Darkness Falls on Michigan Solar Home
As if symbolic of Michigan’s climate, both literal and economic, a highly publicized 100% solar home built in the city of Troy remains closed due to water damage from frozen pipes last winter. The house is completely solar powered and totally off the grid. It was primarily funded by Lawrence Technological University and DTE Energy, at a cost of $900,000, and is owned by the city of Troy.
The house was meant to be an educational tool for area students, as well as open to the public, and a glowing symbol for the potential of green technology, even in a wintery state such as Michigan. Unfortunately, it is that characteristic winter that has so far spelled doom for the home. The frozen pipes and resultant flooding caused $16,000 worth of damage, repairs for which depend on funding for Troy’s Parks and Recreation Department. The 800 square foot home was set to be part of a solar tour at an Oakland County Green Summit, but that portion of the summit, of course, has been cancelled.
The future of this landmark solar home remains uncertain, as well as the cause of the damage in the first place. According to a Detroit News article, there are two very different sides to the story. On one hand you have the city, which claims that a glitch in the heating system caused it to drain all the power from the source batteries, which in turn shut the heater down and allowed the pipes to freeze. On the other hand you have Lawrence Technical University whose officials claim quite simply that someone turned the breaker off, which controls the heater and forgot to turn it back on.
Arguing over the cause may seem a bit moot, but it is having some ramifications within the green community. Somehow green energy skeptics are utilizing a possibly malfunctioning heater to formulate the argument that renewable energy is a futile enterprise (simply google “Troy solar home” and read the blogs). As much as I’m sometimes hesitant to offer free press to these folks, their deductions are simply fascinating. One such blog equated this project, in a very Limbaugh-esque manner, to the famed Trojan horse story, claiming that “greens are trying to deceive us in adopting their nutty policies and goofy technologies.”
First of all, I suppose some credit is due for the slightly clever Troy/Trojan horse connection, but this bandwagon is a poor one to jump on, more evidence of desperate irrationality than any solar failure. For starters, I grew up in Michigan and frozen pipes are very common for all homes, even grid-connected ones. In fact homeowners often have to go out of their way to weatherize their home to ensure that it doesn’t happen. To use frozen pipes in Michigan as a reason to doom solar power is simply absurd.
Secondly, a glitch in a heater or human error cannot be used to fault solar power in general. It is unfortunate for those involved and the solar industry that the house failed with such poor timing, but it happens. And again, blame or defense is not the main issue here.
While I find defense of solar power in this case rather simple, it doesn’t change the uncertain future of Troy’s solar home. After spending $900,000 to build the home, I have to assume that the $16,000 in damage will eventually be addressed. Unfortunately the money is no longer coming from an energy company or university, but from the city, and Michigan cities and counties are not exactly tossing money around anymore. Still, one glitch in a system does not a faulty system make, so I urge those involved to remain positive.
I believe the “glitches” involved with fossil fueled energy rank much higher–and on a global scale–than frozen pipes in Michigan, be it human or mechanical error. So here’s to Michigan winters and to Michigan’s green energy future: may they both stay strong and beautiful.
Posted on June 2nd in Solar News by Dan.