PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP - Heating a home can be quite expensive during the frigid winters, but imagine lowering your electric bill by “going green.”

This energy savings is an exciting reality for Craig Budzinski, who has managed to reduce his electric bill more than 30 percent each month using green technology.

The Defiance resident enrolled in the Photovoltaic Installation Training program - the only program of its kind in the region - at Owens Community College, and learned many simple ways to change his regular home into an energy-efficient home.

He invested $2,000 in upgrading his home with green technology, including installing energy-efficient appliances, a solar panel to generate energy for items such as his sump pump, and thermal transference panels in his basement, which allows heat to rise into the main living area.

He also increased his refrigerator temperature a few degrees, purchased a programmable thermostat to keep his inner-house temperature a constant 62 degrees, and installed low-voltage light bulbs.

“A large home is very expensive to heat and cool, and having two teenage boys that open the refrigerator 300 times a day doesn’t help either,” says Budzinski, who adds he is now saving $600 annually on his energy bills. He will regain his initial $2,000 investment in just over three years at his current energy rate of savings.

Green technology is the wave of the future, and more and more people are choosing to use renewable energy and environmentally-friendly products. Owens is responding to this development by providing students with cutting-edge education in “going green” and how to implement their green knowledge to save money at home. Owens is also preparing students in photovoltaic installation, an emerging career field in alternative energy.

Budzinski enrolled in the intense five-day photovoltaic installation course because he was interested in installing solar panels on his home. Commonly known as solar cells, photovoltaic materials convert sunlight directly into electricity.

Students with previous mechanical or electrical experience that successfully complete this program qualify to test for the Photovoltaic Entry Level Certificate of Knowledge program, and with additional work experience will qualify to take the national certification test. Graduates are prepared to work as a photovoltaic installer or integrator, both up-and-coming careers with starting wages of $12-$16 an hour. 

“I plan to further my training and become certified in the field of photovoltaic installation, and move into the design and engineering of photovoltaics, an entire career change for me,” said Budzinski, who currently manages an automotive distribution warehouse. “I know there are more opportunities for job placement and the field of solar energy opens so many doors.”

Many companies and organizations throughout the state and beyond have chosen to enroll their employees in the Photovoltaic Installation Training program in order to advance their knowledge about the growing alternative energy field.

Solar technology is on the cutting edge in the immediate region, according to Joe Peschel, Owens part-time coordinator of Non-Credit Customized Training in Workforce and Community Services and Photovoltaic Installation training program coordinator.

He said many students who enroll in the class are interested in installing solar technology in their home or are simply interested in learning more about solar energy.

For more information about Owens’ Photovoltaic Installation Training program, call 567-661 7357 or 1-800-GO OWENS, ext. 7357.
 
Jacob Wainio, of Port Clinton (left), and Matt Dombek, of Perrysburg, work to convert DC "solar" to AC for home use through an inverter during Owens' Photovoltaic Installation Training program.
 

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