The Energy Savings Store
In the News
Solar Energy and Wind Power News from Kansas City, St. Louis, and beyond!

Solar Water Heating for your Home

Sarah Heyman and her family have always been conservative when it comes to consumption. They are far from the ordinary family: Sarah rides her bike to work, and since they live near bus and MetroLink stops, they often use mass transit to get around. As a result, they have made a critical choice to live with a single car, which they use whenever necessary or convenient. “I’ve been doing this kind of thing my whole life - it’s a great way to live!” says Sarah.
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Wind Power on a Smaller Scale Carries Potential

If Abigail Stutzman has anything to say about it, small wind turbines will someday dot backyards across the Midwest. The fifth-grader at Starside Elementary School in De Soto has an interest in the environment, including helping to recycle much of her family’s trash. But she has bigger plans, inspired by her school’s recent installation of a turbine.

“When I grow up, I want to live off the grid,” she said.
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Generating Energy

"Going green" is popular these days, and rising energy costs and pressure to reduce operating expenses has increased interest in alternatives to traditional utility power. But reducing demand should be the first option for businesses. Most utilities offer rebates for energy audits and help fund projects such as high efficiency equipment retrofits.

After investing in reducing energy usage, generating your own can actually be very practical.
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De Soto's Star-powered School

The The 2009 Kansas Green School of the year just got a little greener.

On Tuesday, a crew from The Energy Savings Store installed four solar panels and started installing a wind turbine on the roof of Starside Elementary School in De Soto. “This is so exciting,” Paula Henderson, the school’s counselor said. “We’ve been waiting for years to do this.”

The panels and turbine are a part of the school’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint while teaching the kids about sustainability.
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Ask any commuter who travels the I-435 South corridor in Overland Park, and he can probably tell you about a curious new structure reaching toward the sky. That whimsical tower slow dancing with the breeze just east of Roe Avenue is not abstract sculpture, but an apparatus for the practical magic of turning wind into power for the A.L. Huber Construction Company...
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Solar Power Heats Up as Costs Drop, Electric Rates Rise

The prospects for solar energy in the Midwest are brightening.
Surprised? You shouldn’t be.
The Midwest gets plenty of sunshine — more than Germany, which uses more solar power than any other country. Kansas City has the same percentage of annual sunshine as San Antonio, for example, and Dodge City, Kan., has as much as Miami.

And the big cost considerations that for years have held back solar power in the region have changed. The price of solar panels has dropped substantially, and the Midwest’s traditionally low electricity prices are on the rise.
Watch the video >>

Appanoose School to Add Turbine

Appanoose Elementary School has broken ground on a new wind turbine as part a program to broaden awareness of alternative energy production in Kansas.

The purpose of the Wind Energy for Schools project is to install small wind turbines at rural elementary and secondary schools. A major component of the program is teacher training and renewable energy based curriculum that brings the wind turbine into the classroom in an interactive manner.
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The iPod of Wind

Susan Brown never intended to become an environmental activist or a local celebrity for her war against building more coal-burning power plants in her neighborhood.

In fact, she was happy as a stay-at-home mom raising her two young children near Dearborn, Mo. But circumstances around 2003 would change all of that.

“I heard they were going to build two coal-burning power plants, and I got scared,” she remembers. “I read how it was especially bad for kids, and I realized they would keep building power plants as long as we demanded so much energy and that we need to reduce our demand.”
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Progress & Pride

Neighbors came over with handshakes and smiles. A pastor from the family’s church led a group prayer. The family of four shared hugs and posed for family photos in front of the 60-foot metal structure.

Dr. Ganesh and Debbie Gupta joke about how the winch pulling up their new wind turbine was struggling during the process. The installation of a wind turbine on the Gupta family’s rural Smithville property was quite the celebration.

Progress and pride — that’s what the March 23 event signified for Dr. Ganesh Gupta, his wife, Debbie, and their two daughters, Autumn, 12, and Laletha, 10.
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Q & A: Susan Brown

Job Description: Vice president of business development of the Energy Savings Store

Q: Tell us about your wind turbine.

