The solar energy revolution has come to central Florida, and will be coming to more commercial buildings throughout the nation, especially with the passage of the recent $700 billion bailout plan that includes financial incentives and an eight-year tax credit program for installing solar power systems. The 6/10 Corporation, a Florida-based commercial building developer, and Rob Krieger, the owner of Krieger Electric, Inc. and Florida Telecom Construction, recently announced that their new company, QuickBeam Energy, LLC, which will specialize in the sale and installation of photo-voltaic solar energy systems for commercial and large residential buildings, has started to do business.

"We've been closely watching developments in the solar energy industry for the last couple of years, and technical and regulatory developments have now made solar a logical and economical choice," said Bud Strang, the President of 6/10. "It now makes sense for 6/10's own buildings, and we are sure that it will make sense to other owners of commercial properties interested in reducing their operating costs."

6/10 has partnered with Rob Krieger, who has been installing and servicing electrical systems and advanced telecommunication and data processing technologies throughout Florida since 1972.

"We are excited about the team of professionals we've brought together at QuickBeam Energy and about the opportunity to show our customers how to establish a significant hedge against rapidly increasing power bills," said Krieger.

QuickBeam completed its first installation on the roof of the State of Florida's Department of Children and Families building, a 27-kilowatt system that supplies about 20 percent of its electrical needs. According to Quickbeam, at today's rates and incentives, the system will pay for itself in less than eight years. While it is unlikely that utility rates will stay the same, the cost savings are certainly there.

"The math is actually very simple. For every dollar you save on your net operating costs, the value of your building increases by a factor of ten," said Strang. "We expect to save a lot of dollars, as well as enjoy the intangibles associated with reducing our dependence on the utilities. 6/10 has been implementing a variety of 'green' systems into the buildings we own and manage, and solar is one that not only is good for the planet, but also is good for the bottom line."

QuickBeam has been in operation for almost six months, studying closely the development of California's booming solar industry, and assembling the vendor contacts and expertise necessary to offer alternative solar energy solutions. Max Wilson and Lynnette Acosta, two of its employees, left the Peace Corps last year looking for a way to apply their experience to a business that could make a difference. According to Acosta, "QuickBeam will be comprehensively assisting its customers to remove the technical, regulatory, and financing barriers to solar power, and helping customers make smart alternative energy choices that save money."

Florida's Public Service Commission has recently moved to adopt a rule requiring electrical utilities to buy power back from customer's solar energy systems, providing full credit for excess power generated. This net metering facilitates excess energy generated by solar systems to be sold back to the utilities during peak daylight hours, further reducing the effective cost of installing solar energy systems.

Note: Persons interested in learning more about QuickBeam products and services can call (863) 401-2725, email info@QuickBeamEnergy.com or visit the company's Web site at www.QuickBeamEnergy.com.

Published: October 29, 2008

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

Peter L. Mosca is president and founder of BAK Communications, Inc. He has over 22 years of communications and media consulting experience, serving a variety of nonprofit organizations, including the CCIM Institute and the REALTOR Association on all three levels – national, state and local. He is the Spokesperson Trainer for the CCIM's Jay Levine Academy and trains hundreds of residential REALTORS nationwide to be effective industry spokespeople. He is consistently ranked as "excellent" by about 90% of those who attend his presentations. While his principal consulting focuses are public speaking and media relations development and content delivery and management, Peter is also the host of the Voice America Network's weekly radio program, "Income Property Investment Talk," a one-hour program that brings the powerhouses of commercial and residential real estate to property investors every Wednesday at 11 a.m. EST. Peter is married 17 years to his wife Barbara. They have two children: Ashley, 15 and Kelli, 12. Hence, the name BAK Communications, Inc.