Steve White Makes Green Changes

Longtime Buffalo Grove resident Steve White has what many would consider a “green” lifestyle.

White has made numerous environmentally friendly changes to his Buffalo Grove home over the years, including a high-efficiency furnace and air conditioner and a dual-flush toilet.

But the solar panels on his home that are the most noticeable green change. Originally, White had six solar panels installed at the end of 2009 to meet the Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity’s minimum requirements for a renewable energy rebate.

In 2010, those six panels produced 1.42 megawatts of power; in that same year, the White household consumed 3.5 megawatts of power. Prior to installing solar panels on his home, White had to trim some of trees on his lot to enable the panels to receive more sunlight.

In September, White completed the system’s circuit limit with nine additional panels. According to White, the 15-panel system’s total wattage is projected to total approximately 4.42 megawatts per year.

“I’ve spent approximately $20,000 on the solar panels,” White said.

However, the rebates he has received for the panels have mitigated the upfront costs.

“I could have used that money on a trip, but a trip wouldn’t give anything back,” he said.

“I’m just doing what I believe in by trying to cut my carbon footprint,” White said. “If you make a commitment to going green, you need to do it, not just talk about it. We live on a finite planet with finite resources, and I feel sorry for my kids because we [the baby-boomer generation] have used up resources. I’m just trying to pay back before it’s too late.”

“I’m also [installing solar panels] to build awareness for others,” he said, citing his involvement in the Buffalo Grove Environmental Action Team as a way to educate the community.

A construction project manager for KBD Group, White is LEED-certified and has been interested in energy conservation since the oil embargo in the 1970s.

White also had to go through red tape prior to building solar panels on his home. Before he installed his first set, he had to apply for a permit from the , a process which took three months.

“I was one of the first people in Buffalo Grove to get a permit for solar panels,” White said. “There was some back-and-forth regarding the information the village needed from me, as I was one of the first ones to do this.”

His first application for solar panels was in 2009. When he applied for a permit for a second set, White estimated he received the permit within one week.

“The village needed additional information on the solar panels prior to giving [White] a permit,” Carol Berman, deputy building commissioner for the Village of Buffalo Grove, said.

The village's requirements included drawings of the proposed locations of the solar panels and a copy of the installation manual. An inspection is also required before and after the project is completed.

“The village is certainly looking to be energy-efficient, and we want to encourage residents who wish to have solar panels on their homes,” Berman said, noting that the village typically receives a handful of requests per year for permits for solar panels on homes.

“Hopefully, Mr. White can educate the community with his solar panels,” Berman said.

White plans to incorporate more green technology into his lifestyle. In May 2010, he signed up to purchase a Nissan Leaf, an electric car that does not require gasoline. It was estimated to be delivered to White last month.

Despite his solar panels, White is still connected to the grid, and . However, he plans to use the Leaf’s car battery as a generator in the event of a power outage.

White offered simple advice for anyone interested in making environmentally friendly changes: “Look at your energy consumption and cut where you can,” he said. "Use lights only when you need them and be conscientious of waste."

For more information on solar panels for residential use, email White at mrverino@yahoo.com.