John Lyle is a NABCEP-certified electrical engineer with 35 years of experience in the energy industry. But his passion lies in solar.
Lyle knew the cool days, clear skies and state net-metering law in Durango, Colorado, made the area a good fit for solar. Most homeowners agreed but just couldn’t afford it.
While solar component prices have dropped drastically, labor still comprises roughly half the cost to have solar installed—and most homeowners lack the technical know-how to do it themselves. But Lyle had an idea to address both obstacles.
“People have always expressed the frustration that they’d like solar but can’t afford it,” he said. “I thought, ‘If I can provide the engineering, and if we work together, we can install solar on each other’s houses.’”
He proposed the idea during a meeting at a local library, and residents were all-in.
Out of that meeting came Lyle’s new venture: Solar Barn Raising (SBR), a non-profit based on the old American tradition of using volunteer community labor to construct projects for individuals.
Solar Barn Raising (No. 484) engineers the homeowner’s system, specifies solar components and orders all materials at wholesale prices. Then SBR and its core group of skilled volunteers help homeowners install their own solar. This model allows homeowners to pay about half the price of a traditional installation.
A typical SBR solar installation is about 5 kW—though the organization has done systems from 1.3 to 18 kW—and typically costs less than $1/W after the ITC and utility rebates.
In exchange for the cheap solar, homeowners are required to help four others install their solar systems. Lyle said many volunteer to help on more.
“Many people continue to help after they’ve done their four because they get hooked on the good feeling of helping someone else,” he said. “We turn most of these into a festive event with lunch or beer. It’s an opportunity to come together, and people enjoy that.”
Working with SBR is also a great opportunity for local engineering students.
“If we really want to get more solar installed, we really need to get more people involved and trained. So part of our mission is to help train interns,” Lyle said. “The millennial generation is really going to make the difference. They just need a hook to get involved, and once they are, they’re amazing.”
Since forming in 2016, SBR has designed and installed more than 60 solar electric systems, or about 240 kW. But there’s great potential for growth.
Lyle said there are about 34,000 rate payers under his local utility and only about 1,000 have solar.
“We have a big job ahead of us,” he said. “People really do want solar, there’s no question about it.”
Adesina b-ademuyewo says
Excellent initiative. How can we explore a very effective spread of this to where electricity is needed the most . We are interested in cooperating and coordinating this concept in Africa. Please provide us with more information Thanks and best wishes Sina