CODY - Nov. 7 may have been just another day for most people, but it was a milestone for retired park ranger John Osgood. It marked exactly one year - one trip around the sun - since he flipped the switch.

"There have been zero problems from that first day I energized the system," Osgood said of the 125-square-foot solar array that provides electricity to his home.

Maintenance has been limited to sweeping snow off the 10 photovoltaic panels and an occasional swipe with a wet rag to remove dust or other wind-blown debris.

In fact, the system works so well that it produces on average more than three times the electricity Osgood needs. It allows him to tap utility power at night and on cloudy days, while sending excess power back to the grid for others to use on sunny days.

"Because I'm generating more electricity than I consume, the city pays me for the surplus, about $15 per month," he said.

That monthly payment plus the savings on his electric bill won't come close to paying back the $18,000 that Osgood spent on his 2,000-watt system, even after decades of use. But that was never the point, he said.

"We have an issue with carbon dioxide levels rising, and I'm concerned about humans polluting," said Osgood, who retired in 2005 after working as a ranger in Yellowstone National Park and Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area.

"I wanted to be a part of the solution, not the problem," he said, adding that the goal for his solar power system is to produce excess energy to offset electricity that would otherwise have come from coal-fired plants.

"That power is fed right back onto the grid, so it is used to help supply other customers," said Bert Pond, superintendent of Cody's city-owned electric utility.

About 65 percent of Cody's electricity comes from coal, with 35 percent produced from hydroelectric plants, and its retail rate of just less than 7 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) is about average for Wyoming, Pond said.

"Definitely, with the rates we have, there is no way a system like that is going to pay for itself. In John's case, he's a committed individual who wants to do the right thing. He's doing this to help everybody, which is greatly appreciated," Pond said.

Osgood was the second customer in Cody to take advantage of Wyoming's net metering law, which credits generators' accounts for power produced. But he is the first in town to supply more power than he consumes.

"I'm very conscious of what my electrical use is," he said, adding that he generates about 7.3 kWh per day, and consumes about 2 kWh, a tiny fraction of what most American households use.

Osgood's entire house is a kind of evolving commentary on American energy consumption.

It was built in Oregon Basin in the 1930s and provided housing for oilfield workers before it was moved to Cody in 1963. Osgood, who worked in the solar power industry before his career as a park ranger, has installed triple-pane windows and high-density rigid foam insulation to make the house more energy-efficient.

Osgood has no computer or TV, all of his light bulbs are compact fluorescents and he figures his small refrigerator accounts for about half of his power consumption. He uses natural gas for heat, and turns on his 13-gallon electric water heater only before showering and washing dishes.

Osgood acknowledges that he's a bit extreme in pursuing and charting his energy savings, even writing on a calendar each day's total solar power production.

"I have been fascinated with data collection for a long time, and the benefit of data is not always realized at the time you collect it, but it may have some benefit down the road," Osgood said.

Others in Cody are interested in Osgood's solar success story, and though he typically keeps a low profile, he said he is happy to share information with those looking to learn about alternative energy.

"I'm having people I don't even know come up to me and say, 'You're the solar guy,' " he said.

He is hoping that, despite Wyoming's role as a major fossil fuel producer, residents will take greater notice of the state's wind and solar resources, even if alternative energy systems aren't yet as cost-effective as many would like.

"It's getting there. Everyone is working like mad to increase efficiency and reduce prices," he said.

"But it's also a hobby for me. How many things that you purchase in the course of your life pay for themselves? I derive a great deal of personal satisfaction out of what I've done here," Osgood said.

"I'm like a kid with a new toy. It's just neat, and I am very enthusiastic about this," he said.

2,659 kWh produced in first year

10 kWh maximum daily output

7.3 kWh average daily output

$1,140 cost per solar panel

$18,172 total system cost

17.4 percent photovoltaic efficiency]]->