"Board approves solar panels"

By Freda R. Savana, Intelligencer, September 8, 2010:

Tom Widmeier quickly won approval Tuesday to install a large array of solar panels in the rear of his 12-acre Plumstead property on Meetinghouse Road.


Accompanied by his installer, Chris Serik of Sunburst Energy Systems, Widmeier told the board of supervisors the four stacks of solar panels will be difficult to see from the road. The closest they will be to any property line is 200 feet, with the distance being far greater in other directions.

"Yes, they will be visible but you would have to stop and look. They will be very well hidden along the tree line," said Widmeier, who owns an environmental drilling company and will be working on his own project.

The 80-feet by 80-feet array, stacked on four racks, will have a maximum height of 10 1/2 feet, angled at 40 degrees. All the wiring will be buried underground.

Widmeier agreed to have the array certified by a structural engineer to withstand winds up to 100 mph and to replace any buffering, should that be necessary. He also agreed to "deconstruct" the solar panels should he move or no longer use them.

The family of six has electric heat in the home and will require a larger than average solar display, said Serik.

"This is larger than a typical system but it is sized for this house," he explained. The system will produce 20,000 watts of electricity and cost Widmeier more than $132,000 to install.

Widmeier said it's a good investment, as he'll receive a $17,500 state rebate and qualify for a 30 percent tax credit of his net cost, after the rebate. Additionally, Peco will pay him for the energy he produces but doesn't use. "They buy back the surplus energy at their rate," said Serik.

Furthermore, government-backed renewable energy credits will pay $280 to $300 per 1,000 kilowatts produced before a home consumes its energy.

In the end, said Serik, the system pays for itself in six to seven years and then the consumer begins getting paid for the power it produces.

Widmeier said he hopes his solar system will be a model for the community and he would like to allow the public to see it when it's done in coming months.

His project got a very different reception than one installed in a more residential area late last year.

Andrew and Marlene Capreri are in court arguing that the zoning and building permits they got from Plumstead Township to install solar panels in their backyard on Essex Drive are valid.

The couple has filed an appeal in Bucks County Court challenging the township zoning hearing board's finding that the permits were issued in error.

"The Plumstead Township zoning ordinance is, at best, ambiguous as to the classification of solar panels and, thus, according to the municipalities planning code, the ordinance should be interpreted in favor of the property owner, which the board failed to do," states the appeal, filed by the Capreris' attorney, Francis Buschman.

In accordance with plans provided to Plumstead, the panels, each measuring about 10 feet wide and 16 feet high, were installed.

Jeff and Beth Earl, whose Cheshire Drive property borders the Capreris', challenged the permits, arguing the township's ordinance does not specifically include solar panels as an accessory use.

Plumstead's zoning hearing board agreed, saying an accessory use is defined as garages, fences, walls, non-commercial swimming pools and other similar uses.

The township is currently working on a new solar energy ordinance.

"We do want to promote alternative forms of energy,'' said Supervisor Tom Alvare on Tuesday. "We don't want to be too restrictive."