Solar energy is a clean and renewable source of energy that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide energy independence. To fully power your home using solar energy, it is essential to evaluate whether a home solar electric system works for your house. Assessing your family’s needs and regular energy usage is crucial for setting up a solar panel system. Community solar, which allows subscribers to pay solar providers for some of their power, may be available in your area.
Solar panels are one of the most accessible forms of renewable energy, as they use both direct and scattered sunlight to create electricity. They can also be used to charge storage batteries, making over half of Europe’s single-family homes technically energy self-sufficient. Solar panels can convert 22 to 25 percent of sunlight into electricity, but the low efficiency means more panels are needed.
Solar power is not just for “posh” homes; it can be used to produce electricity and heat water at home. It is not just for “posh” homes; an expert shows how we can make the energy transition more accessible for everyone. Relied on the solar panels, people can utilize solar power at home to produce electricity and heat water.
In summary, solar energy is a clean and renewable source of energy that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide energy independence. By considering factors such as family needs, energy usage, and community solar programs, homeowners can make the transition to solar energy more accessible and sustainable.
| Article | Description | Site |
|---|---|---|
| Can I use solar energy as a source of electric … | Yes, you can use solar energy as a source of electric energy for your house through a solar photovoltaic (PV) system. | quora.com |
| How Is Solar Energy Used in Homes? | Solar panels offer one way to do this. At present, they can convert 22% to 25% of sunlight into electricity. The low efficiency means you need a lot of panels … | familyhandyman.com |
| Solar Energy Can Save Your Family Money and Help the … | Solar energy is an unbelievably inexpensive and reliable energy source that can use for heating and cooling homes and powering appliances. | truhome-pros.com |
📹 5 Years with Solar Panels – Is It Still Worth It?
Additional videos: How My Tesla Powerwall Could Save the Grid – https://youtu.be/_UJiglrYgJY Are Solar Panels on a Net Zero …
Could Solar Be Used In A Family Home?
A solar electric or photovoltaic (PV) system is a reliable source of electricity for homes and offices. Many homeowners install these distributed solar systems to offset electricity costs, and it is possible to power a home entirely with solar energy, depending on the size of the solar panel system, energy needs, and local sunshine availability. For those who rent or live in multifamily residences, community solar programs are often available, allowing subscribers to pay for a portion of their power from solar providers.
Homeowners contemplating solar must evaluate space requirements, costs, and potential savings. Various solar options exist, including passive solar, thermal for hot water, and photovoltaics, each with unique benefits. Solar panels capture and convert sunlight into electricity, with the ability to store excess energy for later use or feed it back to the grid, creating utility credits. If governed by an HOA, homeowners typically can install solar panels by submitting requests.
Important criteria in this decision include available solar resources, roof size, and economic feasibility. Though there are upfront costs, transitioning to a solar energy system can significantly reduce carbon footprints and offer substantial long-term financial benefits, making it a worthwhile consideration for homeowners.
How Long Do Solar Panels Last?
Solar panels typically have a lifespan of 25 to 30 years, although some high-quality models, like monocrystalline panels, may last up to 40 years. Over time, solar panels experience gradual degradation, leading to reduced electricity production. While they can still generate power after three decades, the output is significantly lower than their initial performance. The lifespan and quality of solar panels, categorized into different Tiers, greatly impact their long-term efficiency.
Most panels are designed to maintain function for 25-30 years, with an average annual degradation rate around 0. 5%. Although it's rare for panels to cease functioning entirely, they will not perform optimally as they age. In addition, warranties typically cover 25 to 30 years, protecting the investment. Regular maintenance, along with selecting reputable installers, helps maximize panel longevity.
It's important to note that while panels may last several decades, components like inverters often need replacing sooner, generally between 10 to 25 years. Overall, solar panels remain a reliable source of renewable energy for many years, making them a valuable investment.
Could Solar Energy Be Used In A Family Home?
A solar electric or photovoltaic (PV) system can effectively generate electricity for residential or commercial use, allowing homeowners and businesses to offset electricity costs. Evaluating the feasibility of solar energy is crucial, with factors like electricity usage and home orientation playing significant roles. A Colorado family has successfully utilized solar power to nearly fully supply their home’s energy needs. Environmental benefits include reduced greenhouse gas emissions and increased energy independence.
Energy-efficient windows and skylights can enhance sunlight utilization without hampering heating and cooling. Home solar systems can store generated energy for later use, contributing to an energy-efficient household. Most U. S. homes now have the opportunity to benefit from solar energy, which can meet various electricity needs depending on panel quantity. In addition to electricity, solar systems can also provide hot water and energy storage. Homeowners should assess their total electricity requirements upfront and consider cost-effective options for implementation.
While solar energy may require a significant initial investment, it promises substantial long-term financial and environmental advantages. Currently, solar panels can convert 22-25% of sunlight into usable electricity, necessitating multiple panels for larger households. Transitioning to solar energy presents a holistic approach to home energy management, including electricity, heat, and even e-mobility solutions.
Can You Run A Home Entirely On Solar Power?
Using solar energy to meet 100% of your home's energy needs is achievable for many homeowners, provided that the property can accommodate the required solar system size. However, achieving complete energy independence depends on a significant financial and time investment. Key elements include the installation of sufficient batteries or a net metering system to manage energy consumption and storage effectively. The amount of solar panels required correlates directly with the household's energy demands; higher usage necessitates additional panels.
While transitioning to solar entails careful planning—beginning with an assessment of energy consumption—it is feasible to run a home solely on solar power with proper installation and infrastructure. Many energy experts note that it is possible to make homes self-sustaining in terms of energy by utilizing expansive solar systems and batteries, especially during outages or less sunny periods.
Despite the financial implications, the benefits of solar power can lead to long-term savings and a reduction in reliance on fossil fuels. Evaluating household energy use, optimal solar system sizing, and installation details are crucial for successfully using solar energy as the sole power source. Ultimately, going completely off-grid can transform a home into a sustainable environment, making it a viable option for many.
How Many Solar Panels Do You Need For A 2000 Square Foot House?
A 2, 000-square-foot home typically requires between 16 to 21 solar panels to meet average energy consumption, which aligns with an average wattage capacity of approximately 4, 000 watts for the solar array allowed for homes of that size. Depending on the type of solar panel selected, the number of panels needed can fluctuate between 12 to 18 or even up to 28-34 panels, considering wattage and energy needs. For a more precise estimate, factors such as daily energy usage in kilowatt-hours, local sunlight availability, and the wattage capacity of the panels play crucial roles.
The average U. S. home consumes around 9, 000-11, 000 kWh per year, translating to a requirement of roughly 20 to 24 panels when utilizing 375-watt solar panels. It’s important to calculate the exact number of panels based on both energy consumption and solar potential in your area. There is no definitive number of panels per square foot; rather, it is contingent on individual electricity usage patterns and efficiency.
For families or homeowners interested in solar energy, using tools like solar calculators can be beneficial for determining specific energy needs and panel requirements, which ultimately may help reduce electricity bills and increase property value. Overall, a sustainable solar setup for a 2, 000-square-foot home would vary based on these essential factors.
How Can We Use Solar Energy In Our Household?