A: We had it installed in February. Wind turbines start at about $17,000 installed, not including the 30 percent federal tax credits. We figure it will have paid for itself in 15 years. It’s 45 feet tall. It’s quiet. It supplements my energy usage. It’s connected to KCP&L. It should save about 30 percent from my bill. Wind turbines are for people who have at least an acre of property, so not for your typical subdivision.
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Company to Watch: Let the Sun Shine In

Solar and wind technology from The Energy Savings Store saves customers money and helps the environment.

The wind turbine Susan Brown had installed at her home generated more than just electricity, it generated a job offer. Several years ago she met Bob Solger, founder of The Energy Savings Store, and inquired about getting a turbine for her Northland home.
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Solar Hot Water Heaters an Excellent Solution

If there was ever a time to get motivated to buy a new hot water heater, it would be now. New models and technologies make them more energy efficient than ever before, which can help you save each month on energy costs. Plus, rebates and hefty tax credits available this year make them more affordable and will help cut down what you must pay to Uncle Sam.
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Sustainable Farm Uses Solar Energy

With the property sitting on a ridge that always seemed to enjoy a strong breeze, Bob thought it would be a great place to install a wind turbine. When he contacted The Energy Savings Store, a company that specializes in wind and solar energy solutions, he became convinced solar would be a better option.
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Family Builds Wind Turbine

"The unit will supplement our grid electricity and be set up to net-meter with KCP&L," said Brown in a press release to KQ2 and the StJoeChannel.com. "When it is producing power, we will be using the wind energy in our home. When it isn't, we will be using the grid electricity as usual."
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It's not Easy Being Green, but Rebates Help

In times of drought, people pray for rain. In times of solar power systems, Ray and Kathy Baisch pray for sun. They haven’t seen their first electric bill since installation of their solar power systems in January, but they’re hoping to see a real difference.

Self-described “green,” Kathy drives a hybrid and Ray has been looking into solar and wind energy for years. They installed solar tunnels in the Lee’s Summit home they bought in 1991 to utilize more natural light – especially in windowless rooms.
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Get Credit (Tax Credit) for your Home Improvements, and for ‘Moving Up’

Who knew you can receive a tax credit for new garage doors? Not Greg Titus’ neighbors in Leawood.

“I haven’t talked to even one person who knew about this,” said Titus, who recently installed three insulated carriage-style garage doors. “You’d think stores and manufacturers would be shouting about this from the rooftops.
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Farming for the Future

Saving money is one benefit, saving the earth, another, as farming heads into the future....

Bob Solger with the Energy Savings Store says, "Its another way they can take advantage of nature, because the sun rises every day and there is always wind. You might as well harvest it.
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Cashing in on KCP&L Solar Rebates

KANSAS CITY - Missourians have several new incentives to use alternative sources of energy. One area couple is cashing in on those incentives and we'll show you how you can do the same.
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Photovoltaic Module Array Moves Northwest into the Solar Era

In 40 years as a computer and telecommunications professional, Jon Rickman, longtime vice president for information systems at Northwest Missouri State University, has used a lot of electricity.

And, like the rest of us, he's watched more than one power meter turn in its relentless cycle, counting up the kilowatt hours so the utility company can mail out its equally relentless bill at the end of each month.
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Career Opportunities in Renewable Energy: Becoming an Educator

In response to the President’s interest in developing renewable energy, many people are scurrying to obtain education they need in solar electricity, wind energy, solar thermal systems, and other areas to obtain work in this burgeoning field.

While there’s a need for more professionals in the industry, we also need highly qualified educators to help train aspiring professionals. To help fill the gap, The Evergreen Institute’s Center for Renewable Energy and Green Building recently created the Renewable Energy Educator Certificate.
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Our fancy radio ad is playing on KMBZ 980 am during November and December.

Our Client Decides: Wind IS Worth it!

BUCHANAN COUNTY, Mo. - Wind energy is a renewable, clean and free resource that some people think is going to get more popular soon. But there are some big start up costs and other problems you should be aware of. It's not as easy to harness the wind as you might think. But for those who can do it, they hope to save some money while saving the earth's resources.

