solar energy

[NewTexans]

share with us, Great Day--what kind of "ball-park" $$$ figure for your current system?

Thanks!

[Greatday]

Originally Posted by NewTexans

share with us, Great Day--what kind of "ball-park" $$$ figure for your current system?

After the rebates - around 30K.

I am a long way away from electric lines - Plus, I did not want power lines spoiling our views

[killer2021]

Originally Posted by Bostonian08

When I moved here, my landlord directed me to this site:

Power to Choose

By entering my zip code, I got offers from 80 companies from which I could receive my energy. Many of them were 100% green. I chose a 100% green company and now give all my money to the green energy company.

If you want to get off the oil dependency, I suggest you do the same, and pass this link to everyone you think might also want to do the same.

You might also find it interesting that T Boone Pickens is spending 3 billion building windmills. More here:

http://www.pickensplan.com/index.php...930&page=white

I like picken's plan. Use windmills to produce electricity and use ng to power cars. Only problem is that there are virtually no NG cars!!!!!!!. I'd rather use electricity instead and ramp up renewables.

The interesting thing is that pickens made all his money in oil. Now he puts all his money into wind turbines. Notice that picken's net work is in the 2-3 billion range. He put all his money into wind turbines lol.

T. Boone Pickens - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[lh_newbie]

Originally Posted by Greatday

After the rebates - around 30K.

I am a long way away from electric lines - Plus, I did not want power lines spoiling our views

Could you share a little more info? How much did it cost before rebates - how much was the fed -vs- state -vs- utilities chip in and probably most importantly, how many panel watts is your system?

Some info for people mulling a system in TX:

- The current rate for an installed system is approximately $8 per watt
- A 5,000 watt array will generate 750KwH per month in the DFW area, average (more in the summer, less in the winter) if you have direct Southern exposure
- Pre-fed rebate cost is ~$40,000
- Federal rebate of 30% brings cost down to $28,000
- This system is called a "grid-tie" system and does NOT include batteries for power outage situations.

Worth noting about that same system
- If you were to live in California, the state would provide $1.50 per installed watt as a rebate, meaning another $7500 off - so the CA price would be $20,500.

Also, for what it's worth, if you installed this system and didn't have to do any maintenance for 25 years and it generated 750KwH per month average over the entire 25 year life span, that's equal to 12.4 cents per kilowatt. If you paid 13.5 cents/KwH today and assumed energy prices went up by 4% per year, it would take 17 years before you saved enough to pay for the system.

Don't you all just love my number crunching? LOL!

Brian

[cdelena]

I have a friend that made the jump to an off grid house a couple of years ago (turned his vacation cabin into his primary residence). His opinion is not all that positive and in hindsight wishes he had spent the money to get grid power to the home.

His low voltage and propane appliances are not as cost effective or carefree as the family is accustomed to. Using both solar and wind he says the systems are adequate under ideal conditions but do require more ongoing maintenance (panel cleaning, battery maintenance, and generator upkeep) than he anticipated. His wife complains the limited use when they are on battery power is not comfortable. A gas generator is used was absolutely needed.

After listening to this couple I am happy to stay on the grid and off the leading edge... for right now I will leave power generation to the professionals. I am fortunate right now to be living in an area that has a wealth of hydro power but the brainwashed lawmakers in this country has decided it is not a 'renewable' source so we spend money on wind that costs many times more per KWH.

[Mardrew]

Originally Posted by lh_newbie

Could you share a little more info? How much did it cost before rebates - how much was the fed -vs- state -vs- utilities chip in and probably most importantly, how many panel watts is your system?

Some info for people mulling a system in TX:

- The current rate for an installed system is approximately $8 per watt
- A 5,000 watt array will generate 750KwH per month in the DFW area, average (more in the summer, less in the winter) if you have direct Southern exposure
- Pre-fed rebate cost is ~$40,000
- Federal rebate of 30% brings cost down to $28,000
- This system is called a "grid-tie" system and does NOT include batteries for power outage situations.

Worth noting about that same system
- If you were to live in California, the state would provide $1.50 per installed watt as a rebate, meaning another $7500 off - so the CA price would be $20,500.

Also, for what it's worth, if you installed this system and didn't have to do any maintenance for 25 years and it generated 750KwH per month average over the entire 25 year life span, that's equal to 12.4 cents per kilowatt. If you paid 13.5 cents/KwH today and assumed energy prices went up by 4% per year, it would take 17 years before you saved enough to pay for the system.

Don't you all just love my number crunching? LOL!

Brian

Did you include the opportunity cost of the money spent on the system in your calculations.?

[lh_newbie]

Originally Posted by Mardrew

Did you include the opportunity cost of the money spent on the system in your calculations.?

I never mentioned ROI - I only said enough to pay for the system... and talked about the cost per KwH over the period.