Solar Energy Gets New Spark; Tax Credits Could Bolster Interest

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Byline: Maggie FitzRoy

As a chemical engineer, Howard Wallenstein has long been intrigued by the uses and benefits of solar energy.

In 1999, when he and his wife moved from Atlanta to Ponte Vedra Beach, he decided to install a solar water heating system in his Sawmill Lakes home.

Now, "I would chop wood before I would have an electric hot water heater in my home," Wallenstein said.

A fan of the environmental and economic benefits of using the sun's rays for heat, he said he estimates he saves about $70 a month or about $800 a year on his electric bill.

Solar energy experts predict that many more people will install solar water heater and pool-heating systems in their homes this year, thanks to a federal energy bill that goes into effect Sunday. The bill will give home owners a tax credit …