The primary solar technologies for residential and commercial use include solar photovoltaics (PV) for electricity, passive solar design for heating and cooling, and solar water heating. Utilizing solar energy can significantly reduce energy expenses, carbon footprints, and utility bills, effectively saving homeowners thousands each year. Key applications include energy-efficient windows, skylights, and various solar lighting options. Solar energy is known for its cleanliness and renewability, contributing to greenhouse gas emission reductions while providing energy independence during outages.
Common uses of solar power range from generating electricity and heating water to lighting homes and powering appliances. Many homes can integrate solar systems to harness this abundant resource. A solar PV system can reliably generate power, enhancing the resilience of homes and businesses. The article explores ten applications of solar energy, emphasizing its potential to impact daily routines positively.
Beyond residential use, solar energy can also support various activities, including charging devices and powering outdoor gear. Overall, solar energy offers diverse benefits for households and industries alike.
How Do You Use Solar Energy Indoors?
Lightweight solar lights can effectively be charged indoors using various methods. You can utilize regular light bulbs or position them near windows to absorb natural sunlight. Additionally, if your solar lights are equipped with a USB charger, charging through laptops or solar power banks is an option. For optimal charging, it is essential to ensure they receive adequate light—either from a sunny window or artificial sources. This guide emphasizes the importance of selecting the right type of solar light and strategic placement to maximize effectiveness indoors.
Though solar energy typically relies on sunlight, it can also convert light from artificial sources like LED or incandescent bulbs. With proper positioning and maintenance (such as cleaning solar panels), indoor solar lights can function efficiently. However, limitations exist; for example, charging capacity diminishes under weaker light. Certain transparent solar cells can even be integrated into everyday items like mobile devices and buildings, capturing solar energy in various environments.
Ultimately, the capacity to charge solar lights indoors depends on their exposure to light—be it natural or artificial. To start using solar lights indoors, identify bright areas or windows for placement and consider the type of backup light available, ensuring they remain functional and effective despite weather conditions.
Should You Buy A Solar-Powered Home?
Purchasing a solar-powered home can significantly accelerate your transition to clean energy, joining countless American families utilizing solar power. It offers benefits like reduced energy bills, diminished greenhouse gas emissions, and increased energy independence. Due to ongoing investments in solar technology, costs are consistently decreasing. If you're considering a house with solar panels already installed, it's an exciting opportunity that aligns with a growing interest in renewable energy. Many homeowners associations (HOAs) do allow solar installations after proper requests, supported by solar access laws in various states that protect homeowners' rights.
This guide offers insight into the advantages and disadvantages of solar panels, installation costs, and essential factors to consider when deciding on a solar investment. Solar power not only helps reduce carbon footprints but can also elevate your property value. Those choosing solar often question whether to buy a home with existing panels or install their own. It's a personal decision influenced by financial considerations and lifestyle preferences.
Ultimately, whether you're motivated by cost savings or environmental impacts, now is an optimal time to embrace solar energy. With advancements in technology and available tax incentives, potential homeowners can benefit greatly from integrating solar solutions into their living spaces.
Is Solar Energy Enough To Power A House?
Yes, you can fully power your house with solar energy. Many people have installed extensive solar panel systems, allowing them to go off-grid and create self-sustaining homes. Generally, a 10 kW solar system can meet the needs of an average U. S. household, which uses about 30 kWh of electricity daily, often requiring a system in the range of 5 kW to 8. 5 kW depending on sun exposure.
While solar panels provide power primarily during the day, they can still cover your energy requirements. The average U. S. household consumes around 10, 791 kWh yearly, indicating that a properly sized solar panel system could effectively meet these needs. For optimal performance, factors such as roof size, orientation, and local climate must be considered.
A study indicated that a 10 kWh solar system, complemented with a battery, could sustain critical household functions for three days. Utilizing solar energy can reduce electric bills, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and promote energy independence. Although nearly all homes with sufficient sunlight can benefit, not every property is suited for solar energy systems. To maximize efficiency, homeowners can use Energy Star appliances, leading to lower energy demands.
In conclusion, with the right installation, homeowners can achieve full solar power independence, making it a viable and sustainable energy solution.
How Many Solar Panels Would It Take To Run A Household?
To determine how many solar panels are needed to power a house, several factors must be considered, including home size, energy consumption, and panel efficiency. Generally, an average-sized home in the United States, approximately 2, 480 square feet, typically requires between 15 to 22 solar panels to fully replace conventional energy sources. For most U. S. households, the number of solar panels needed ranges from 10 to 20 to offset annual electricity use. A more specific estimate suggests that a typical home needs around 17 to 30 panels to cover 100% of its energy needs.
The wattage of the solar panels plays a critical role in this calculation; common residential panels range from 250 to 400 watts. For instance, a 2, 500 square foot home might require about 20 to 25 solar panels, while a smaller, energy-efficient home could suffice with a fewer number. Calculating energy needs involves reviewing past utility bills and considering factors like sunlight exposure. Ultimately, each household's panel requirement may vary widely, with estimates indicating that an average home generally needs about 15 to 20 panels, contingent on location and specific energy usage patterns.
📹 WHAT APPLIANCES CAN YOU RUN ON SOLAR? Off Grid Family run home on DIY off grid solar power system
We are a young family living completely off grid in the UK. Our home is powered by the DIY solar power system that we have …
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About 11 years ago, I had a grid-connected array of free-standing solar panels installed behind my barn. (I realize most homeowners do not have the space for this.) It produces about 90% of the power I need on the farm. The panels are angled for maximum sun exposure during the summer in Michigan; during the winter, we manually tilt them vertically for 3 reasons: 1) the lower angle of the sun during winter 2) to avoid snow sticking to them 3) to take advantage of “snow bounce” (the light reflected off the snow on the ground). I’ve been completely pleased with their performance; my annual electric bills are in the low hundreds of dollars instead of thousands. I can run my whole house A/C while still sending excess power to the grid on hot days! I love having green power!
I did a DIY solar last year and ended up spending about $30k for 11 kW including 15 kWh of battery storage. My takeaways were: 1) Buy all the panels you think you might want at once, or accept that you’ll end up with a mix of different panels that may not be mechanically or electrically identical. Panels change enough that it’s extremely hard to find panels that were readily available 2+ years ago. 2) Get 20%+ more panel capacity than inverter capacity. The inverters have the same limit regardless of time of day or weather, but panels spend most of their time below peak capacity. 3) “Sun hours” is a very useful metric for system-sizing. In my climate, we get about 4.5 “sun hours” per day, or 4.5 x 11 = 49.5 kWh/day averaged over the year. 4) Use an off-the-shelf racking system. I designed & built my own ground mount system, and I definitely wouldn’t do it again. 5) Battery backup is AWESOME for quality of life during outages.
I have a friend who worked at a radio astronomy observatory for decades. They had this “standardized” intelligence test for their interns. When the “big” (26m) dish would fill up with snow, the procedure was to tilt it down, and hit it repeatedly with a whacking stick, and it would come avalanching down. The “test”? If the student stood behind the dish while whacking it, they passed the test. Several students failed this test…
I’m in Ottawa Canada and I have a 10kw array. The installer neglected to install the snow rail and the first winter we had a fairly large accumulation slide off. It shook the house. I went out to look at what had happened and was surprised to see it had dumped the snow out far enough to smash my neighbours air conditioning unit in to the ground. Thankfully the installer covered the repairs and installed the rail. No avalanches since.