Denise Meyer lives on a 100 acre farm in Buchanan County. She has a 33-foot tall wind turbine behind her house. Sizable, but much shorter than the huge turbines you might see on a commercial wind farm. It's a residential turbine. It provides 30 to 40 percent of her electricity most months.
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Energy Savings Store Aims to Help Clients Plug into Change

“It is our belief that the market will sustain businesses like ours as we move forward,” owner Bob Solger said.
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Solar, Wind Power for your Home

Independence, MO — There are many people who are interested in adding solar or wind power to their homes, but there are so many questions and finding the right place for the correct answer is not always easy. You also have to weigh the reasons and the outcomes of why you would add solar or wind power to your residence. In reality, you’re not likely going to make money by selling electricity back to the electrical grid, but you could greatly reduce your electric bill, your dependence on public electricity and natural resource production of that electricity, and greatly reduce your personal carbon footprint on this planet.
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Energy Savings Store to Hold Grand Opening
Lenexa Store Sells Wind Turbines, Solar Panels

A new store opening this weekend in Lenexa has ways to help homeowners save money and help the environment. The Energy Savings Store sells everything from wind turbines, modern solar panels and solar water heaters.

"Anybody can get small things to be eco-friendly in their home," owner Bob Solger told KMBC's Erin Little. A wind turbine can produce 900 kilowatts of energy per month, which is a savings of more than $800 a year.
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Making Solar Dreams Come True

LENEXA, KAN - If you've ever thought about buying solar panels or a wind turbine for your home in business, you might be in luck as a new store that's about to open here in the metro could help make your green dreams come true.

Workers are putting the final touches on the Energy Savings Store in Lenexa, including installing solar tubes to provide efficient, natural lighting in the showroom.
Video Coverage of Pre-Grand Opening Activities >>

Intersolar, One of the Largest Solar Trade Events in the Country, is Attended by the Staff of The Energy Saving Store

Bob Solger and Susan Brown attended the solar industry event in San Franciso in mid July. With over 550 exhibitors, 25 training sessions, and 17,000 attendees from all over the world, Intersolar North America in San Francisco is one of the largest solar trade events in the country. "Providing our clients with the latest technology at the best pricing is very important to us", says Solger, owner of The Energy Savings Store. "Attending these industry conferences is critical in our rapidly evolving business. The relationships we develop with solar panel manufacturers enable
us to buy direct and keep prices low and expand our own distribution capabilities." 
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Wing Takes Aim at Renewable Energy

The Missouri Air National Guard is leading the way in the development of solar power in
Northwest Missouri. That was the opinion of Susan Brown, a representative for the Energy Savings Store, as she stood on the roof Wednesday of the 139th Airlift Wing’s Aircraft Engine Shop, where
135 panels had been installed as a solar array. These units will produce 4,000 kilowatt hours a
month, or enough electricity to power three or four homes, Ms. Brown said.
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TV coverage of this story >>

Green House: Students Aim to Meet LEED Platinum Standards with Eco-friendly House

Stephanie Winn stands atop a two-story, wood-paneled, boxy structure in a quiet Kansas City,
Kan., neighborhood near the KU Medical Center. She bends over to attach a Volkswagen-sized
solar panel to the roof of what could soon be one of the most eco-friendly homes in America.
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Susan Brown Named One of the Midwest’s Most Influential Women for 2009 by Midwest CEO Magazine

Susan Brown’s leadership efforts for developing a green business has catapulted the revenues of
six-year-old solar and wind solutions company, The Energy Savings Store, to more than $1 million annually.  Those results have not only allowed the company to create high-paying jobs in Kansas City’s renewable energy market, but also poised it to capitalize on future market growth.  Brown developed the green company’s commercial business that represents 35 percent of sales....
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KCK House Goes off the Grid
In a neighborhood of modest homes and rentals, situated between KU Medical Center and the Rosedale Arch, is a sleek, two-story house clad in Brazilian hardwood that stands to become the
most energy-efficient house in Kansas.
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Metro Man Pioneers Way with Home Wind Power

When the American flag in Gus Spencer's Independence blows in the wind, it's a moment of pride.
But when his new wind turbine blows in the wind, it's hours of inexpensive electricity.

