here, Gentle Reader, is where I will leave you. My proposals are currently being drawn up. Part two lies in the future, to arrive after installation is complete.

Pat Foley attempts to live a green life just outside of Cornish, Maine. She is a professional writer, artist, shamanic practitioner and the owner of Earthrest, a retreat center offering space for groups and individuals. You may contact Pat at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or (207) 625-4179.

© Pat Foley 2007