We’re in Austin,Texas and got solar and 2 powerwalls a few months ago. We had gone through winter storm uri a couple years ago and didn’t have any power for several days where we live. This time during winter ice storm mara we kept our power on the whole time (it was out in our neighborhood for several days) having TV, Lights, and Kitchen appliances all working. We have a fireplace that we kept the house warm with so we didn’t use the AC/Furnace. So I’m super happy with our solar!
Nice article Matt. My advice would be to make sure your installer/provider is someone who has installed many years and all kinds of system designs. Example, your inverters are not desired because they create too many points of failure. Every extra part and extra connection is a point of potential failure. There are pros and cons of all decisions and choices. Nice article, good information Matt.
We have a 14′ x 70′ ground mounted panel system in our large back yard. This avoided all of the roof-mounted issues. We also have a geothermal heat pump system for heating and cooling. Our utility bills with this combination are minuscule, and the home is totally carbon free. We have been comfortable year-round and very happy with the systems.
We had 22 solar panels installed (380 Watt) and a 10 KW battery. Here in Denmark we pay a high rate for transport between 5 PM and 9 PM. But low cost at night. So here at winter time we charge the battery at night and discharge between 5 and 9. That save us a lot. We have a 9 KW heating pump to warm up the house and 2 EV’s. All electric now and I am pretty exited how much we save. The system is 1 month only but we can see now it is a great investment. Thank U for all your fantastic articles!!
Roof leaks. The cost of repairing roof leaks caused by the solar install have more than wiped out any savings on my electric bill. Initial cost of install was around $15k minus the tax credit. Less than five years later, I’m looking at an additional expense of over $25k to repair the roof leaks including paying the original solar company over $4k to remove the solar panels so the roof can be repaired. You must factor total roof replacement into the cost of a solar install. Every roofer I contacted said the solar company should have told me this at the outset, but many solar companies won’t because they fear losing the sale.
I live in northern Idaho. We get a LOT of snow. I had our solar panels installed on an elevated frame on the ground. This work out great. I am able to clear the panels of snow easily and not worry about build up on the roof. We have the room on our property to do this. If we get a huge dump of snow, we still need to clear snow at the bottom of the panels to allow for the snow to slide off.
Another thing to consider is structural integrity of your roof. I lived in a housing area for a few years that had some years prior attempted to put panels on most if not all of the properties. Apparently, the extra weight of the panels plus several inches of snowfall was enough to collapse some of the roofs.
I installed solar six years ago and living in Arizona I feel it was the best thing I have every done for my house. I am connected to the grid and never expected to not have a monthly bill. I have a pool that runs every night and the AC puts a big drain on the electrical draw of the house (2600sq ft). I had a very good solar company, not the cheapest, and with the age of my house they advised to redo my roof before installation. Also the rear of my house faces about SSW so it is good for several reasons, good alignment for the sun plus it does not affect the curb appearance. Apart from two months of the year I am either building up credit with the electric company or slowly drawing on them as demand increases as the weather gets hotter. My typical electric bill is less that $20 and before solar the lowest it would be during the winter would be about $110. When I have exhausted my credits my monthly cost will increase to about $160 which is very reasonable for my house. I just looked at my July performance and I generated 1.3MWh although it dropped slightly due to the extreme heat and I have 7.25KW system. I made use of the 30% rebate and with the savings I have paid for the system. I do not consider the roof cost as part of the installation as the age of my house meant that it was very close to needing that anyway, a house across from me recently has to have all the panels removed for the roof replacement. I may consider some additional panels as I am thinking of a heat pump for the pool and maybe a plug in hybrid
The issue for solar here in the Midwest is obviously not sun availability, but the risk of damage to panels from hailstones. Potential customers are strongly advised to consult with their insurance company to verify any special caveats or endorsements that may be in play for the panels, the structure of your roof, or the replacement of the roof when the shingles age out. Also, there are numerous shady solar operators who sell a bill of goods with poor installs, poor equipment, or poor terms (for the homeowner). I have a friend whom I fear is amid just such a contractor. Just be exceptionally careful.
One question I have is why, when we hear that renewable energy is cheaper and getting even cheaper than fossil fuel energy and, that in most jurisdictions, more and more of our energy is being produced by renewable energy, why is the price of electricity, pretty well all over the world is going up. Someone is price gouging.
We have solar, but came into it in a weird way – we bought a house that already had it (installed late in 2014). So I didn’t have any buying decisions to make. Did it affect the cost of the house? No way to know, really, as there are so many other variables. When we first got in the house, I got into the monitoring system, and quickly realized that there was a fault, and the system was only producing about 40% of the expected output. So my first job was to call the installer (who was still in business), and get him to come out and get that resolved. After that, the system has been flawless. I will make the observation that it helps to sort of look at it every so often to see if any faults have been reported that need to be dealt with, but those tend to be rare. For the case where you purchase a home with solar already on it, he SREC thing was kind of a bureaucratic hassle. it was originally in the name of the previous owner of course, and there is paperwork required to get it transferred over into my name. Fortunately, the solar installer came through here too and helped with that process. My only complaint was that it seemed to take a long time, but that wasn’t their fault. We are starting to get close to the point where we hit the 10 year mark that the SREC have paid out, and after that, we still get another 10 years at a significantly reduced rate. We very rarely have power outages, and we don’t have TOU. So for us, it is hard to make an argument to add batteries. The hard thing about batteries is that a lot of people come into it believing that in the event of an extended outage, they can run their entire house off of the batteries, and for most people, that’s not really very realistic.
I’m an old, washed-up, retired electrical engineer, but I still feel qualified to pronounce your articles to be excellent. I just subscribed to your website :-). BTW: Your energy costs are positively frightening. I live in hydro-powered Montreal; our cost in US$ is 5.6 cents/kwh. Don’t think I’ll be adding solar panels anytime soon ;-).
I’ve had solar for 3 years. One thing I wish I had known was that you need to compare the net metering numbers the system produces compared to what the utility is registering. It turns out that my system started misreporting my consumption some time in the first year, probably due to a loose CT in the electric panel. I then bought an EV thinking I had massively excess production — it wasn’t true. So now I have an electric bill again during winter. The EV was still a good choice for a myriad of reasons, but it’s no longer “free” to run like we initially thought it would be. Another lesson learned is to use a solar installer with a local footprint. My installer is a big company in multiple states, including my state, but they don’t have an office/warehouse in my area. So for service issues, I have to schedule visits that come from across the state, adding additional turnaround time.
I got quoted 100k for a 15k system. Monthly payment 670$ a month with 4.6% escalators. My electric bill is only 156$, makes no sense. I got a better quote from another company for 60k and got 280$ with no escalators, still twice my utility bill. No savings at all unless my electric bill doubles and might break even at 25 years, which is a horrible investment. If I DIY solar, I might get the system I want for 25k in material post tax incentives but would still take 10-15 years to break even. I don’t plan to sell my home so I don’t value equity.
As a roofer with over 30 years of experience, putting solar panels on roof is worst thing you can do for your roof. Every roof will leak eventually but with proper maintenance your roof can last a lifetime especially with concrete or tile roofs. Solar panels makes it difficult for you to maintain or repair the problem areas. Leaks usuallu occurs near chimneys, vent tubes, skylights, or wherever hole was made on the roof. Solar panels installation requires hundreds of screws drilled in the roof that over time it’s guaranteed to leak. You may save some money with electric bills but in a long run you are paying hefty price of new roof. Penny wise but pound foolish.
