Solar panels?

I don't own them but I've heard the same thing, the electric company pays you usually because you generate more electricity than you need. I think they would definitely be worth it in the long run!

 

I haven't installed any solar systems but have been studying the technology. Building a system large enough to offset all of your current electrical usage and generate extra power to sell back to the utility can be expensive. Part of owning a solar system is being conservative of your energy use so you don't need a large system. One of the biggest expenses can be battery bank for back up power. If your system is grid tied you don't need a battery bank unless you really want one. The grid serves as your battery.

Another way to keep the initial cost of the system down is to incorporate a wind turbine or two into the system instead of all solar panels. Wind turbines are less expensive per kilowatt produced. A 1 kilowatt (1000 watts) turbine can run $800-1000. It takes 4 250 watt panels at $300 or more for the same power output. But if there is no wind they don't produce.

Most states have some form of tax incentive for home owners who chose to install solar. The incentives are meant to help offset the initial cost of the system. It is the net-metering laws that allow you to sell you excess electricity to the utility. As your system makes electricity anything you don't use gets fed onto the power grid and your power meter spins backwards, literally. At night or when it is cloudy and your system is not generating enough you pull power back off the grid and your meter spins forward. At the end of the month if you generated more electricity than you used the utility will pay you. If you used more than you produced you owe the utility.

You won't get rich selling your power to the utility. It would take a very large system to do that. But $50-150 a month back from your utility is not bad.

 

I don't per se, but I do know that there are the hard costs associated with installing the panels, but there are also soft costs involved including permitting, zoning, getting hooked up to the grid, etc. So, know that when you start shopping for solar panels and researching costs, also figure in some costs to be able to install it on your property.

 

I havent made a major or permanent install, but i have had the opportunity to work on something small. I have a small panel that i use to light up my garage. It does the job well. I bought it to test out how well the lighting would be and really to prove to myself that solar works and indeed it does and it is quite remarkable

 

I think solar panels are a waste of money. They cost way too much upfront and they don't always provide you with all the power you need. Obama is forcing all new businesses in California to power their buildings with solar panels. I think this is a big mistake and it's obvious when people are going out of business or don't even want to start one because of the whole solar panel regulation. My advice to you, stay away from solar panels.

 

Solar panels are a massive gamble. They cost a lot to fork out for upfront and it might potentially take tens of years for your investment to recoup and the cost you shelled out upfront to be coming back into your pocket. Plus there's the added fact that depending on the size of your building, the solar panels you have installed might not even be enough to generate all of the power you need. I'd stay away for the time being at least.

 

I haven't had solar panels installed, but a friend of mine has and it has worked out alright so far. The only disadvantage he says is that sometimes during the winter, the solar panels get covered with snow and not enough light goes through. Luckily he lives in a bungalow, so it is easy to spray warm water on the roof, so he doesn't mind. He has had it for about 2-3 years now and I haven't heard of that many bad stories.