Aug. 10--Self-reliance ranks high on the list for Randy and Anke Darling.

The couple lives on a small homestead in the country near Eastover, where the two of them make their own compost in a bin, can food from the garden, and maintain a menagerie of chickens, ducks, geese and rabbits.

"That's part of who we are," Randy Darling said. "Back to nature, definitely. I think the world goes too fast. If something should happen, we have food and vegetables."

On Wednesday afternoon, the Darlings raised the bar on self-sufficiency, when their home became the first solar interconnected residence in Cumberland County. Their solar grid-tied system makes this the county's first "net zero" home, too.

"That means it's providing more power than using," said Jim Wood of Alternative Energy Concepts of Fayetteville. "Actually, it's providing significantly more power than it's using."

A solar hot water system also has been installed at the home. The two solar thermal collectors are fastened to the roof of their two-story, cedar-siding home.

Alternative Energy Concepts of Fayetteville did the work, including the installation of the south-facing solar array in the yard. That 6.2-kilowatt ground-mount system is made up of 32 200-watt photovoltaic modules, or panels, placed over four rows by a pond. The way Randy Darling looks at it, he and his wife are reaping the financial rewards from land they weren't using.

Their grid-tied photovoltaic system is big, and larger than what most people would be interested in investing in, according to Wood.

As a general rule of thumb, people pay $8,000 to $10,000 per kilowatt for this system. As prices become more competitive, the costs are expected to drop.

Total price for the Darlings' alternative energy system?

The Darlings paid $41,000 for the solar array and another $6,800 for the hot water heater. Nearly $50,000 is a hefty expenditure, but he said they get so much sunlight, they figured why not harness some of it.

"He's got a significant investment there," said Catherine O'Dell, a spokeswoman for the South River Electric Membership Corp. "But take into consideration federal and state tax credits."

On Friday, the state General Assembly ratified an extension of the renewable energy tax credits. A 35 percent North Carolina tax incentive is available on the cost of a solar array, along with a 30 percent federal tax credit.

In addition, South River EMC offers a $1,000 rebate for solar water heating.

"I just think you'll see more and more of this as time progresses," said Randy Darling, a 54-year-old Army veteran and rural route carrier in Dunn.