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A few weeks ago I was traveling around the Lake Norman Area and noticed that I saw very few (if any) homes with solar panels. I looked at satellite photos of various neighborhoods in Google and Zillow and have yet to find either a roof-mounted or ground-mounted solar array.
Is the ROI in Duke country too low to make them attractive, or are they largely prohibited by HOA's?
If I eventually relocate in the region as I expect to I would want a grid-tied, battery-backed solar system so that I can sell back when I am in excess and to be able to stand alone when power goes out for any reason but I might have to rethink that plan if there isn't already some inertia in the region to install and support such a system.
We have 3 homes in our neighborhood that I know of that have solar panels. We have a lot of door to door salesman going around our neighborhood at various times trying to sell them as well. We aren't near LKN though. We are in western Cabarrus County.
I looked into it but when I made the return in investment calculation, I could not see the benefit, just a huge unnecessary expense.
It would take well over 15 years to start getting positive if nothing breaks by then, plus did not even consider replacing shingle roof underneath which would be a lot more money (not to mention if I get a roof leak in the meantime).
My neighbor in our lakeside community recently installed about 20 panels on his roof. I never considered solar until then, as HOA guidelines from 1990 said no to them. (things like satellite dishes and solar panels are so much different than when those guidelines were written). I think they look great, and add a touch of modern tech to a 30 year old community.
I had 2 solar reps out to my house for quotes. The numbers were good (while tax incentives last), and I was really on the fence, but really needed 10yrs commitment to staying put to break even. I would still consider solar, but have too many other projects to commit the money too.
I may be coming at this from a completely different angle than many, I want to be grid-tied but able to be 100% self sufficient should there be any disruptions to the power distribution system. The proliferation of Smart Meters, connected homes, and IoT without a commensurate increase in security awareness and practices coupled with an aging interconnect structure and the willingness and ease with which bad actors are taking cyber swipes at our power system it is only a matter of time before we have significant disruptions in electricity delivery.
It may be green but I'm not really too concerned with ROI or offsetting carbon. I'd be looking at a ground-mount system with tracking capabilities so any rooftop prohibitions wouldn't apply but I could see that there still might be some who would object to several banks of panels in my back yard.
It may be quite some time before I pull the trigger on pulling the plug and costs and attitudes will no doubt shift during that time, I was just wondering if others had seen cases where neighbors, towns, etc might have tried to curtail this sort of construction.
I really doubt that there would be any developments that would permit a stand alone solar bank of panels in your yard. You would have to look for housing outside of a development, so that cuts your available housing choices to likely under 10% if looking in the heavier populated areas. Your best bet is to look at Denver or Sherrils Ford areas.
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