To solar or not to solar

[cincymma79]

That is the question
Anyone buy panels yet? Does the math work out yet? For me if I have no electric bill I break even at about 8 years. So I’m leaning that way if the warranty and whatnot are right.

 

[I Am Legion]

I’m waiting for the tech to get better. I’m not covering my roof with those ugly things. In a few years it will be just a panel or 2.

 

[Omegaboy13]

The cost benefit really isn't there yet for me in terms of FULL replacement of energy for a home. It take a very large bank to run high energy appliances and the like. As a supplementary source of power I believe solar is beneficial. I think that a lot of research is being pumped into solar efficiency. Hopefully that pays off in the near future and we see some cost effective solutions for replacing our dependence on the grid. I'm sure the government will find some way to tax the wind, tide, or sunlight.

 

[Red Beard]

My neighbor has them and pays $150 a month for the loan and shelled out $12,000 for the installation. My wife and I have an electric bill of approximately $50 a month. It doesn't make sense unless your home consumes a lot of energy. I'd want a system that stores the energy like Tesla because when my neighbors lose power it's still off.

 

[cincymma79]

My neighbor has them and pays $150 a month for the loan and shelled out $12,000 for the installation. My wife and I have an electric bill of approximately $50 a month. It doesn't make sense unless your home consumes a lot of energy. I'd want a system that stores the energy like Tesla because when my neighbors lose power it's still off.

I am weighing that in my decision
The battery pack in the garage thing sounds ideal but would take costs up to 22 or so most likely.

 

[Headkicktoleg]

I want to. Our slopes of the roof face north/south. I haven't researched it at all, but I figure it would be ideal for capturing sun if we place panel on both sides.

 

[JOE QUEEF]

Kill the fire, and turn to the sun.

 

[Graves The Elder]

haha, what happens when the sun dies out?
didn't think of that did ya, skippy

 

[cincymma79]

haha, what happens when the sun dies out?
didn't think of that did ya, skippy

If I am still a round in 90 billion years i will already be too powerful for you to even imagine

 

[badascan]

I went to the Earthship Academy a few years ago, we had a class on solar power and various types of panels. I'm no expert but they are worth getting into. Maybe start small and do your research, you can always scale up.

 

[Graves The Elder]

If I am still a round in 90 billion years i will already be too powerful for you to even imagine

but you'll still be too cheap to get Sirius XM

 

[GSP_37]

What about wind?

 

[frye666]

Basic solar heater.

Real fast description. A wooden frame with pop cans painted black. The cans have holes drilled in the bottom and are glued together. Something like a computer fan blows the air inside the frame out. That is a $20 garage heater.
With the same concept, but adding in a control switch, battery storage, a timer, a sensor, you can start to make this an efficient room heater day and night all year.

The very biggest fault in solar energy is the storage and conversion. It really is just a matter of waiting for someone to figure that storage problam out and goddamn everything will be solar in 5 years.

 

[Prutfis]

We have a 6.9kwh system on the roof. Also about 8 years to break even. Now we actually get money back every year due to our overproduction going into the power grid.

 

[cincymma79]

We have a 6.9kwh system on the roof. Also about 8 years to break even. Now we actually get money back every year due to our overproduction going into the power grid.

How are the tax benefits I know you don’t know my state but federal ones

 

[Prutfis]

How are the tax benefits I know you don’t know my state but federal ones

I live in Denmark, so don´t know anything about US rules.

 

[TSO]

That is the question
Anyone buy panels yet? Does the math work out yet? For me if I have no electric bill I break even at about 8 years. So I’m leaning that way if the warranty and whatnot are right.

My rural house has a wind and solar setup and hardly ever has to have the generator on(mid Winter overcast with no wind for days). If you go solar, switch to DC so you use 1/3 the power.

 

[chickenlip]

Too expensive for the “savings” you’ll have after you pay them off in 10-15 years

 

[ralphc1]

How are the tax benefits I know you don’t know my state but federal ones

There were some tax credits a few years back when I looked at solar but since I was retired at the time, I'm not paying enough taxes to use the credits. I looked at a system that tracks the sun to get the most light possible during the day. I can sell excess to my power company so they planned a system that would balance out the power used over a year to give me a net zero electric bill. Solar panel warranties guaranteed they would be putting out 90% of their rated output after 10 years and 80% after 25 years. That was confused with a 12 year failure warranty.

With installation, it would have been about a 20 year payoff if nothing failed in that time. If the panels don't last as long as projected, the warranty might not matter because the manufacturer will go bankrupt and there won't be any money. A warranty is only as good as the company behind it. 20 years might be longer than I'll live so I decided against it.

My electric company has a renewable energy program where customers invest in their solar and wind farms and can claim some tax credits as well as lower energy costs. That might be a better solution than putting up your own if it's available.

 

[cincymma79]

Too expensive for the “savings” you’ll have after you pay them off in 10-15 years

The thing is I’m either paying duke energy or a loan payment. If those Are equal then this makes sense. If they are not then it doesn’t. For me I want it to be paid off in five. So even if I pay cash at 20 and never have a bill that’s 8 years 4 months. So while we’re close I think it’s just outside my limits. I am looking at other jobs and stuff too, so want to be agile