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Solar Panels how to is it worth it?

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posted on Jul, 30 2014 @ 05:52 PM
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a reply to: Shaiker

If upfront cost is a huge factor for you there are definitely options to explore. One good example is the rent to own option. My father installed solar panels a couple years back and essentially the way it works is that instead of getting a check back from the power company for any excess power you generate, it instead goes to your installer. There were no upfront fees involved but I'm sure that varies depending on what region of the country you are in and what providers/installers you have available as well as the amount of competition in that given market. But the no upfront fees coupled with reduced power consumption more than makes up for not be in able I sell KWh back to your provider and I believe my fathers contract was for 5 years so it seems a pretty worthwhile investment. It's at least worth looking into and crunching the numbers for cost effectiveness.



posted on Jul, 30 2014 @ 06:41 PM
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a reply to: Shaiker

an idea I've always had was to dedicate the solar array to high enery items,without selling it to the utility company.Use a dedicated circuit for say,the refridgerator,or the AC.High powered items only.Utilize energy efficeint bulbs,microwave over the oven.Most other items are occasional use,or low power items.I was even thinking it might be neat to add a 12 volt system,and use trucker items instead of 110 stuff.LED lighting on a 12v system.Of course,you'd need to rewire the whole place for it.



posted on Jul, 30 2014 @ 07:25 PM
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a reply to: Shaiker Don't waste your money. You'll spend more on the storage system than the PV system if you want to disconnect from the grid. Solar in all its forms PV, Passive, Reflective, Is not competitive with conventional generation sources. Wind is also much more expensive than the same conventional sources. (coal, nuclear, gas, biomass. The relative cost number the public sees from the US Energy Administration and the renewable energy iconoclasts fails to show you the the total generation cost per Kwh. That is simply because renewable sources are what is called "non-dispatchable" generating assets. That means when the sun isn't shining and wind isn't blowing - no electricity. So you either need huge storage capacity which is not yet technically feasible, or back up generation (conventional dispatchable) that is available when needed. When you factor in storage and/or backup generation to supply demand when it's dark or the wind is calm and, the required spinning reserve (15% of base load) to meet spikes in demand, the costs are massively greater for any form of renewable energy. The public is being sold a fantastic bill of goods on renewable energy because there is a lot of money to be made by the renewable energy industry, and that includes your utility company. They are the largest builders of renewables. Why? they want to own all central station generation, and you pay them to build renewable assets with your taxes through huge federal subsidies, and oh by the way they own the back up generation and sell you renewable energy in the mix at the the actual generating cost so the can't lose and you pay and pay. Follow the money my friends, follow the money.


wattsupwiththat.com...



edit on 30-7-2014 by bladerunner44 because: (no reason given)

edit on 30-7-2014 by bladerunner44 because: (no reason given)



posted on Jul, 30 2014 @ 07:37 PM
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a reply to: Shaiker Average payback for a residential solar system that is still grid connected is about 25 years.a little less if your utility has a system to buy your excess generation it's called net metering. Utilities don't like it because it's a logistical and billing headache. They are also forced to buy it back from you (FERC) for more than their average cost of generation. But guess who makes up the difference? You do in your basic rate. What a racket. So if you're going to live there at least 26 years go for it.


edit on 30-7-2014 by bladerunner44 because: (no reason given)

edit on 30-7-2014 by bladerunner44 because: (no reason given)

edit on 30-7-2014 by bladerunner44 because: (no reason given)



posted on Jul, 30 2014 @ 08:35 PM
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a reply to: jrod Your costs are way off, Solar is 14 to 26 cents per KWH



posted on Jul, 30 2014 @ 09:41 PM
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a reply to: Shaiker

I recently did some research on solar...it is pretty close to breaking even, and much depends on who is doing the installing.

You are likely looking at 40k bucks to establish independence and you will be looking at a 15 year payoff or something like that, as I recall. There will be maintenance that will have to be performed periodically plus you get diminishing returns as the cells age.



posted on Jul, 30 2014 @ 10:52 PM
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I like your idea of a supplemental 12 volt system for lighting....
LEDS cost little, and run on 12 v anyways.....
You could save a bundle just using LED lighting and not 120v.....though still retaining your 120v system...



posted on Jul, 31 2014 @ 02:47 AM
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originally posted by: deadeyedick

originally posted by: cavtrooper7
And in Colorado?

www.solarpowerrocks.com...
That is good to see. That kind of leasing program is what every farm in america should have. There is no reason that any home with land should not be able to find a lease to own program for solar. The small electric co-op's should be leading the way on this. Unnecessary terrifs on panals at this time is just not smart.


Do not go with the companies that put solar panels on your roof and send you a check every month.
I say this because your property value will go down if you sell the property later.
People buying homes do not want others owning parts of the home they buy.

Ground mount solar panels are better in the long run as just walking on your roof to clean the panels will over time cause damage and leaks.

