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I think you lose something like 25% (?) in wiring and converting to AC.
There is the power loss, but also I question the cost estimate. A solar panel gets about 10w peak per square foot. Let's say your panels average 7w/square foot. That would mean 25 square feet of panel mounted on the roof for $500? I doubt that. More like $1500. Installation of solar panels on the roof will increase roof maintainence and repair cost by a factor of 300%. So you have to amortize the cost of roof replacement every 20 years and include time value of money. Why even waste time with this exercise. If it was actually caost effective to install solar panels and sell to the grid, one would see every vacant parking lot in Las Vegas (about 10,000 acres) covered with passive solar.
There is the power loss, but also I question the cost estimate. A solar panel gets about 10w peak per square foot. Let's say your panels average 7w/square foot. That would mean 25 square feet of panel mounted on the roof for $500? I doubt that. More like $1500. Installation of solar panels on the roof will increase roof maintainence and repair cost by a factor of 300%. So you have to amortize the cost of roof replacement every 20 years and include time value of money. Why even waste time with this exercise. If it was actually caost effective to install solar panels and sell to the grid, one would see every vacant parking lot in Las Vegas (about 10,000 acres) covered with passive solar.
Oh, I accept that. But they have no hardware, cabling or installation.
the mounting kits are cheap. wiring isn't though these days. installation is also not very difficult. most of it is DIY, then call in the electrician when you need to hook it up. it's certainly still expensive, no doubt. but it's been dropping exponentially for years. obviously, in some parts of the earth, they are much better deal than in others. but eventually you would break even on the cost. so as long as you don't mind doing the upfront investment, it's a nice way to stop paying your utility company and have them possibly even start paying you.
Oh, I accept that. But they have no hardware, cabling or installation.
Wow, you all have beaten this horse enough.
Yes the math left out a lot. No change in cost of power, no discount for buying in bulk, no cost of wiring & converters, no tax rebates and likely a lot more.
It was just a quick summary and I went with the assumption that a lot of the extra's would even out.
If you want a bigger kit (and likely more accurate math)
30.13KW GREAT SUSTAINABLE SOLAR PANEL SYSTEM & RELIABLE - eBay (item 190485124579 end time Feb-28-11 09:24:04 PST) (http://cgi.ebay.com/30-13KW-GREAT-SUSTAINABLE-SOLAR-PANEL-SYSTEM-RELIABLE-/190485124579?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c59cc 55e3 - broken link)
[SIZE=2][SIZE=2]7,171.25 kw hr per month[/SIZE][/SIZE]
$105,875 for full set up
$.12 for 1kwhr
You'll need to generate 882,291 kw hr to break even. Comes out to 10 years 3 months.
Not much different.
If this number gets down to 6 years I would expect to see places like Vegas start jumping on it. If the electric company buys that power from you at $.12 per kwhr you'll get $860/month.
Yes the math left out a lot. No change in cost of power, no discount for buying in bulk, no cost of wiring & converters, no tax rebates and likely a lot more.
It was just a quick summary and I went with the assumption that a lot of the extra's would even out.
If you want a bigger kit (and likely more accurate math)
30.13KW GREAT SUSTAINABLE SOLAR PANEL SYSTEM & RELIABLE - eBay (item 190485124579 end time Feb-28-11 09:24:04 PST) (http://cgi.ebay.com/30-13KW-GREAT-SUSTAINABLE-SOLAR-PANEL-SYSTEM-RELIABLE-/190485124579?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c59cc 55e3 - broken link)
[SIZE=2][SIZE=2]7,171.25 kw hr per month[/SIZE][/SIZE]
$105,875 for full set up
$.12 for 1kwhr
You'll need to generate 882,291 kw hr to break even. Comes out to 10 years 3 months.
Not much different.
If this number gets down to 6 years I would expect to see places like Vegas start jumping on it. If the electric company buys that power from you at $.12 per kwhr you'll get $860/month.
and i know most people in the US are about immediate returns, so 10 years sounds like a long time. but since many homeowners take a 30 year mortgage, is 10 years really that long for breaking even and then having free electricity from that point forward?
also - i'm sure this is just a random case, can't read to deeply into it, but in 2008/09 when the market was horrible, there was a house listed in NJ that our realtor sent us. nice looking colonial. we really liked the house. it also happened to have solar panels on the roof, and the listing claimed that it saved the owners $380/month and had the documents to show that. well, we replied to our realtor to look at the house (not because of the solar, but because of the house). he replied back later that day and said it was just listed and already had 4 offers. this is when NO one was buying. haha.
as the cost comes down even more, i really think we'll see more and more of this. everyone talks about the breakeven and the cost, and the this, and the that. it's amazingly short-sited to not realize that the technology will continue to improve and get cheaper, and this is a good thing.
i guess some people just like being debbie downer no matter what?
Your "Math" left out 2 important things
The cost of the switch gear that will have to be installed on your electrical service box/meter.
You just can't run your wiring/power from your solar power (or any other source) into your electrical system. 2. The mountain of paper work you will have to do to get your money from your power Co. every month.
Not a Debbie downer just taking a realistic approach.
Your "Math" left out 2 important things
The cost of the switch gear that will have to be installed on your electrical service box/meter.
You just can't run your wiring/power from your solar power (or any other source) into your electrical system. 2. The mountain of paper work you will have to do to get your money from your power Co. every month.
Not a Debbie downer just taking a realistic approach.
Yes, there are still many things left out. For example insuring the purchase forever. While it's likely to be added on to homeowners, the cost must be considered.
Also, if you invested $100k at 5% interest for 10 years you would earn $27k. So that $27,000 loss must be calculated in.
This would be the main reason business aren't touching it. Looking the interest issue I'd say solar panels might need a 5 year break even time frame before they are viable for profit.
Most solar panel companies estimate a 10-15 year wait to get your investment back. I think close to 15-20 is pretty realistic once you consider the loss of revenue from interest.
I'm all for people that have money to burn buying them. I just disagree with trying to trick people into thinking they are a good investment financially. While eco people like Al Gore don't like them, there are some multimillionaires out there that do.
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