Local Company Turning To Solar Power

The sunshine probably has you feeling energetic.  That's especially true for one Tulsa office building.  It is the first in town with a special kind of solar power system.  The News On 6's Steve Berg reports it's the first in Tulsa that's actually tied into the electrical grid.  So they can actually send power back to the power company.

The first in town to have what's known as a grid-tie solar system is an oil company.

Keener Oil's Dewey Bartlett teamed up with the law firm in his building to buy the system.  He says petroleum types, like himself, are more receptive to alternative energy than people might think.

"I think by having a photo voltaic system on the roof of our building is a great way to show the public that we understand how precious energy is," said Bartlett.

Even he was a little surprised though when Deanna Christ, the owner of the company that installs them, told him he was the first to be tied into PSO's grid.

"We have checked with the home office in Columbus, Ohio," said Christ, Sun City Solar Energy. "This is the first commercial application."

"That floored me when she told me that," said Bartlett.

And this will give any electric customer a sunny disposition.

On the weekends when nobody is there and nothing is turned on, they might generate more electricity than they use, and their meter would actually turn backward.

"We will be putting energy back into the grid," said Bartlett.

During normal usage, the panels will provide around 15% to 30% of their power needs.

"It's certainly not a big step for mankind necessarily, but it's a big step for us, so it's going to be interesting to see over a year's time how it really does compare," said Bartlett.

The system cost about $40,000.  But they'll get around $12,000 in tax credits.

And of course they'll pay less for electricity each and every month.

Find more stories on NewsOn6.com's Local News page.