20+ years off grid with solar. You made some good points and proper orientation for panels to get the most output is critical. A roof mount may not be the best option and you can do a ground mount or possibly a garage or patio mount instead. Ground mount also reduces snow build up and rain issues and are easier to maintain. Having a battery backup really is the best option and you want enough storage capacity to handle basic needs for at least 3 days. Blackouts are lasting longer now due to more storms and an antiquated grid. I suggest a hybrid system for city dwellers that is grid tied but can also be switched to full off grid in the event there is a long term blackout or you just don’t want that grid connection at some point. With the right appliances you do not need a huge system and many US homes can be powered by just a 5-7Kw system. My system is only 1Kw and I have most appliances as any grid home. Good luck on the new house and I am interested to see the new setup!
Size and return on value are critical calculations to perform. I have a shed that is used as an office, and I wanted to use solar to power it. Found a nice $4k kit that my installer told me would do the job easily. Like you said never take someone’s word for it but do the math yourself. Which is very difficult because there are no standards in the industry. Some report battery storage one way while another completely differently. In short, my experience was horrible. To power a shed that had computers, lights, fan or AC etc… the number of batteries necessary to run it through the night were MASSIVE. I’d need to almost build a separate shed for the batteries themselves. It’s really something you have to investigate well. A lot of people think these solar panels will power your entire house easily, but the reality is people usually only power certain appliances or outlets from them. It’s a worthwhile field but personally I feel it really needs regulation and better standards. I ended up giving up on the system and plugging into the almighty grid instead. Good article however.
When we lived in Florida we looked into panels when Tesla was partnering with Home Depot. They came out and the first thing she advised us to do was to get an energy audit from the power company to see what our use was and to get an evaluation on our home’s efficiency. That’s when it hit home! Our 1957 home was/is an energy hog. Poor attic insulation, decades old ductwork, zero crawlspace insulation, and an 80 gallon conventional water heater meant we’d be throwing good money after bad. The Tesla rep was amazingly honest and pointed out that to even come close to breaking even we’d be into it for 70K between panels and batteries. Now we live in the mountains and this home is better but still not good. It’s a converted cabin so the wall thickness isn’t great for R value. Looking at the numbers in two different homes we came to the conclusion that one’s home envelope and efficiency need to be addressed before any talk of solar can be serious. It makes no sense to spend a ton of money on a home that leaks energy like a sieve.
Well, since you asked; I do have some feedback about my experience putting solar on my house. Some things I stumbled on … 1. You cannot just look at your roof area to calculate what you can put up. There are required set backs from the edges to allow firefighters to do their job. 2. There apparently are some code requirements for spacing between your electrical panel and the gas line (meter?) If you increase your electrical panel current then that spacing may need to increase. Exactly how this is done? I don’t know, I declined. I scaled back my system so it wasn’t necessary. 3. Increasing your electrical panel current with your solar may require updating your service lines from the power grid. If you have service from an overhead line, maybe not such a big deal, but if the power lines are below ground then there will be some trenching involved. I declined to have a system large enough to make this necessary. I may change my mind later. Was the purchase and installation worth it? Yes, absolutely. I expect to achieve break even after about 7 years from purchase.
For comparison, I had 42 Sunpower SPR225-BLK panels installed about 15 years ago, they are pretty worn-out by now. Total price was $75,000 before credits, total capacity was 9450 watts, very similar to yours. After 15 years the power is down substantially due to deterioration of the substrate, which was expected. 2021 generation was 16,620 kWh which covered exactly 1/2 of our total usage, which was ~32,000kWh. Being part of SRP means about $70 per month in fees and taxes. My panels are small compared to the new form-factor where you get ~400 watts per panel, efficiency is pretty similar. At least when new. I suspect our panels wear out faster in Phoenix than they would in New England.
Just picked up on your website Matt. Here in South Australia which is a long way from you, I think I can safely say, solar is well worth it with around 1/3 of homes now using rooftop solar. Even in my small street, 10 out of 14 homes now have solar. And when I look at my figures; my electricity bill was $650 for 9 months and that’s with just an average 6.6 kwh system, that has generated some 7,700 kw/h in 9 months. But then again, we never see snow and I’m ok with that!
This house has been off-grid for the last 15 years with no grid-tie. Just went from the old Outback to a new SolArk combo inverter with lithium batteries last week and it’s running amazingly! 3P config Discover AES 48V 130Ah batts with 5kW PV input. Cost $32k It would have cost $45k to bring in grid power, and then we’d be paying an electric bill. I installed it all myself. The SolArk wiring was a breeze!!! Touch screen controls, all the settings are labelled intuitively. Manual is easy to follow. Also has a ton of options for sell-back and scheduling and peak shaving for AC coupled users. I’m not affiliated with them at all, just a very happy customer.
Hi Matt. I am a resident of the UK and have had solar panels for some years. I have no comment to make regarding the financial aspects of UK solar because subsidies in the UK will be so different from in the US. What I do wish to comment upon is the issue that arises once solar panels have been installed – birds seeking to nest beneath the panels. I have had problems with pigeons trying to nest beneath my 30 panels. I have tried various deterrents including the use of a spring gun that fires BB plastic balls and which will hurt the pigeons but not damage them. Limited benefit, though my aim has improved. Next I used a water cannon (3ft long water pistol). That worked well but made a real mess of the windows as we are in a hard water area. Finally, and of most success, was a 25ft long series of bamboo poles. Simply tapping the solar panels with this assembly really seems to upset the pigeons. Of course the various pairings of potential sub-panel dwellers each need to be subjected to the bamboo training exercise before success is achieved. I relate all of this to hopefully let your audience know just how troublesome and determined these birds can be. Once established under solar panels I am advised that they can breed every couple of months – and the offspring return to their place of birth to breed. Once established there is the risk of them pecking through cables, the issue of droppings, noise… the moral of this story is that if you have pigeons in your area then, when having the panels installed, consider having some form of mesh installed around the panels to prevent bird ingress.
Agree with the mini-snow avalanches. I’ve gotten used to hearing big clumps of snow hit my back deck where a cluster of panels for my array are located. I have another smaller cluster out front, which has the same issue, but there’s no danger that anyone will be standing there. Today, thanks to you, I learned about snow guards and may ask my installer about them. Good luck with the guide!
I like your articles and you do a fine job. I have had solar on my home in California for over 22 years. I was an early adopter of this technology and have been very happy with it. The only issue I have had is that my inverter started to die after about 15 years. (It was guaranteed for 10). At that time I got a new inverter and added another 12 panels, which were about 66% more powerful than the original ones. All of the panels are still producing electricity and it has been fun to know the sun is providing our power. I wish we had the great support you have gotten in your state!
In our case the company we hired went bankrupt after a tax incentive program was cancelled. Few years later 1 panel stopped working and when we had it looked at by another company it turned out that the first bunch majorly botched the install and we were on the hook for an additional $9k to get everything essentially re-installed. If you can get any kind of insurance on your install I’d highly recommend it! Of course I’m also very annoyed with our city inspectors that was supposed to find these issues before the install was completed but they were useless.
