News : Hainstock discovers another benefit to solar panels: Wind protection

A small part of Hainstock's roof, which is not covered by solar panels, was damaged in the storm.

From his mostly-undamaged roof, Rich Hainstock could see how the storm impacted many neighbors.

These solar panels provide electricity for Rich Hainstock's building, and protected it from winds.

Rich Hainstock has long been a believer in solar power, but the July 11 storm gave him one more reason to encourage others to consider letting the sun provide electricity for their home or business.

As he stood on his roof at the corner of Fifth Street and First Avenue after the storm, watching his neighbors repair their significantly damaged buildings, he said he believed his solar panels protected his roof from the winds.

The panels are attached to the roof, tilted slightly toward the south. Hainstock believes the panels actually served as a "spoiler," forcing the wind over the roof. Evidence from his own building also confirms this theory; the half of the building where there are no solar panels sustained more damage than the area covered by them.

Even before the storm, Hainstock had been convinced that solar power is the right decision for his building, and would be good for other small businesses as well. He said the general rule of thumb is that it costs $10,000 for 1 KW of solar capability. However, he said, the federal tax credit covers half of the cost of installing a solar system.

But Hainstock said business owners should be aware of a couple of other factors. First, he said, its most cost-efficient to use electricity as you produce it. He does not have a storage system as part of his unit. Second, he said, only those who make enough money to have a tax bill can benefit from the tax credit, which is not refundable. If an owner installs a solar electrical system in a year in which your business is not profitable, the tax benefit would not help him.

Hainstock's supplier is a company called The Root Cellar, which also offers customers in eastern Iowa wind generation products. Their web site is http://www.therootcellar.us/