Solar Hot Water from Eastern Solar Technologies

1979: Carter is president, disco is dying, and the Three Mile Island nuclear generator experiences a tiny bit of a coolant problem. Meanwhile, political turmoil in the Middle East leads to an oil embargo, causing widespread shortages and a spike in oil prices that won't be matched until the summer of 2008. The US is forced to confront its dependence on foreign oil, and while the president tells the public to turn down the heat and put on a sweater, a young man named William Kolisko establishes Eastern Solar Technologies, bringing a technology that (10 years earlier) had been largely limited to outer space into residential use.

While the White House's solar panels were ripped out by Reagan, and you can't buy a new car for under $4000 anymore, Kolisko is still at it selling solar-powered water heating systems. The technology itself hasn't changed much, either; it's still based on the reaction between sunlight and silicon in each panel. “What has changed,” said Kolisko, “is attention to detail, [panels are] more efficient, [and] engineered to work as a system.” In the early years of the business, solar heating systems were put together from available parts that weren't designed for the needs of the whole. Today, solar heating systems come pre-designed, and this has lead to a longer useful lifespan.

Business has been good lately, just as it was during the Carter years. “We've actually had a lot of interest, because it's a no-brainer. It can be installed in 1-2 days, depending on how many panels are going in,” his wife pointed out. The new federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit has helped, as well. A 30% tax credit applies to equipment that uses at least 50% solar power to heat a home's water, and the amount of that credit is unlimited for systems installed on or after January 1, 2009.

Unfortunately, some things haven't changed as much as he'd hoped. To quote the 1979 article Kolisko carries from when he first started the business:
    “According to Kolisko, people complain and pay the rising bills. When
    they do take steps, such as insulating the house, it is usually in the winter
    time, when the impact of rising fuel costs hits home. Energy conservation
    is seasonal, he said.
    People have to wake up and become aware, Kolisko said, because this
    country has to find ways of reducing its dependence on foreign fuels.”

The impact of rising energy costs seems to have driven an increase in interest once again. As Kolisko said, “people look for the here and now. I said that 30 years ago. It's true now more than ever.”

William Kolisko owns and operates Eastern Solar Technologies, which you can visit online at www.easternsolartechnologies.com