Local Rotarians recently learned how solar technology makes it possible for home and business owners to have dependable power from renewable sources.
Keith Key of Madison, photovoltaic design engineer with Mississippi Solar LLC, addressed the Eupora Rotary Club on Feb. 26. John and Virginia Wilbanks of Mathiston are owners of the company, which is headquartered in Philadelphia.
Mississippi Solar is a licensed solar installer/commercial electrical contractor and residential builder. The company designs, installs and services solar systems. It also sells and services backup generators and electrical vehicle charging stations.
Mass production has significantly reduced the price of renewable energy systems and their components, according to Key. Additionally, he said tax incentives and rebates make obtaining a system more economical. Mississippi’s net metering law allows solar-equipped homeowners to offset fixed charges with energy credits for using their own electricity instead of distributed power.
Community solar is on the rise, Key said, with poultry farms being a big user. He noted the USDA Rural Energy for America Program provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements.
2019 is the last year homeowners and businesses will be able to take advantage of the 30 percent federal income tax credit for solar, said Key. After this year the incentive begins to drop and will likely not be extended by Congress, according to Mississippi Solar’s website.
For more information, visit www.mssolar.net or @MississippiSolarLLC on Facebook.