Spencer is using a wind turbine and solar panels to power his home 30 minutes east of downtown Kansas City. He may be a pioneer with this technology, but he says that he expects others to soon follow.

"It doesn't supply all of our electricity, but it supplies most of our electricity," said Spencer, who installed the wind turbine last September. He says that the turbine provides about 75 percent of
his electricity needs, and that you can barely hear it hum if you're standing beneath it, and you
only need a small breeze to benefit.
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KCMO Parks Install New Solar Lighting in Shelters

Solar powered lighting was recently installed in shelters at Spring Valley Park, E 27th St. &
Woodland Ave., and Platte Purchase Park, NW 100th St. & Platte Purchase Dr.

"Part of our mission is conserving and enhancing the environment," says Steve Lampone, deputy director for Kansas City, Missouri Parks and Recreation. "Solar power is a great fit with this commitment."

KC Recycling Center Turns to Solar Power

The recycling center at East 91st Street and Hillcrest Road has switched to solar energy for its power."We've never had any electricity here at the center," said Richard Gordon of Bridging the
Gap.

"We're installing an off-grid, hybrid renewable energy system," said Bob Solger of the Energy Savings store.

Solger installed solar panels and a turbine to power the recycling center on Tuesday. KMBC's Kris
Ketz reported that the system works by collecting enough outside to run everything inside, such as the lights, a ceiling fan, a computer, phone and more.
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Solar Energy: Is it Worth the Cost?

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - On a warm spring day, the sun shined brightly over the Portnoy family
home in Overland Park. The sun’s rays mean the Portnoys are saving electricity and the
environment.

A year and a half ago, the Portnoys became the first Kansas City Power & Light customers to
install solar panels on their home.

"Each one produces two hundred watts of electricity. That's equivalent to 200 watt light bulbs
when the sun is shining,” Dr. Jay Portnoy said.
Read more and watch the video >>

Green Trailer Saves Greenbacks

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A construction site trailer went from being trash to a renovated treasure.

Officials at McCownGordon Construction took an old beat up construction site trailer and turned
it into a state of the art example of an environmentally friendly, money-saving construction site
trailer.

McCownGordon CEO Pat McCown believes living green should be a way of life for everyone.
"We hope we are leading the way,” McCown said. “We feel like we are doing our part."

The construction site trailer is equipped with chairs made of recyclable materials. The floors are
from reclaimed tile and the wood panels are reclaimed lumber from Hurricane Katrina. Windows
on the trailer are extra large, adding more sunlight and reducing the need for electrical lighting. Employees also enjoy the added sunlight.
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Saving Energy: Entrepreneur’s Influence Radiates Through Solar Industry 

...... Things changed in 2005, when the company installed a solar photovoltaic system for Green
Dirt Farms in Weston, Mo., as well as solar and wind systems for the William A. Kerr
Foundation in St. Louis. Bob Solger said those projects led to referrals and established
the company in the area’s green movement.

“He’s made himself visible enough that if people ask, ‘Who do I talk to?’ it’s his name that
always comes up,” said Kirk Gastinger of Gastinger Walker Harden Architects in Kansas City.

Solger has worked with Gastinger’s firm, installing a photovoltaic system at Village
Presbyterian Church’s food pantry in Overland Park, and both companies are involved in
a loft conversion project in Leavenworth that features solar heating and lighting.
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Green Hero Bob Solger - Business Owner

The EarthWays Center honors Bob Solger for his work with solar power and wind energy.
Bob Solger’s work promoting energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy resources
demonstrates his commitment to making environmentally sound practice turn a healthy “green”
profit.
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Green Caution
Do Your Homework Before Investing in New Energy Solutions

One year ago, Cynthia and Ron Pederson of Mound City, Mo., were embarking on a new adventure
as solar pioneers. They invested more than $30,000 from loans and savings to switch to solar
power
for their home.

The house would collect enough energy to be independent, they say they were told by the
installer.

But their dreams of being energy-independent were short lived. Instead, the couple has gone
through months of turmoil after discovering their solar panels were not installed properly or with
the approval of their electric company, the Atchison-Holt Co-op. The Pedersons had to hire another
company, The Energy Savings Store in Kansas City, to fix the system.
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