I had a 7.4kw system installed in 2009. I paid around $30k and got back around $15k in tax credits. The first 2 years I got $3300 each year In SERCs then the program changed and has decreased each year since then. I figured the system paid itself off In approximately five years. So I am happy, definitely has reduced my monthly bills
One note on solar panels and house value. We recently moved and we were buying a house with solar panels. Our loan company said they wouldn’t give us the loan if the panels were not fully paid for. I know it is pretty popular in New Mexico where a different company owns your panels and you pay a flat rate, but at least for our loan, the company said that was a deal breaker. Luckily the house had paid off their panels so it was a non issue.
One subject I NEVER see in article’s like this (not just yours) is what would a hail storm do to these panels? Here in west central Texas, we have small ones every season. About every 4 to 5 years, golfball, baseball, and almost every 7 to 10 years, softball-sized hail. Solar panels are not as expensive as they once were, and they are getting more powerful, but the payout is still over a decade. Also, they are costly to insure, if at all. When you add storage, the price exceeds what most people can afford, even with the taxpayer’s help.
Great article as usual Matt. I’m in MA and following your journey along the way. Have a 10kW array and PWs installed in 2020. Two things I would like to share with those who planning to build. 1. If you taking loan to cover your project watch out how long does it take to complete. Because of covid delays our project took over the year and I had to close the loan before I got 30% refund. So loan interest was calculated from entire amount. If I would be able to sent this refund check to lender it would pay less. 2. Even with great installers babysit every step. Like discuss exactly where you want equipment would be installed. Everyone wants to have done job quickly and sometimes not most optimal way. I was told we need to have meters, disconnects, etc installed on the front of the house. With little discussion it was moved out the way. Also I made a list of each microinverters ID and placement on the roof, so it was helpful when installer was mapping panel locations (my setup includes 2 strings and 4 arrays). 3. Hot coffee in a winter or cooler in a summer provided to install crew goes really long way.
I like your comment about snow falling off sloped room solar panels. My roof is flat and I live in Indiana (where it does snow) and I’m in the process of doing roof repairs to make sure new solar panels will not need to be removed in a few years to do a roof repair. But after perusal this, I’m going to look into tilting the panels rather than laying them flat. Thank you for this advice!
My daughter and her husband got screwed by an installer in South Carolina that has now gone out of business. One thing they ran into was that there are lots of installers, but few concerned with repair and maintenance. But they have been informed that the installer always intended to exit the business before people started making claims. There likely is no practical recourse for my daughter and son-in-law for their losses.
I had a solar company cold call my property and give me a quote today. The problem i had was the hard sale, where I only had 2 hours to decide if I was going to sign along the dotted line. I told them under no uncertain terms I was not going to make a hasty decision no matter the benefits of solar and payback period.
I have solar panels for my house for 5 years as well. I live in Singapore. I installed 7.54kwp for $17800 and was able to save about $200 per month on my bills. I definitely agree that picking the right installer is key on which direction your experience will go. Mine (solargaga) was lukewarm and not great at times but I heard worse stories. Thanks for sharing about the less harvest in 2021. I experienced the same issue and thought that my solar panels was acting up but next year it spike so I wasn’t sure why. Now, I keep my fingers crossed that my solar panel continue to function properly so I get returns from my investment and able to break even. Over the 5 years, I did have to replace one of the spd which cost me $300. The install was supposed to come with 5 years of free maintenance service but it’s nothing more than them coming to look at your readings. They did not even bother to climb up and check the panels. Scheduling with them was always an unpleasant experience. In Singapore, we did not have the battery available to us yet when installed mine 5 years ago so I do not have that for my home. I would be interested to look into that. We do not get government subsidies or any form of credit at all. Singapore is still rather backwards that way.
In our area (LAS Vegas) you can have neighbors prevented from interfering with the daily sun on your panels. If a neighbor plants a tree they have to consider your solar install and prevent shading of your system. Something to look into in your area! Another quick observation is on windy or cooler days (yes even here in Vegas!) our 5.6kwh system can produce up to 6kwh (the max on our inverter). So take into consideration your wind and temps and what possible effects they may have on your system. One last note! Go big! My regret is that I didn’t go bigger on our system to begin with. Now our panels are no longer produced and adding to our existing strings is not possible with mis matched panels. Our options now are to find some used versions of our panels or create a whole new system for added capacity. Reasoning for the go big approach include adding a plug in hybrid or fully electric car, maybe a pool is in our future, and even cooling our home a bit more when it’s 115 outside! Hope these tips help!
Hi I’m from Perth, Western Australia and we get plenty of sun, even in Winter. It can be overcast for up to 4-5 days here in Winter so we installed 50kwh of Lifepo4 batteries (house uses ~22-24kwh/day). I only have 8kw of solar panels with 2x 2kw Wind Turbines (actually only average about 1.5-1.7kw each at best). Total cost here was US$19,000 but we don’t use any grid power at all. We are still connected to the grid via an isolator but choose not to use grid power. I recommend looking into efficient wind generators for cold climates and large LiFePo4 batteries banks. Tesla walls can explode (the unit Matt has, uses Li-ion batteries so could potentially burn the house down) 3 have gone up in smoke here and they lost their home.
I am in Arkansas and this past September, I installed a DIY ground mount system at my farm. The utility here has 1-1 net metering. The other advantage is they allow for other meters that your responsible for to be connected to the same net metering account. I have a condo that I am offsetting my electric bill on. So for the past 8 months, I have had a 0 net metering kWh for both locations. Also the fact that the system is ground mount, I am not worried about roof issues or access if I ever have to perform maintenance on the array. I consider solar to be a WIN.
We built a 1000 sq ft house in the country in 2016. Great insulation, propane heat, propane dryer and on demand hot water heater. 4400 watt system. With solar panel on a stand, not on the roof. The batteries 48 V in an underground shelter. It worlds great. We have to maintain the batteries every month adding distilled water. We have a military diesel generator when we need it for rainy days. We will probably have to replace the batteries in a year or so, not sure what kind yet. This is off grid. We also have a well with a pump that runs on it.
Hi Matt. I remember perusal your pv install vid before I took the plunge and got panels on my roof in the UK in Aug 19. As you may know, the energy market here has been a bit of a roller coaster over the last couple of years. Initially I was signed up to a utility supplier who paid a very nice rate for my spare kwhs. In fact, in 2020 (when the weather was admittedly fantastic) I didn’t pay a penny in utilities (gas or electricity) for six months. Then in 2021 it all went a bit pear-shaped. The market convulsed and many suppliers, including mine, went bust. I became a British Gas customer for over a year and the rate they were buying kwhs was so small, it wasn’t worth doing. There are more eco-friendly suppliers out there and in Feb this year I was able to swap to Octopus. Cheaper rates, nicer company all round to deal with. EXCEPT when it came to selling my kwhs. I first asked them about it in April and, having gone through a tedious signing up process discovered that here in the UK we have two types of system installation certificate. Well, guess what? The one that I have is not the one they recognise. So back to the drawing board. I am now signed up with a different supplier and am currently waiting on final approval from our national grid (takes up to 8 weeks, I gather). However the payments start from when I applied, so I shouldn’t have lost too much of the main generating season. Next stop is to swap over the supply of gas and electric (tomorrow’s admin task) so that I’m not buying from one supplier and selling to another.
