MAN, W.Va. -- The Man Town Hall neighbors the offices of Cliff's Logan County Coal, a branch of an international mining company, and many of the town's residents work as coal miners.

"All of Man, and Southern West Virginia, is coal," Mayor Jim Blevins said.

But that doesn't mean there isn't room in a town like Man for renewable energy sources.

A 69-panel solar energy system is being installed on the rooftop of the Man Town Hall, and is expected to produce at least half of the electricity the building needs.

"We need every lump of coal, every gallon of oil and every solar panel we can get for energy in this country, if you ask me," Blevins said. "The people of Man are proud of this, and that includes coal miners. It's a pioneering idea for a small town."

The new grid-tied solar system, provided by Milestone Solar Consultants of Martinsburg, will generate about 20,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity in one year; saving $250 a month in the town hall's electricity costs. The system is expected to last for 25 years.

The system's special net-metering feature allows any excess power produced to be sent to the electric company as credit, so that power can be easily accessed at night or on cloudy days.

A meter is programmed to run backwards when that excess electricity is produced, essentially turning the power company into a storage system for the solar-powered building.

The unit was bought for about $80,000 with a grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act under the West Virginia Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program.

Man Councilman Darrell Mangrum got the idea to use the available grant money for the new solar system. He worried about the public's response, but said all attention has been positive so far.

"I considered what sort of feedback we would get right in the middle of coal country. I wondered if it would hurt people's feelings or give them the wrong idea. But this is an alternative, not a replacement. I support coal miners 100 percent," Mangrum said. "I think the people know it's good for everyone."

Mangrum said while the monthly cost cuts may seem minimal, the potential for long-term savings is invaluable.

"Even though it might sound small now, it may make a difference each person's pocket down the road. Somewhere in the future, especially with rates going up, it may allow us to not raise property taxes and save citizens of our town a lot of money," Mangrum said. "Because of the grant, this didn't cost the town of Man anything. It's a lot of something for nothing."

Bill Anderson, president of Milestone Solar Consultants, acknowledged his solar energy business is rare in the midst of coal country, but doesn't view coal and solar energy as opposing ideas.

"I don't see any issue with solar power in West Virginia. Renewable energy is absolutely no threat to the coal industry because it's a tiny amount of electricity in comparison to the coal-fired power plants here," Anderson said. "Coal is going to be a dominant source of energy for decades."

He said because his systems are large investments, all of his customers show important reasons for going solar.

"They're all passionate about something. Some customers want to feel like they're making the world a better place, some want to reduce dependency on the power companies and some just appreciate new technology," Anderson said.

No matter the reasons, the savings are always a factor, Anderson said.

"If you've got a commercial system, you get 30 percent as tax credit from the federal government. That means you can depreciate that entire capital asset, and we're talking about $90,000 depreciation in year one. You're going to recoup a lot of that investment," Anderson said. "Most people I talk to are doing it to go green. But, the bottom line is, it still needs to make sense for them financially."

Anderson said though solar energy systems are catching on, a state like West Virginia is slow to jump on the bandwagon -- and not just because of coal.

"One of the things we don't appreciate in West Virginia is the electricity cost. We have one of the lowest rates in the country with a statewide average of about 8 cents per kilowatt-hour. In parts as close as Pennsylvania and New England, the same electricity costs you more than twice that," Anderson said. "That makes the solar proposition a little more dicey because we have relatively inexpensive electricity."

Anderson said it's crucial for customers to make an informed decision when considering residential systems. Customers should consider how much space they have available, their percentage goal of energy production and their budget.

"There are only a few people doing it in West Virginia right now, but the people that are doing it really want it to improve the environment and their own situations," Anderson said. "You've got to want it, and you've got to have confidence."

Reach Mackenzie Mays at Mackenzie.m...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5100.