Precision Air is passionate about renewable energy.  

Back in 1997 when Precision Air owner Tony LaFrenier completed his first geothermal project for the TVA sponsored "System Thinking Home," he became hooked on the idea of tapping into a renewable resource, the earth's free energy stored beneath our feet, to heat and cool homes and businesses.

"In 1998 we started pushing the 'geothermal snowball' to advance geothermal education," says LaFrenier. "We went from doing home shows where people avoided eye contact and checked us out from afar, to events where people look for us and have done some research already."

Geothermal heat pumps use much less energy than conventional HVAC systems since they use the constant temperature of the earth (about 55 degrees) as the exchange medium instead of the outside air temperature. They also last twice as long.

Not surprisingly, many people who are interested in geothermal are interested in solar energy, too. At around the same time as LaFrenier's energy conscious customers began asking him about solar, LightWave Solar President Steve Johnson called Precision Air to inquire about a geothermal system for his home.

"We installed a geothermal system for Steve, and we have been referring folks to LightWave Solar for years," says LaFrenier. 

Last year Tony looked at adding solar to his newly renovated home, and after speaking with us, he realized that putting solar on the business made even more sense due to the additional tax benefit of MACRS accelerated depreciation, on top of the 30% federal tax credit.

In May LightWave Solar commissioned a 33 kilowatt (kW) rooftop solar system at Precision Air, and the system will just about eliminate the company's electric bills.

"We practice what we preach here, and solar makes a lot of sense for us, both financially and environmentally," says LaFrenier.