David Barmann of Valmeyer shows off the inverters for his solar installation. The inverters convert the direct current output of his solar panels into alternating current that powers the home’s electricity. (Sean McGowan photoS)

David Barmann didn’t know what to expect when he decided in July to add a solar installation to his home in Valmeyer.

“I had been looking for a reputable solar installer because I’d been wanting to go solar for a long time,” Barmann said.

At an average cost of $3-4 per watt — and each kilowatt containing 1,000 watts — solar power enthusiasts could spend nearly $18,000 for a five kilowatt system. Barmann would see even higher costs with a 14 kW system.

However, a price of only $2.65 per watt would provide him some savings. He also saw the benefits of solar energy almost immediately.

The energy that solar panels takes in from the sun begins as direct current.

“We’ve earned almost $900 in (solar renewable energy credits) since July,” Barmann said.

Barmann, an engineer who graduated from Missouri University of Science & Technology, receives an SREC when the system produces a certain amount of renewable energy. Illinois’ renewable portfolio standard makes these SRECs possible for those with solar installations because electricity providers must use some percentage of renewable energy.

Additionally, Barmann’s electric bill comes out to $0 per month — aside from a meter charge and customer charge. Barmann also believes he will begin to see a payout within five or 10 years.

“It’s probably less than five years when comparing the cost of the system to the cost of doing nothing,” he said.

On his next tax return, a federal tax credit initiative known as the solar investment tax credit will allow Barmann to deduct 30 percent of the cost of his solar installation from his income taxes.

“If you had some money to invest, there’s really not any other place where you’d have a guaranteed return on your investment,” Barmann said.

Barmann used StraightUp Solar to do his installation. For more information on converting to solar energy, go to straightupsolar.com or call 844-977-6527.

Solar installations are also much less costly for the environment. For instance, the process of transforming sunlight into electricity does not produce any greenhouse gas emissions, believed responsible for the depletion of the Earth’s ozone.

Solar energy is also a source of renewable energy. Derived from natural resources, renewable energy can never be depleted.

“One of the things you learn as an engineer is how much energy from the sun hits the ground at any point,” Barmann added.

He also noted that a solar installation doesn’t require a lot of the sun’s energy to power an entire house.

“The panels are only using a fraction of what is sticking to them,” he said.

When solar panels take in energy from the sun, that energy is known as direct current, but the energy used to power everyday electronics and home utilities is known as alternating current. The direct current gathered from the sun goes to inverters that are able to transform the energy into usable alternating current.

Though Barmann is a staunch supporter of solar energy, he also knows there are downfalls to the energy. Barmann explained how he can track the amount of energy his home is collecting from the sun on a given day.

With an Ethernet cable connected to his inverters, he can access the energy input using a simple IP address at any time. That website shows that rainy days and days with little sunlight produce less energy to power his home.

Yet, such benefits as a 25-year warranty for the panels — along with the fact that they can keep working for longer than that — make the negatives that much less burdensome. The system also requires absolutely no maintenance.

“That’s one of the things that people would ask,” Barmann said. “That’s a question I asked too.”

While some may feel a solar installation doesn’t fit their lifestyle, Barmann seems confident he will never regret the choice he made. The Valmeyer man also plans to continue improving his carbon footprint in other ways.

“I’d love to have an electric car at some point,” he said.