Matt, I have followed your solar journey for sometime now and it has actually pushed us to get solar here in southeast PA. We just passed the 1 year mark. while the benefits are similar they are different based on SRECs, etc. I’m still wondering if we had made the right choice at times when I see that electric bill, but once I do the math, we are still saving with the rise of electric prices. Batteries are next on my list but I am unsure if they are worth the price… I’m hoping the price will come down here in the next two to three years.. best of luck with the new home and keep up the good work
7:49- This is a big factor that people miss when researching and getting wowed by the tales of savings. Where are those examples/stories coming out of. I’ve seen local promo’s for solar panel installs touting customer stories of how much they saved. But the stories are from people nowhere near my area and places much sunnier. And a big factor in this deceptive marketing is kWh price. You’re paying $0.37/kWh USD (and that’s 6 months ago, so likely higher today, Aug 2023). I’m paying $0.07/kWh USD as I literally just opened the bill envelope to check. ROE and how long it’s going to take to pay for the panels + interest if you have to borrow. And will they even be paid for before they fail or need replacing? Our local power is Hydro generated, for reference. My house is perfect for solar. On a hill top. Perfect orientation to the sun, and no tree shade. But unless someone gives them to me for free. No thanks.
I am in the process of having solar panels installed (on my garage) to reduce or eliminate my monthly utility bills… Getting info & specifics from 3 companies to decide which company to go with. I’m a BIG BELIEVER IN DOING LOTS OF SHOPPING & LEARNING before making major decisions ! Takes extra time, but is worth the time in the long run. Your article was EXTREMELY HELPFUL for problems encountered, etc. I wish even more people did similar articles that can help the rest of us avoid issues and problems in our decisions !
I live in Massachusetts and had my roof done a few years ago. I decided not to go solar because I realized that the new technology would come in a few years as it already was changing yearly, also it voids any warranty you had on your roof. As my calculations for 50 percent bill reduction plus the monthly bill for the solar panels adds up to way more than I’m paying for electricity now
Matt – enjoy your articles; installed my system in July 2019 and its exceeded my expectations. I have a 45 deg roof that orients SSE with no obstruction, so a 98% solar rating. My 22 panel 7.04 KW array has produced 33.9 MWh of power so far and I will recoup my investment in 4 yrs. Haven’t had an electric bill since I installed my system and love getting my monthly checks from the power company. Thinking about adding a battery but have to do more research and also perusal to see if costs come down with evolving technology. Good luck with the new house.
The rising energy costs is such a big one. My husband did load calculations and realized our hvac unit isn’t properly sized for our house. Plus we have a cheap, inefficient system to begin with.. So our electric bill has always been high. Now with our power company raising rates our electric bills are extremely high for a 1400 square foot homes. We’re talking about working in building our “forever home” and I’m definitely looking into airtight home designs, passive solar, and solar panels.
Excellent lessons learned Matt, I hadn’t thought about the rain. I have a metal roof on a 2 story building we have snow guards on our metal roof and would do the same for solar panels but in the end I’m on a acreage and have plenty of room, in the end I will setup my solar on the ground not on the roof. Based on your articles this makes the most sense for me. Cheaper install easier to keep them clean, can put them in the optimum direction and son on.
2 year on solar, in Sonoma County. I produce enough to cover home and EV. Battery backup has saved us through 3 blackouts, and also runs the home in peak times. They put a second sub-panel for all the 220 circuits. I chose to keep the oven on the main sub-panel, so I don’t lose that when there is a blackout. I also put in a heat pump. That’s the real savings. I personally think it is part of the package.
We have had solar for 18 years and it is still working great. Our panels came from Canada with a 300 pound snow limit and the contractor did that because we live in Florida with hurricanes and strong winds like they have up in Canada at times our bill is a third of what it would be including a heated pool and hot water that you never have to boil water ever again.
A friend of ours had solar installed, but now has a leaky roof because of improper roof installation. The roofing company is now bankrupt. Now they have to foot the bill for removing and replacing the solar panels plus replacing the roof. 20 years ago we a similar experience with our “50 year roof” failing in just two years. Our roofing company also went bankrupt. At least we didn’t have solar to worry about at the time. I’m now 75 and retired living comfortably in a new energy efficient house which is paid for. Our electric bills are completely manageable. I cannot see any benefit to adding solar which does not also increase my financial risks to an extent that could ruin us, if things go wrong.
I lived in Mass for a number of years. There were other resources to let folks know when contractors go bad. I had a similar challenge (though not nearly so impactful) with Tesla Solar. They said they had to remove my existing gutters and covers, and gave me a recommendation for a contractor who installed “Tesla Solar Roof-compatible” gutters and covers. After multiple attempts, that contractor was unwilling to even give us an estimate. We got it done in the end, without Tesla’s help.
We pay a similar $0.37/kWh during peak hours, and had solar installed October 2022 after getting some gnarly electric bills last summer. Our cost was $31,450 before incentives for 8.5 kW of panels, though we do have a south facing roof and no shade on the part of the roof that has panels, so our production numbers are pretty decent for a system that size, in 4 months since it was installed we’ve produced just over 3MW of power, and that’s despite a fairly rainy (for CA) winter so far. The installer projects 15MW for the full year, and I expect to save ~$4000/yr so the system will “pay for itself” in around 6 years. Yes, the value proposition of putting the money into the stock market would probably be better, but this is bought and paid for and I don’t know that I’d have had the discipline to stash the same money in the market and leave it alone. Also the 30% tax incentive was great, got that back on our taxes (as others have commented, it has nothing to do with your withholding, but we pay enough in taxes to get the full 9k back this year… also you can split it between multiple years if your tax burden is lower). Overall we’ve been happy with our system. I can’t imagine paying for the battery backup though. Our power is out for maybe 2 hours per year on average, it seems bizarre to pay 5 figures to mitigate that… though I suppose if it was free (as it was for Matt) I might have some enthusiasm for it… Even if I had a need for it, I’m not convinced the battery tech is mature yet.
Hi Matt, thanks for sharing your results. I was a bit surprised by the solar production but then again my installation, although just a bit larger produced significantly more. Guess major difference due to latitude difference as I am in the Barcelona, Spain area, and lots more sun. Anyway, with a 30/400W panels with 9 facing south and 21 west I produced 16.3MW with a 10kW string inverter. You have a great deal with your power company with a 1:1 net metering which shows that batteries only make sense depending on where your live and the rates paid. Also, guess depends on if you have many power outages. BTW, I would change your 1,000kWh consumption per month for mine any day. Again thanks for sharing.
1) lengthy contracts (can be 25 years) / expensive 2) someone buys your house, you have a contract to hopefully transfer. Not to mention not everyone is crazy about solar panels 3) you have to use a specific company at inflated rates to work on your roof 4) power outages still impact you 5) What happens when those panels are damaged due to storms? Over your lifetime you have these panels most likely this will happen more than once In sum, if it sounds too good to be true….
As an example of how solar varies by location, I have a 5.78kw system in Northern CA, compared to his 9.7kw system in MA. Last year I produced 8.5mw to his 7.4mw. 15% more power from 1/2 the capacity of the system. I’m a firm believer that home solar is worthwhile just about everywhere, but the ROI period sure does vary a lot! Keep this in mind if you are considering solar for your home.
