McCammon contractor stays off the grid, saves money

On behalf of Earth Day Friday, a contractor from McCammon is representing his solar power by staying off the grid. Richard Cabrera remains 100 percent off the grid with the work he does, and 50 percent at home.

Cabrera is orginally from the Bronx, but lives in McCammon for now. He celebrated Earth Day by keeping all of work and partially his house’s power off the grid with solar panels.

“I do a lot of kitchen remodels up in rural areas, in Jackson Hole, Island Park. It got quite annoying dragging the generator around just for a few simple little cuts to put a kitchen together, or to keep my batteries recharged,” said Cabrera as he turns on his wood cutter outside his house.

He says it all started with his mother.

“Living in Puerto Rico, she can’t be living without watching her soap operas. So whenever a hurricane comes, I get a call. How do you turn on your solar panels? And that’s how it all started. I rigged up my van with solar panels, which I sell and install. And also batteries and an invertor and everything that’s necessary for me to work off the grid, instead of dragging the generator with me.”

As the wind blew heavy with the sound of wind chimes in the distance, he says it depends on what the customer needs to determine an estimated price. But if they want their whole house done, many factors need to be considered due to geographics.

“Of course, after this interview, i’m going to get a lot of calls and emails. There’s going to be a lot of copycats. Which is great.”

Another thing that’s great, he stays even more power efficient by not needing electricity for an alarm clock. He and his wife have Macho, their rooster.

During the winter months in Mccammon, he says there’s not enough sun. That’s why he has solar windmills to keep him off the grid.

Cabrera will soon be moving to Idaho Falls where he already has a house, which is more than 50 percent off the grid. And of course, paying a lot less on his power bill.