Distinctly Montana Magazine

Orion and his business partner Conor Darby have been helping people across the state of Montana "go so- lar" for over a decade. ey are two of the new Montana pioneers, creating pathways to the promise of renewable energy. eir Bozeman-based company Onsite Energy designs, sells, and builds solar-electric systems, often the first step for homeowners and businesses seeking to reduce their utility bills and their dependence on coal-based power generation. Solar energy production is negligible in Montana, well behind even wind power. Orion and Conor are on a mission to change that, one solar panel at a time. ere are three components to a solar energy system, and the process itself is fairly simple: 1) aMount of SunlIght hIttIng thE PanEl 2) SIzE of thE PanEl 3) EffICIEnCy of thE PanEl "Montanans take pride in self-sufficiency," says Conor. "at's why it's easy for us to get excited about the pros- pect of producing our own electricity. For many, when they realize that a solar system will actually make them money while reducing their carbon footprint it becomes a no-brainer." Efficiencies of solar system components have im- proved significantly in the last decade, and solar module prices are 75% less than they were in 2007. And with the help of state and federal tax credits, these systems can take as little as 7-10 years to pay for themselves at current electrical prices, and they aren't going down any time soon. Historical data from Montana Power and NorthWestern Energy shows a levelized increase in elec- tricity rates of 4% annually, and the EPA's new Climate Action Plan could accelerate the pricing trend upward. As a result, Orion and Conor have found a great deal of interest in their solar energy push. ey are not the only pioneers. Users are pioneers too. Local solar energy advocate Tim Crawford has used Onsite to install a solar array to power his irrigation pivot pumps on his Pheas- ant Farms property in Roundup, and looks forward to an 80% reduction in his electrical bill. With Crawford's assistance, in 2014 Onsite also built a new 30 kW solar array at the Emerson Center for the Arts & Culture in Bozeman, bringing a nearly 100-year old school building another era of "renewable" use. e most recent project Onsite Energy has completed for Mr. Crawford is a 32.4 kW array on his downtown office building, located at 15 S. Tracy, currently the largest solar array in downtown Orion's home in Bozeman is one of net-zero energy consumption, powered by solar electricity, solar hot water, and wood heat. with the help of state and federal tax credits, Solar systems can take as little as 7-10 years to pay for themselves at current electrical prices,

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