If I ever get solar i would be going off grid, dealing with our energy provider has been getting worse, and with gouging rate increases every year, were about ready to tell them to stick it where the sun doesn’t shine. I plan on looking into nickel iron batterys for our energy storage because of their longevity and serviceability. just hoping solar panels come down in price too.
As much as I would love to have one of those solar systems, as a 60+ person it doesn’t sound like I would have enough time left to see a return for the investment. We got a geothermal system for our 4,300 sq.ft. home, but the frequent, expensive repairs and maintenance over the years make me wonder if we’ve really saved much. I definiteky see the return for the on-demand water heater and I strongly recommend them. Regarding buying a house with a solar system, I have already seen a few houses that come with the remaining balance for the system installation (as much as $30,000 in one case) separate from the asking price for the house, making it even more prohibitive.
I am having my 10Kvh system being installed as I watch this article, it was a timely recommendation and I was interested in what issues you encountered. I laughed when you mentioned one of the issues is snow since I won’t have to worry about that as I live in Australia. Overall good article and makes me more confident that I made the right decision with my own system.
There’s one big concern you didn’t talk about in your article. Most solar panels I have seen are installed on roofs. There are two concerns with that. They must be secured to the roof (I assume). Any time you have a penetration through your roof, you have a potential leak site. The useful life of your solar panel investment is only until the next time you need a replacement roof. I didn’t hear any consideration of that fact in your detailed cost discussion. Don’t see how you can ignore these points.
Two things I wish I had known before having panels installed. First, I should have checked the condition of my roof. It needed repair, but I didn’t know that until AFTER the panels had been installed, adding to the cost when I eventually had it done. Second, definitely get the panels critter-proofed. Pigeons made a shitty mess of our yard between the time when we got the panels and we got them critter-proofed. We should have done it immediately.
I had panels on my house from 2008 through the house sale in 2021. Paid nothing for power for 13 years, made a little bit of money from net metering, and when I sold the house the buyer admitted that the panels were a big reason they were interested. And as a bonus, the panels are an improvement that helped reduce my capital gains to nothing on the house. Absolutely worth it for me.
Great article! I had my solar installed last year. System size is very similar to yours. I’m two months in from activation and so far have generated more than I have used, even while charging my Tesla at home. Living in Texas I don’t have as many incentives as you do, but overall it’s been a great experience. Happy to share my installer experience with anyone in Texas that would like! Thanks again 😊
Great article, I just accepted an offer on solar energy and feel like we haven’t missed anything big. There was a big big difference in offers from different companies but we went for quality rather than cutting corners to get the price down. The one we chose was the only one with proper roof load analysis regarding wind, snow, the roof beams’ strength, etc. Now we just have to wait for all components to be available, they thought around Q3 this year (16,8kW with 42 panels and a predicted production of just over 17MWh here in mid-Sweden). With the rules in Sweden, we maxed out on subsidies on the system without batteries so that will have to come next year with somewhere between 15 and 25 kWh capacity, we haven’t decided on how much to invest in batteries yet. Meanwhile, we will have geothermal heating installed so this is definitely a great year for us in our quest for self-sufficient living! I will follow your new house project with great interest, good luck!
Here’s the catch about “tax credits,” they only reduce your Adjusted Gross Income, i.e., if you make $60,000 in a given year, and install solar with an $8,000 credit, you calculate your taxes as if you only made $52,000 that year, you don’t get to take the $8,000 off what you have to pay. In reality, you get about a 10-20% discount, depending on your bracket, which could be as little as $1,000 dollars (or as much as $2,000, but that’s about it). Also, the calculated best-case cost for power over the lifetime of the installation (only about 20 years), you end up paying roughly $0.15/kilowatt-hour, which for most people is higher than what you pay from the power company. Depending on where I live in D/FW, I’ve paid as much as $0.12, or as little as $0.097, and that’s before you buy the battery. It makes zero sense economically, and the solar installers know it. They are ripping you off.
An expense I’ve never seen addressed (and I’ve posted it on 5-6 specialty YT websites without anyone ever replying) is how much it costs EXTRA when you need your roof re-shingled. I would think a couple/few thousand at least for the panels to be moved/disconnected, the roof work to be done, and then the panels to be reattached. True, you’re good for about 20 years after that, but if you already have some wear on your roof when the panels are installed, you’ll be looking at less than 20.
So I’m building a new home and I want to go full solar or as much of it is solar as I can. Energy costs are a little less than what you do and I’m designing my own house with dataCAD so I am actually going to go for an A-frame styled home and position it east west. Nice lovely view of the river solar can catch all the time and I really don’t have to worry too much about the snow because we get a lot of snow where I’m from. It means less shoveling for me and there’s no roof height that’s going to drop the snow off. Then I can simply leave some snow there for insulation in the winter because you want to bank the sides of your house and take the rest away with the tractor
$0.37/kWh? Holy crap. I left MA back in 85 and would not consider moving back. My electric rate has some variability, but the vast majority of my electric usage is at $.062/kWh and there are no state incentives. Even the small amount at the higher rate that only happens in the severest of winter months, it only goes to $0.102/kWh. Needless to say, Solar is much less popular here. Still, I had 42 panels on my last house and was net zero or actually net negative. My current house it’s too early to be sure. I only have 39 panels now, but will expand to 52 soon and expect to be net zero or better. I don’t even think about payback. The time frame it too long and there are better ways to improve my finances. It’s best think of it as saving for retirement. Setting aside some now to have a better financial situation in retirement.
Great article thanks. My wife and I live in Epsom just south of London England and we have had solar panels for 12 years which we are delighted with. Snow isn’t our problem but I wish I had known about bird problems. Pigeons nest under the panels leaving a lot of mess on the pannels, around the house and making a lot of noise early in the morning. We had to have a bird control company clean the panels put up fences around each panel which solved the issue. Like your snow fences I wish I had known about this problem when they were installed.
Many people going solar and planning to sell back excess power to the electric company are not aware that the electric companies are not compelled to purchase any excess electricity now, or in the future. It is voluntary to the electric companies. These companies may purchase it now, but can change their policies at any future time without notice by reducing the rate at which they pay home owners, or not paying anything at all. This happened in New Jersey when the power company there cut its buy-back rate of excess solar power in half with no notice.
Hi Matt, I enjoy perusal your articles especially on solar. I live in Queensland Australia and have had solar panels since 2016. My current system is 6.63KW with a fronius primo inverter. My panel arrays are east and west facing. Average power production is 7.6MW pa, My wife and I consume on avg 6.41MW pa and self consume 2.6MW pa (our own power) meaning we are only buying 3.81MW pa from the grid at a cost of 22c per kw AUD. We export around 5MW to the grid each year for that we recieve 11.5c for the first 5kw per day then 5c every kw after that. For installation costs the whole system cost $7,400 AUD after a STC discount was applied which reduced the price by $1,400. making the price $6,000AUD included in that price we also had to have our meter upgraded to read grid exports and a fronius smart meter installed(so i can meter everything myself) Thought you might appreciate how differn’t costing is in Aus vs US and power production Cheers Paul
Very interesting with the 1:1 net metering! That’s something we could only dream of in Germany, but I can imagine it making life tough for the utilities. Having a big difference between the price for energy taken from and fed into the grid is one of the reasons why pretty much every install here now features a battery; with 1:1 net metering I’m frankly amazed that anyone would get a battery. I guess for backup power or just the pleasure of being independent, but otherwise why bother?