Also remember solar panels are high theft items and get them insured.



posted on Jul, 31 2014 @ 08:35 AM
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a reply to: Hoosierdaddy71
granted,the payoff may not offset the initial cost,currently.10k WILL buy a lot of gas at today's price.But what will the price be in 2-5 years?We will never see 2 buck a gallon gas again.As the price of gas goes up,the resell value of his prius will at least maintain the value.



posted on Jul, 31 2014 @ 08:44 AM
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a reply to: ANNED

the biggest problem with leasing? The new owners have to qualify for the lease! Even if they wanted solar on the roof,the leasing company has to approve it,or remove the system



posted on Jul, 31 2014 @ 09:03 AM
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a reply to: stirling
I wish I had the $$ to convert a house to full energy efficiency! Between solar and low voltage stuff,I bet you could get a utility bill down to almost beer money! I'm in Arizona,so the AC is the biggest item on my bill.I keep seeing the issue of storage coming up.Yes,you do need a large storage capacity,for the nights and cloudy days,but think of this.How much power do you use during the day?You are at work,the only power is your fridge and AC,or heat.Think "peak" hours,say 5-10 at night,thats the main usage time.If you have a stay at home mom,maybe the washer/dryer,dishwasher,etc.A dedicated line from the utility for AC and fridge,you only use the AC 6 months a yr,solar for the rest of the house.Swap appliances to gas for even more savings.Skylights to reduce the need for lamps.Even things as simple as a shade tree can do wonders for the cooling.Awnings on the windows,or inside shutters,a covered patio,all those can reduce energy usage.I've always wondered why they don't make LED lamps for the home that are battery powered,like a camping light.Just recharge the battery!



posted on Jul, 31 2014 @ 12:30 PM
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a reply to: ANNED
Your right. That is why i said every farm should have a system. It is a better system imo when mounted to the ground. It can even be done in grazing pastures with a raised platform.



posted on Jul, 31 2014 @ 12:53 PM
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a reply to: bladerunner44
No my prices are realistic, I do not think you understand what I wrote. Solar panels right now cost under $1 a what. So if a person installs 2000watts of solar, those panels will cost about $2,000. The good news is the price per watt of solar keep dropping. Most who install solar will currently pay around $1 watt. I have friends who work in the industry and I have a pretty good idea of how much panels cost. I also have a bit of experience with my own solar/battery system.
edit on 31-7-2014 by jrod because: a



posted on Jul, 31 2014 @ 02:49 PM
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a reply to: jrod I work in the industry as well, and your numbers are way off. Please get your facts straight. See the attachment of California Statistics on solar power. They have considerable experience with solar systems.
Average daily availability for solar is 5 hours.so you need a storage source and a back up source for longer periods of diurnal quiet. The INSTALLED cost per watt is still over $5, quite a bit different from under a dollar. You'll need to budget a little more.

californiasolarstatistics.ca.gov...


edit on 31-7-2014 by bladerunner44 because: (no reason given)



posted on Jul, 31 2014 @ 03:08 PM
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a reply to: bladerunner44

Price per watt....I really hope I do not have to explain this any further. 1k watts of panels will cost a person about $1000, about $1 per watt plus other installation expenses. I can find panels for much cheaper than $1 a watt, however that is in bulk. I can provide links if you still believe I am BSing this forum, as I said I know several people who work in the industry here in Florida.

I know what i am talking about here. I made all my own power with solar and a battery bank for years. Batteries can be pricey but there are ways to cut costs there, inverters are priced reasonably. The price of going full solar is dropping, vertical wind generators are also becoming more popular, they are a great option because they are much quieter.

Kw/hr is something different. That is how much power companies charge for power consumption. I think this is where you are getting confused.
edit on 31-7-2014 by jrod because: abcd....fail



posted on Jul, 31 2014 @ 03:43 PM
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originally posted by: jrod
a reply to: bladerunner44


edit on 31-7-2014 by bladerunner44 because: (no reason given)



posted on Jul, 31 2014 @ 03:54 PM
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a reply to: jrod

And just how many 1 kw panels will you need to replace the KWh you are currently using from you electric company. You see that's where your calculations fall apart. And oh by the way, you need to know what your system generates in KWh to compare the costs so that you understand the marginal cost of solar. You seem to want to debate on something you only have a partial knowledge of. What it comes down to if you want to pay for solar for what ever your reasons, be aware that you are paying many times more for being a greeny than your neighbors pay the electric company. That's the long and short of it. Just facts no personal agenda or BS.



posted on Jul, 31 2014 @ 04:13 PM
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a reply to: bladerunner44

Not trying to debate you. I just want to clear up the replies you made to made. Obviously something was lost in translation. I almost feel like you are twisting my words around to make me sound ignorant.

I am quite experienced with electronics so trying to undermine my understanding of power output is not going to work against me.

Germany is doing well with solar and they do not get anywhere near the sunlight most the CONUS does. Solar is one alternative, harnessing the winds is another readily available alternative way to produce power than can be done at home.

The fact is, if a person is clever with a solar/wind power generation, then it is very cost effective to get off the grid. The power companies fear the masses will start producing their own power. Selling power is a giant industry.



posted on Jul, 31 2014 @ 04:45 PM
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a reply to: bladerunner44

There is more to it than just panels. You have wiring, you have a battery system that has to be wired in as well, in addition to the cost of the batteries and you have to convert to AC.

Two or three months ago I put all the numbers together and if you have someone professional to do it for you, you are looking at $40,000, for a 2000 sq ft house roughly. Roughly because it also depends on usage. If you do it yourself, you had better know what you are doing. If you do, then you can save a ton by doing it yourself.



posted on Jul, 31 2014 @ 04:49 PM
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a reply to: jrod

The pay off will be nowhere close to 5 years. Not sure what you mean by extremely cost effective, but your definition must be different than mine.

Wind power for home? I did not know that was practical and have not even looked into that. Wind power is in heavy use here in Texas, but have not seen a single for-home-application. Do you have some links that can show us costs?




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