KSJD

Need to Cut Costs of Installing Solar Power? Try a Barn Raising

KSJD | By Daniel Rayzel

Published December 27, 2018 at 3:32 PM MST

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John Lyle, right, helps Chuck Haspels install solar panels on his roof. Lyle is the leader of Solar Barn Raising, a group of volunteers installing solar energy systems for free in southwest Colorado.

Daniel Rayzel

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Chuck Haspels works on one of the solar panels going on his Cortez home. Solar Barn Raising promotes a do-it-yourself process that includes and educates homeowners in the process.

Daniel Rayzel

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Four volunteers hoist up a panel before passing it along to two more volunteers on the roof.

Daniel Rayzel

In sunny southwest Colorado, the potential for solar energy is inviting to homeowners looking for long-term savings.

However, that investment comes with a large cost: installation. Hiring a crew can double initial expenses and diminish the overall return for prospective solar energy users.

One Durango-based group wants to improve solar accessibility by eliminating that cost. KSJD’s Daniel Rayzel reports from the roof of a Cortez home filled with 21st-century barn raisers.

This story is part of Western Slope Resources Reporting, a collaboration between community radio stations KOTO, KBUT, KVNF, KDNK, and KSJD. It provides in-depth coverage of how people and organizations are finding creative and positive ways to overcome natural resource-related challenges in the region.