Residents were invited to come out and see the use of solar energy as the Hermans had contracted Paradise Energy Solution to place solar panels on their barns.
Mr. Herman noted that so far the bills are running lower, but he also wanted to remind everyone that it was completed in the fall and they had to see how the system works in the summer and spring months. He expected it would pay for about 60% of the electric bills.
When asked why he thought about solar energy, he said he had attended an open house at the Dean Jackson Farm in Leona and "My wife and I thought it was a good idea. We would not have done it if it wasn't for receiving a Federal Tax Credit and the USDA gave help with the funding."
"That pushed us forward and we liked the company."
When talking to Marcus Beiler, business development and sales manager, he noted that it took around three months to completely have the system installed.
"We first have to have to inspect the building, check for southern exposure, then comes the installation of panels and finally the breaker panel of inverters.:
After installation, the panels collect the energy and use it to run all the milking equipment. The excess goes to the meters and builds a credit which is used in the nighttime or in cloudy weather.
The company is located in Lancaster but has worked installing the solar panels on four farms in the Bradford County area and in Pennsylvania they have installed around 200 solar systems.
Next time you drive by Herman's Farm, be sure to check out the barns with the solar panels on them.
For more information you may contact Paradise Energy at 866-349-4236 or check them out online: www.visitpes.com/events.