INDIANOLA — As the sun broke through clouds on Saturday afternoon, Bob Dash assured residents that the blue solar panels installed on his house were bringing in energy. The silence around his secluded Indianola home was unbroken by the machines running, and Dash was more than happy to dazzle visitors with his knowledge of solar power as his house drank in the sun’s rays.

As a stop on the National Solar Tour, Dash’s home served as a real-life example of what the technology can accomplish.

“People are surprised that it works here in this state and climate,” he said, adding that about 30 to 40 people had visited his house by mid-afternoon Saturday, and all had questions about how his system worked.

“We are considering it,” said Indianola resident Holly Hughes. “It’s just nice to see it in action, and know that it does work.”

There are many different ways to harness power from the sun, and any extra energy absorbed can be stored in batteries or in the electrical grid, Dash said. He opted for the latter, which allows him to store up energy credit for the cloudier months of the year, which will guarantee that he will have power, and hot water, when his panels aren’t able to collect the necessary energy.

When he’s on the grid, Dash said his power works like anyone’s else. If there’s a blackout, his power gets shut off as well to prevent any accidents.

“I know I have a weird roof, a blue roof,” Dash joked with a couple of younger visitors as they stared at the shiny solar panels attached to Dash’s house. “But it’s making the TV work.”

“It’s great,” Ranna McNeil, Dash’s fiancée, said. “I’m a glass artist, and my art is really energy intensive.”

She’s able to create her glassworks, however, with solar energy as long as her kiln is insulated. McNeil said she prefers using the sun’s energy, because it makes her feel like she isn’t destroying something while creating her art.

“I make solar glass now,” McNeil said. “I really love glass work, and I like that I can do it without damaging or using other resources.”

“I’ve known Bob for a long time,” Hughes said, adding that solar energy is something he’s wanted to utilize for a while. Now his success has sparked her interest, but she’s hoping to collect more information before making the change. “I’m interested to hear about his system.”

Dash has been working since college to make solar power a reality for his house, and as a teacher in the North Kitsap School District’s Parent Assisted Learning Program, he welcomes the chance to educate others about the possibilities.

The most common question he deals with is cost, he said, and though installing solar panels and systems isn’t cheap, it saves money in the long run. Dash has had his system operational since April, and it’s already paying for itself. He’s got plenty of energy stored up for the gray winter months and had produced 2,400 kilowatt hours by Aug. 15.

“Once all the materials were here, it really only took a week worth of labor to put them in,” Dash said. “The original (panels) that Bell Labs put up in 1955 are still working. These panels that I installed are much more efficient. Just think how long they’ll be working.”