Solar PV on houshold rooftops; why not more?
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I believe a lot of people do understand about the real savings, I do. However, purchasing a system is not a real option for a lot of people. I'm a renter, so it's out of the question for me. My landlord COULD do it, but at this very moment, I would prefer double paned windows and insulation in the walls. That would lower my electric bill a GREAT deal. When my husband and I buy a house, we hope to install solar. Depending on where that is (in the country or in the city) would determine if we would be tied into the grid or running solo on batteries.
I'm a strong supporter of solar, but I like to deal in facts. California is a very favorable case because of government incentives and climate.
Solar is still not quite economically justified for most individual homeowners. The market for solar is people who don't mind spending a bit more to help the environment and houses in remote areas not served by the grid.
That will change sometime, maybe soon.
We are planning to go solar if/when we build a new home, but in Arkansas, the incentives just aren't that great. There really are not any affordable ways to get enough panels to go completely off grid and the incentives for grid tie systems just won't justify the expense.
Arkansas has the lowest priced utilities in the region so not many people are that concerned about it. We have a nuclear plant (Nuclear One)about 40 miles up the road from us so the majority of our power comes from there. We have a fairly mild climate, except for the humidity, so even the winter heating bills are not that high. It is the areas with extreme climates that will have the most benefits from solar power, and even then, you would need an area with longer days and more direct sunlight (no trees) to really take advantage of the PV systems.
So until the price tag for the technology comes down to a reasonable level, I am afraid that most people just won't care.
They are too expensive to install and they don't pay for themselves (in my area) for like 20 years. We will most likely have moved by then. I'm still hopeful that I can get it done though. My understanding is that when you are on-grid and produce extra power it goes into the grid and your meter turns backwards. There really should be more incentives for doing it, though.
When I researched this a few years back I came up with a cost of $10,000 to take a typical home off grid. Sure, that sounds like a lot compared to a monthly electric bill of $300, but on some of those half million dollar homes that cable channels depict as "typical"? Or compared to the extra money people pay just to go from the baseline model of a typical new car to the loaded one with electric butt warmers and a DVD player in the back for the kiddos? I guess a PV system lacks sufficient whiz bang and snob appeal for people to buy them.
Lester P, A $10,000 loan for 5 years at 7% would cost $198.01 a month. If it knocked a $100 off the electric bill you would come out a head. And the more the better!!
Cost and payback is determined by location and personal habits. Some one who is a energy miser will have a shorter payback time than an aggressive user. CA has a good rebate program as do some other states. But as for my self I live in WV. We have some of the lowest utility cost in the country, and coal is king in this state. So WV offers no programs. But we do still use solar and we do have people that are interested in and do install solar. But each and everyone of you that want to go solar should know you may have some other options such as wind or micro hydro. They work great in a lot of locations and can be less expensive than solar sometimes. Me personally I believe the fed. gov. should give all Americans a tax credit for the cost of the equipment let us go to a renewable energy source and stop using so much fossil fuels. But then this would cut into uncle Bush's pocket and would not make some of our elected leaders upset.
But as for the question I believe some people would buy the system. But lets face it! Most people would rather remodel a kitchen or bathroom something they can see the results of and show to their friends than get a smaller utility bill. This is a problem our society has created with all the adds promoting large SUV's, giant houses, along with ever bigger yards, 30 hp lawn mowers, and all the other items we Americans have to have so we all can look bigger and better than our neighbors.
IMO these are appallingly wasteful. They need large amounts of batteries with lead, nickel or cadmium in quantity, all are toxic metals. The systems can be in the hands of untrained people who are apt to, and have made mistakes that can seriously shorten the lives of batteries due to bad advice. This has happened to a local man. And what happens when the neighbour's trees shade your PV cells?
The 15 or 20 year payback is pie in the sky even if nothing goes wrong. That time is out of the question for most people. On the average I have moved every 6.5 years.
Just how real economics affects real home builders is illustrated by my colleague Vic P. and wife Jan a few years ago. Both of them were on good incomes and had they been married a few years. Vic was not a man to throw money about, but not stingy either. This is a fairly cool area of Australia. When I asked he said, "We looked at double glazed windows but we just couldn't afford them on top of everything else."
The "sell power to the power company" is good at the moment though, if the home system is big enough. But if there are a lot of houses with them, the power company is going to say we already have more than we need, no thank you.
It makes far more sense for the homeowner to install a solar hot water system. These can cut power bills by 20 to 25% and the payback is like 5 or 7 years, less if you are replacing an old system that has to be replaced anyway or building from new. The technology is proven, I lived in a place with a solar hot water system in 1969 and no, it was not a hippie squat but quarters provided by a bank for it's staff in a country town.
It also makes far more sense, if we have to have these photovoltaic white elephants, to put them on a suitable patch of land where they can generate like 250 kilowatts and supply several houses. The system can then be maintained by trained people who really know what they are doing. Even in such situations wind turbines are probably a far better idea as they are easily capable of generating 500 kilowatts and megawatt ones are now available I hear.
I have been reading and it blows my mind how people really think about solar.
I live in Arkansas and as was said in a message above we do have the lowest rates in the USA.
However,
That don't matter if your goal is to make money from Solar Electric and you move every 5 to 6 years as someone else said. Well that is even better for making money from solar.
When you sell your home, you get paid back for every penny you spent installing Solar on your home or Business. People don't seem to understand that the system will increase in value by 120% and make your home sell faster. So you get all the money you paid for the system back plus some.
Then you get extra free money because being you did not have an electric bill to pay the last 5 to 6 years. Yes you made payments on the system but did you not get the money back when you sold the home? So that was free electric for the last 5 years right?
Plus why rent electric when you can own the power plant.. 30 years of paying for electric could cost your 4 times more then the cost of a solar electric system because of inflation..
Think about it. Then go buy a Vette or some other high dollar sports car and hold it gas feed to the floor for 5 years and see what it is worth. And add up the cost of all that gas and car payments?
Curious if you would have the same result connecting to the grid if you lived in a not so sunny area. The initial outlay of cash is cost prohibitive to many but those who can afford it should get it. I would think solar energy would appeal to larger energy companies but have never heard of them using it. Why not?
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