May 4, 2007 6:14 pm US/Eastern
N.J. Man Goes Green, Saves Green With Solar Energy
Mike Strizki Lives In Nation's First Solar-Powered House
EAST AMWELL, N.J. (CBS) ―
New Jersey resident Mike Strizki is not your typical homeowner, and the house he lives in, well, it's not exactly your typical home either.
"I've been called everything from village idiot to the mad scientist," Strizki said.
But with gas and electric rates on the rise, Strizki has proven he's far from being the town idiot in East Amwell. That's because Strizki lives in the nation's first solar-hydrogen house where he doesn't have to worry about any gas or electric bills.
"The sun comes up and my solar panels snatch that energy, and any excess goes into tanks," he said. "I don't have to worry about power failures here. Fuel deliveries [too]. I don't have to worry if that fuel truck doesn't come up that driveway," he said.
The best part? Strizki's monthly utility bill is $0.00. His 3,500 square foot home is completely off the power grid, right down to his big screen television and even his hot tub.
Solar panels are growing in popularity, but Strizki's system is the first that converts and stores the excess energy as hydrogen gas, which in turn is converted back into electricity, "with no emissions whatsoever," Strizki is quick to add.
While the idea sounds promising, the system is still too expensive and bulky for the average home, costing about $500,000. Still, energy experts are buzzing aplenty. "I think it's exciting, because it's showing you a little glimpse of the future," said Dale Bryk of the National Resource Defense Council.
That future could be closer than you think. Strizki is working on mass producing his home energy system, which would bring the cost down to about $60,000.
"If you're gonna spend your life doing something, this is a pretty good way to spend it," Strizki said.
Strizki was awarded a grant from New Jersey that paid for nearly half of his solar hydrogen system. He's already received calls from people interested in doing the same for their homes. For more information on the solar energy system,
click here for HopewellProject.Org or
click here for RenewableEnergyInternational.Com.
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