Lt. Gov. Mary Donohue on Tuesday delivered the check from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to Local 236 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. The union installed a 152-panel system last month at its training facility at 428 Old Niskayuna Road, Latham.

In addition to providing most of the power to that building, the system will be used to train the 50 electrician apprentices who enter the program each year.

In all, NYSERDA gave out $740,000 to fund four solar panel projects at IBEW training centers statewide. The others are in Watertown, Harriman and Niagara Falls.

The Latham project, which the union estimated cost a total of $250,000, is a 30-kilowatt system. All four systems combined can produce 150 kilowatts -- enough to power 30 homes, the state said.

"Today's announcement offers tremendous opportunity for electrical contractors and sends a strong message that New York is looking toward the future of where solar energy is a feasible option for many businesses and consumers," Donohue said in a written statement.

New York has set an energy goal of 25 percent of the power supply coming from renewable sources such as wind, water, solar and biomass by 2013.

Solar panel systems are still too expensive for home or business owners to find the technology practical. But their installation is no mystery to electricians, said Richard Cataldo, training director at the IBEW's Latham center. One of its electricians has been installing them since the 1970s.

But few homes or businesses have an inverter -- necessary with solar panels to convert the direct current the sun produces to the alternating current that household lights and appliances use. And then there are placement angles that need to be taken into account. After that, Cataldo said, it's all pretty standard wiring.

In addition to being a training tool, the system cut the union's utility bill.

"We didn't do it with that intent," Cataldo said. "If we're here 20 years, we'll probably get our money out of it. But it's really here for the training."