When the oil Crisis hit us in 1973, Charlie Reichner knew that something was going to change in the landscape of energy production. And despite having attained a degree in horticulture, the focus for his career soon shifted. "I became interested in all different types of energy," says Reichner. By 1977, he incorporated his own company, Heat Shed, Inc., a small business that builds and installs photovoltaic solar panels for residential and commercial buildings. Today, Reichner, along with his wife, Catherine, and four employees are riding another solar energy wave, sparked by rising energy costs and recent deepened concerns about energy efficiency and conservation. With enough sunlight falling on the earth every minute to meet the energy demands of the entire world for a whole year, the huge potential of solar energy seems undeniable. As Reichner says, "Solar energy is common sense. Why not take advantage of it?"

Heat Shed, Inc. works on roughly 3050 PV solar installation projects per year around the southwestern Pennsylvania region. Each custom project can range from $15,000 into the hundreds of thousands, depending on the size and extent of the project. Reichner and his employees start the process by first viewing the property by satellite. This allows them to view the size of the building's roof, a key factor for panel installation, and scope the sunlight around the building to see if installation is possible. They also analyze the building's electric bill to determine the average usage and plan future usage. They then fit and set up the panels and transition the energy flow throughout the building to solar. By the end of the process, Reichner says, "The owners essentially have a power plant on their roof."

With this new, powerful source of energy, Reichner says that customers have seen anywhere from a 33 percent to 75 percent reduction in their monthly electric bills. In fact, in his own PV solar panel adorned home, he sees a credit on his electric bill nine months out of the year. "Our meter essentially runs backwards," he says. In terms of more broad benefits, Reichner notes that, "This is one of the only ways that average consumers can take control of their energy costs." With price caps on electrical costs being removed around Pennsylvania, this decreased dependence on fossil fuel energy is something Reichner believes to be worth the price of the project. He also notes that solar panels promote cleaner energy usage.

For Reichner, one of the main challenges in the solar energy sphere is battling consumer's urges for immediate, satisfying fixes for their energy concerns. Because it can take time before significant energy costs are seen, potential customers are often wary of a prolonged return on their investment. Reichner says that where hot tubs or crown molding can make immediate changes to homes, a large initial investment like a solar panel installation is often hard for customers to swallow despite its long-term overall savings.

In the face of the company's challenges, however, Reichner is confident that both Heat Shed, Inc. and solar energy are rapidly growing. "Demand is so strong," he says. Having seen the fluctuation in the solar panel market since 1977, Reichner is now seeing a strong influx of new clients. With three to four month waiting lists and phones ringing off the hook, the company looks forward to a busy future as alternative forms of energy are becoming more desirable. "We want to do one thing, do it well, and keep costs low," Reichner says. Hoping that more government subsidies and rebates are also in the future, Reichner is anticipating 100 percent growth for his small business next year. It seems that with the incredible potential the sun has to offer, combined with the intuition of a 30- year solar expert, his optimistic predictions of a bright future for Heat Shed, Inc. may very well come true.