Thank you for another great article. I suppose getting solar panels is inevitable, especially considering the price of electricity these days. My neighbor installed solar panels a couple years back, and the biggest unexpected problem he discovered is pigeons. Apparently that little gap between the roof and the bottom of the panel is irresistible for them. They like to snuggle under there in bad weather and build their nests at the edge of the panels. He’s constantly shooing them away and breaking up nests.
This presentation is well done. There’s not a bunch of political talking points… just general results. A few of the commenters have brought up good points also. In my part of the US, Electricity costs 1/3rd what it does in your area… so that REALLY changes the playing field. Not every home owner is interested in being green, or environmental stuff, BUT just about everyone I can think of would like to reduce their monthly home ownership costs.
Greetings to everyone, I won’t waste time giving my qualifications, just some friendly advice, if you have the space, never put solar panels on your roof, go ground based instead, or build a patio cover using the panels as the roof, yes it will leak in the rain, if you go ground based try to go with a setup that moves with the sun for maximum power point at all times and a incident angle of near zero when possible, and lastly there are more cost effective batteries than tesla, you’re buying the material that the battery is made of and not the name on the cover, the earliest batteries required lots of maintenance and contained acid, then, AGM, and lithium and soon probably something else, the panels have come a long way as well, my first install saw 285 watt panels, now you can get 500 watt panels, with the industry standard being that the sun gives you 1000 watts per meter squared, we’re are only now reaching 50% efficiency in panels, however using a system that moves with the sun, you need less panels for peak power points.
Entrances for homes in the snow belt should be on the side of the house for two reasons. It prevents the snow from sliding down onto people going into or out of the house and it prevents the snow slide from blocking the entrance. Houses can build an overhead walkway cover perpenicular to the roof slope with the walkway roof sloped to either side of the walkway and the door to get the same benefit.
For those who are interested, the guide is approx 65 minutes of article content for the beta price of $125 vs normal of $250. Don’t buy this. Spend your $125-250 on am individualized energy consultant that specializes on solar in your particular area. I haven’t paid for or watched the content, but as someone with solar industry experience, you can likely get a few hour consult with a professional local to you that would explain everything included tailored to your area. This isn’t a dig against the author, but rather pointing out that solar is a very regional thing and requires regional expertise. Any guide like this needs to be generic in order to provide useful information to as many people as possible. Generic information like this can be typically found for free, but shouldn’t cost more than 25-50 bucks as it’s not the only thing needed for an install
Hey Matt. I appreciate your website and the good job you do with it. Keep up the good work. I would like to comment on this specific episode and topic. In an effort to encourage solar, our nation and your state in particular added Tremendous incentives. I would like to suggest that one contributing factor to your rising power bill is due to the power company having to pay by law the retail rate to solar providers such as yourself. I would like to suggest that one of the contributing factors as a result of having to pay Retail Rates for power, the power companies are forced to raise their rates on everyone to pay for the infrastructure and salaries to cover their cost due to lower or lost revenue by providing backup power to solar providers. Thus I question the true greater additional payback on your power system due to rising power cost. For clarification, I am not nor have I ever been an employee of a utility or the construction energy which builds power plant and grids. I’m just an engineer. Love the fact that your new home is super insulated and energy efficient. That is the Best thing you can do to lower your impact on the world and not have your fellow citizens help pay for your desire to do so. That is certainly something I believe in as well.
For most solar panels, a little bit of shade anywhere on the panel, even shading on just one solar cell, shuts down the entire panel’s output. Some newer panels divide the panel into 2-4-8 sections and add a by-pass diode across each section so only that section gets shut down with any shading. SunPower has (or at least used to have) panels with an integrated by-pass diode across each solar cell. They are also expensive but then generally lead in conversion efficiency too. I don’t know if there are others with integrated diodes across each cell but if you get any shading you need to research it before buying.
Your issue with snow-slide is no different than that on any metal roof. Since metal roofs are especially useful for that reason as well as fire resistance in cold, forest and grassy type environments, they are used a lot around me (incl. on my own home) and that characteristic is just planned for and moderated as necessary with various techniques. There are much better options than Tesla for battery storage. The guy to follow for all things well-tested and -analyzed in economically effective solar equipment and applications is Will Prowse.
This article completely swapped out my plan for a roof mount to a ground mount array. Yes, we have the room, but the point is that none of the firms I approached were considering a ground mount solution. A wall of snow on the driveway and front steps would be frustrating if not dangerous. Taking it a step further, this led to other benefits. Access for cleaning. Maintenance access. Expansion possibility by having ability to add more panels on the rack. Better backside lighting for efficiency. Lessening opportunity for overheat of inverters. Privacy.
8:17 An average of 1 MWh/month?! 😳 That’s 5-6 times more than what I’ve been used to here in Europe, and I can easily think of stuff that I can unplug to lower the bill. Some households can go 8-10 lower than that, on average. And where I lived for a long time, we’ve had temperatures both higher and lower than the record highs and lows in Massachusetts. It really makes me wonder how many wrong decisions go into housing and power consumption in the US. Poor insulation is probably a big reason, then maybe choosing inefficient appliances. And of course there’s the lifestyle, both that of the general population, as well as personal choice. I’m sure I’m not part of the average, because I pay attention to everything I buy to make sure I get the best balance between features, power consumption and price, but still, it’s a huge difference that’s hard for me to explain. And I don’t compromise on features and quality, but I go through the painstakingly long process of comparing long lists of specifications of many products. It can be annoying to be fair, but it pays off in a lot more than just power savings. I’m probably doing 2-3 times better than the average where I am, and I’m at about 8 times lower than Matt’s average consumption. Clearly, I can’t just buy the cheapest stuff, but not very expensive either. There are good options out there, from PCs to refrigerators, TVs and other stuff. The fact that one purchase takes me a few minutes or hours of research is almost irrelevant when I consider all the benefits I get after, for many years.
Installed my own solar panels on my home. 4 strings – 6 panels per string – 390W panels. 2 inverters 5000W each. No batteries. Turned on my solar 1Jan2020. Since that time I’ve paid $1.80 in electric bills and currently have about an $80 credit on my account. Total system cost $12,588, got a $3,776 tax credit, giving a net actual cost of $8,812. One of the best decisions I ever made. At some point in the future when there’s a breakthrough in battery technology, I’ll add batteries. They’re just too expensive & a pain in the ass right now.
I believe that roof top solar panels in areas where freezing temps occur is just inviting trouble. Every place a hole or fastener is attached to your roof is an entry point for water. Freeze and thaw cycles that occur maybe up to 200 times a year or more in some places could spell doom for your roof and any area that will get wet because of it.
I just finished with the permits and I am having my solar panels and power wall installed this week so I clicked this article very nervously worried I had failed in my research or you were going to say not to go solar. I feel like this article is confirmation that we made the right decision. We live in GA and have a south facing roof in a brand new neighborhood with no trees nearby so it seemed like a no brainer. I started getting concerned about the cost of energy as it has gone up dramatically here and our power company just announced more increases which is why we started looking at solar. Someone above made a comment about it being too complicated but I am a tech person that will enjoy obsessing about the numbers and we have an accountant do our taxes so he can help guide us through the credits and incentives.