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Sky's the limit for new solar company

Friday, October 16, 2009

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local, joel feick

Joel Feick
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BRANDON TOWNSHIP (WJRT) -- (10/16/09) -- A former Flint GM truck plant worker took the buyout and went to Florida to specialize in solar energy installation.

Now Howard Croft is back home, hoping to create a new market for solar energy here, in Michigan.

The knock on solar energy in Michigan has always been that it's too expensive and there's not enough sun in our state. But Croft says that isn't necessarily true, and starting today, he's putting his words into action.

At a home near Ortonville, a new company, Mid-Michigan Solar, is installing its first solar panels on a roof.

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The cost for this job is $21,000, but there are big incentives. DTE Energy will give the homeowner $7,000 and the federal government will refund another $7,000, so the homeowner is out about $7,000.

Since the solar panels will provide for about half the energy consumption at the home, the homeowner expects it will pay for itself in perhaps five-to-six years.

"It's equivalent to the latitude of Germany, and it has 3-to-4 times the solar covers we do, and they get the same amount of sun. On the water heating side, it'll help out a lot. And from running the furnace is where we'll see a difference," homeowner Paul Miner said.

Croft says the state is considering legislation to make solar more affordable, but for now, he expects this project will pay for itself inside of 6 years.

Croft plans to open an office in downtown Flint and may hire about 50 people if he can convince people that solar is worth the initial investment. He says he hopes to work with a Saginaw company to make his solar panels.

MORE: Have questions about solar power? Click here.