Is it worth getting solar panels installed on your house? (POLL)

[zeroturbulence]

First, I must say that I'm not actually in a position to get solar panels installed, but maybe sometime in the future...

So, do you think solar panels are now worth getting? Years ago people were discouraged by the high initial investment but now there are government rebates for solar and I think the cost has come down due to advances in solar technology. Plus, people can now sell their excess electricity to their local utility company and actually make money or at least have a very tiny bill every month.

So what are your opinion and thoughts on getting solar?

 

[Tinuviel]

I think it would depend upon where you live . If you get sun most times of the year, go for it! Here in the desolate wastelands of the north, not so worth it.

 

[Lynx]

A friend on chat runs exclusively on solar power. She says even with the cost of replacing the panels and batteries every few years (you know they don't last forever, right) it's still cheaper than electric company power. But you have to have a bright, sunny day before you run the washing machine.

I'm in southwest Tennessee. We have the Pickwick Dam and Tennessee Valley Authority so our power is rather cheap. If I lived somewhere else I would almost definitely go solar, but here we're already all set.

 

[wwjd_kilden]

As already said, probably depends on cost + how much you get back.
I saw a couple of houses with solar panels in Scotland actually... if it works there it has to work everywhere

Solar PV FAQs - Solar PV Explained | EWS Solar

 

[Hellooo]

Can you have both? Solar and electricity? A partially solar powered house?

 

[LanceA]

With me it is worth it because I know how to install them. For others the price can get really high.

 

[p_rehbein]

Not for me, because I rent............now, IF the Landlord installed them.........well, ok.

 

[Lynx]

Can you have both? Solar and electricity? A partially solar powered house?

Yes, and some people wind up with the electric company paying them for the energy that goes back into the system. You have to have a lot of panels out to collect that much energy though...

 

[zeroturbulence]

Can you have both? Solar and electricity? A partially solar powered house?

Yes that's actually how it works right now because the solar isn't enough to power the house all day and night so it only supppements the electricity. Someday the technology will be good enough to keep houses powered all the time

 

[Lynx]

Tip to EveAhmed: If you make an advertising post, try to make it sound more natural and less like a sales brochure. Also forget hyperlinks and just put the URL out where we can see it. These days with so many people using colored text, hyperlinks are too easy to ignore.

 

[PennEd]

Tip to EveAhmed: If you make an advertising post, try to make it sound more natural and less like a sales brochure. Also forget hyperlinks and just put the URL out where we can see it. These days with so many people using colored text, hyperlinks are too easy to ignore.

Scary that they have algorithms that good that can seek out key words in forums like "solar panels". But she still failed the Turing Test!

 

[AnayaMaldonado]

I was intrigued by reading all the opinions from here. Could someone share a resource to find out more about solar pannels? Thanks!

 

[JohnDB]

Generally speaking solar panels cost $100/watt-hr. At least they once did about ten years ago....probably more now.
On top of this they are not attractive on a home and yet another maintenance hassle that some people want no part of.

Ten years later they tend to be junk that detracts from the house value because of roof leaks, broken panels, dead batteries, inverter issues, and a host of problems.

And where electricity bills can get as high as $500-600/month for AC....a new, more efficient AC unit will usually save as much or more than Solar panels ever dreamed of saving. Also a tankless water heater will save energy too.

Lights don't burn electricity the way they once did....between the LED and CFLs fixtures....now lights are only maybe 10% of a power bill.(if that much)

Most homes have a minimum of 25 motors that eat up your electricity. So an automaticly adjustable capacitor bank will do more to reduce your costs than anything else. Nevermind the trigonometric math that is required....hire an electrician to install one. First he will put in a monitor for a couple of weeks and then get you a capacitor bank that will engage or disengage the capacitors as needed. It won't pay for itself the same as any of these suggestions....but it definitely drops your power bill.

 

[Lanolin]

Turn your home into a solar oven...could work....in Australia.

 

[Lanolin]

What does work is collecting rainwater off your roof in New Zealand. Then you can use it to flush the toilet. Or water the garden...collect it in a bucket and save it for a dry day.

 

[Lynx]

I just wonder why we all think solar panels have to go on the roof. Why not in the yard? Take some of the Sun away from the grass so it won't grow so much and need mowing all the flipping time.

 

[Eli1]

I just wonder why we all think solar panels have to go on the roof. Why not in the yard? Take some of the Sun away from the grass so it won't grow so much and need mowing all the flipping time.

Tell me about it !
I solved this problem 5 years ago where I turned my backyard into a huge patio. So no more mowing!
Leaf blower … and I’m all set.

 

[JohnDB]

I just wonder why we all think solar panels have to go on the roof. Why not in the yard? Take some of the Sun away from the grass so it won't grow so much and need mowing all the flipping time.

I've been researching zero turn lawnmowers....as I now have over an acre of lawn to mow.

These things are EXTREMELY expensive. I'm going to end up paying more for one of these things than I did my wife's car. Almost as much as I paid for my truck.

I got a weedeater yesterday...and got the brush cutting conversion kit(desperately needed). That was a $400 trip to home depot.

I haven't even started to buy fruit trees or fertilizers or pesticides yet. But it's coming.

If you install panels in your yard you need to bury the wires DEEP. Otherwise you will dig them up when you plant a shrub, tree, or garden.

 

[Lynx]

That only matters if you plan to plant any shrubs, trees or gardens. I don't want to plant nothing.

 

[Lanolin]

just invest in some goats to munch your lawn for you.
or sheep and rabbits.

Why do people want to do things the hard way just to power all their unnecessary machines. It keeps the electronics industry and robots in business I suppose.

also, why get pesticides when you can just have chickens eat the bugs and you eat their eggs and their poo can be the fertiliser. Oh no but we have to get artificial fertiliser in shipped halfway round the world and pesticdes from leftover bioweaponry chemical industry. Also shipped from across the world.