From an article by in the D.J. Slater:
It has been in John Kregenow’s nature for years to do his part to help the environment, and it goes beyond putting plastic in the recycling bin.
Kregenow, 57, of the town of Cassel, west and south of Marathon, reuses his old clothing as wash rags, maintains a compost pile, collects rainwater to use on his garden and grows vegetables for himself and food pantries.
So when he saw his roof was covered with cracking asphalt shingles nearly two years ago, he decided to invest in a solar roof.
Kregenow turned to Kulp’s of Stratford, a roofing company, to install the solar roof, which actively started absorbing energy on Aug. 19.
Since that time, Kregenow has been able to generate $150 in energy. Kregenow typically spends $120 on his monthly energy bill.
“(My wife and I) are eager to see our September bill,” he said.
Since mid-May, Kulp’s has offered residents and businesses the chance to upgrade their properties with solar roofing, said Bob Kulp, co-owner of Kulp’s. The systems allow property owners to generate electrical power from the sun, which can be used and sold to utility companies.
So far, Kulp’s has installed the solar roof at Kregenow’s home, has an order to install one on a home in Marshfield and has three other homeowners who are committed to buying the technology.