The power of solar is being harnessed in Gordon County as the second installation of solar panels nears completion at Prime Storage, located at 410 Morrow Rd.

According to Taylor Knox, of Hannah Solar, Prime Storage is now waiting for a monitoring system to keep an accurate rating of the energy use saved.

“We are actually going to be monitoring energy production,” said Knox. “Every 15 minutes we will see the exact production the solar panels are producing, and we want to put a link on the [Hannah Solar] website, that will let you know how many kilowatts per hour is being reduced with the panels.”

The cost of solar panels are substantial, but the three to four year payoff for a product that lasts for 25 years, leaves the owner of the panels with a 21 year profit, according to Knox.

Additionally both Federal and State grants are available for those interested in installing solar panels, and there is a tax credit of $0.22 per kilowatt-hour on his monthly bill to pay for the panels, according to Knox.

The main ingredient in the solar panels is silicon, whose price has decreased in the last year by half, according to Knox who credits this fact for the decrease in the overall cost of the solar panels.

The monetary payoff of converting to solar panels is substantial as the summer months get hotter and commercial power companies power grids are put to the max.

“Solar is a peak generating power plant. Between the hours of 2-7 p.m., June through September, everyone is coming home and turning on their airconditioner, the grid is stressed, and that is when power is most expensive,” said Knox. “Solar is producing the most energy at this time. It puts power onto the grid when most powerful.”

Solar panels are an emerging trend in the world of “going green,” as a way to conserve energy efficiently. Currently, some solar panels, with Hannah Solar are warrantied at 25 years, but most last for 40 years or more, according to Knox.