Who here uses solar energy and are you happy with it?

I use solar to heat my water. I installed two solar panels with piping to an 80 gallon water heater with an internal heat exchanger. The piping is contained and has ethylene glycol inside. There is a pump that runs off a single very small photo voltaic panel. My energy bill for heating water has reduced dramatically. From a normal bill of about $200 per month to about $115 now. But it only works when the sun is out. Cost was about $5400 but In California we get a 30% rebate. Total payback is estimated at less than 49 months. ( Due to winter and less sun exposure)

Can't speak to a system that runs an entire home, but to my experience with my system. Hope it helps.

Solar energy was used at one of my previous jobs. I've also done some research into it back when i was a student.

The idea behind it is very nice but it's just not worth it at the moment because solar energy is still very inefficient. The costs are very high and actually making solar panels probably harms the environment more then the benefit of the clean energy they create. solar boilers however can be quite effective if you live in the right climate. It is a way of warming the water in your house.

Using wind mills to create energy can also work quite well.

If you are really interested in "living of the grid" I suggest you look for something called "landships" these are homes that are exactly what your interested in : (being self sufficient without using public utilities)

However you should only do this because you want to live in this manner and not because you want to make a difference to the environment because it will hardly help in that aspect. If you want to do your part for the environment it's probably better just to build your home in a way that minimizes your energy use.

If you own a patch of forest you should consider wood as an energy source. As long as you cut down less each year then the annual regrowth it is a very durable energy source

Mike,

Did your friend add in the taxes and fees that are normally on the electric bill? He don't pay them anymore with the solar electric system. He is not paying the inflation rate nor the taxes. Plus I did not see where you took out the tax credits like you would if you did any kind of a home improvment. Plus normally there are state, local and fed incentives that I did not see in your math?

A grid tie solar electric system will pay for it's self. I have done the math many times over and over again. It is a toss up if the stock markets could beat the savings. Then again if you put the money in the stock market you would still be paying an electric bill so you are still loosing money.

My colleague installed a solar photovoltaic system on his house several years ago.

The cost of the system was a little over $30,000.

The pek capacity was 3,000 watts although the system never has produced anywhere near that capacity.

The system produces approximately 4,000 kilowatt hours of electricity every year.

he financed the system with a $30,000 loan at 6% interest.

His interest cost for the system is approximately $1,800 per year.

That is an interest cost of 45 cents per kilowatt hour of electricity. That does not include depreciation and maintenance of the system.

It is an expensive way to produce electricity.

If you are off the grid you also need batteries to store the electricity produced and a backup generator when it is cloudy and you do not have enough sun to produce electricity.

Payback isn't only based on the cost of electricity today or the taxes and other added costs on the electricity that you avoid. It is also is based on the fact that the prices of energy will continue to rise. Keep in mind that the cost of the solar system is fixed at installation time, so the savings will grow due to inflation causing everyone elses costs to rise.

(However, there is aways the possibilty for unplanned maintenance or repair costs on a solar system over the life of the system which might offset some of those savings.)

Timothy D.

My boyfriend's mom powers her home with solar panels. She has a big house and we live in a climate with hot summers and cold winters. Her panels generate enough energy so that she does not have to pay a power bill and some months she actually receives a credit for producing more power than she uses.

I don't use solar power, although it would be cool. Solar power can only work well in areas with low air pollution areas and areas that are normally clear. It takes a lot of solar energy to power an entire house, so you may also want to look into geo-thermal heating and cooling.

solar energy is a good way to preserve energy. like, those swirly light bulbs. but also it is good to cut down (at lease) on things like blow dryers and electric shavers and air conditioners. As for me though i have used solar energy and it is more than usually a good enery source, i am happy with it.

i looked into it because was leaning the same way.

30k +/- and i supplied labor to install.

i can buy a lot of juice for that kind of cabbage.