I'm re-roofing my house and have been unable to find a certified roofer in my state that offers solar power as an option, let alone make it as affordable as the norm roofing materials. It's as if the greenhouse effect doesn't exist.
I'm ashamed of our lack of green options in Florida (and the Nation).
2006-07-02 08:25:33 · 16 answers · asked by comeaboard2 1 in Environment
Hey cool it. This is a world wide scientific problem. The greens keep going on about alternative energy as if it is widely available and cost effective.
Of all the alternative energy sources solar power is the pits. It is in fact the most expensive and environmentally unfriendly way to produce power yet found!
Solar panels are very expensive to produce and have a very short life before they deteriorate and break down. They also require batteries or similar storage devices which also have a short life. Environmentally harmful heavy metals and chemicals are involved as well producing a disposal problem and next to nothing in it is recyclable. Just producing the panels and the associated equipment needed will produce far more polution than the panels could ever prevent. In short solar panels are very definitely not environmentally sound.
As for comparison with normal roofing materials there is no chance. Completely re-roofing your house with normal materials will be far cheaper than the cost of the minimum panels required and then you have the wiring and storage devices to be paid for as well. Your conventional roof should last for years. Solar panels will start deterioratind within a few years and the produce less and less power as time goes on. They would need servicing regularly and in the lifetime of your roof you would need to replace them and the storage devices a number of times.
Solar water heating - now that is worth going for.
2006-07-02 08:42:58 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
" re-roofing my house and have been unable to find a certified roofer in my state that offers solar power as an option, let alone make it as affordable as the norm roofing materials."
Since solar power panels are rarely put on people's roofs, it doesnt surprise that you wont find a builder. But likely the solar panel manufacturer would or should have installers or distributers listed for your area. If not, it may have to be a DIY or try to hire a willing contractor to take it step-by-step.
You wont find many knowledgeable contractors because they are rarely put on. They are rarely put on because they are expensive.
They are expensive because 'normal roofing materials' is just asphalt and fiberglass and paper. A complicated solar panel, either a PV or a hookup to a hot water heater is much more complicated and expensive.
Solar power is expensive because it requires either expensive photovoltaics, with its own battery and energy storage and electrical hookup system, or you need the energy collection via water pipes, with some plumbing involved. Roofers are neither electricians nor plumbers, so there's another hurdle, unless you make it a DIY project. These are electrical, heating and plumbing systems, NOT roofs! Check it out:
http://kingsolar.com/catalog/mfg/package/closed-ecl4.html
These systems can run from $3,000 to $12,000 or more, yet save no more than $100 to $500 per year, depending on utility/energy costs. If you do it right, you can have a payback time in under 8 years. At least Florida is relatively benign place for this option and may make sense as a hot water heater option (see link above).
" It's as if the greenhouse effect doesn't exist."
And what about the greenhouse effect makes solar power cheaper?
It's as if the laws of economics doesn't exist. Geez, this is like whing about why you cant get a GPS system in a cheap motorcycle for free.
Solar power is bottom-line a 'feel good' energy source that is neither effective nor economical, for the basic reason that solar energy is diffuse - you dont get a lot of energy in a square foot of roof, any the low-efficiency energy collection systems do not have a good payback factor. Unless you live in a sunny location and are not on a power grid, you are probably wasting your time, money and energy even bothering.
If your local power plant is nuclear, then you will be doing the environment a favor using that power instead of buying a solar power panel that likely used more fossil fuels in ints construction alone than you can save in your use of it on your roof.
If you want to stop global warming, agitate for nuclear power, its the only way to economically get us beyond fossil fuels.
2006-07-02 09:02:52 · answer #2 · answered by Patrick M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The link below is a contractor in Florida who does residential work as well as commercial. Photovoltaic systems are one option for generating electricity, but you could also start by using concentrated solar panels for water heating, which may not be as costly.
http://esssolar.com/_wsn/page5.html
The goverment has a site offering various info and links. The photovoltaic link is:
http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy04osti/35297.pdf
2006-07-02 11:45:47 · answer #3 · answered by Tracy B 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can always go to a website that is all about using natural energies of the earth to live by. They can probably help you out. I know there are homes that are energized by solar energy. I have seen them in person and on the TV. There is also wind power you can use. Try solarenergy.com and see if that helps you any.
2006-07-02 09:00:46 · answer #4 · answered by bb465 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A roofer is just that. I have a panel on my home, you should research a retailer, order your panels and you can put them up with a few common tools. Check www.ixquick.com for solar info. Good Luck
2006-07-02 08:48:31 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The answer lies with us spending the money for it.the other companys out there like the electric and gas they know that it can put them out of another customer so they do not want to offer it
so the panels are costly to buy but still you can get them once in you will be greatly gratified at how well they work on a sunny day and to store energy for that cloudy or rainy day
2006-07-02 08:33:32 · answer #6 · answered by Paul G 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not the option you were looking for but to get started using solar power real cheap check out http://solarcooking.org and http://solar.iwarp.com
2006-07-03 07:09:27 · answer #7 · answered by Cindy in Bama 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Solar panels have been around for a long time and have failed the test of time just like recycling.
2006-07-02 09:07:18 · answer #8 · answered by christine2550@sbcglobal.net 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Im ashamed of this country too. I love America but we have people in office that worry about there billfold more than us and the world. The worry about Gays and they feelings more than the correct way of living. Its not hard to obtain its hard to get people to push for more cheaper ways of living.
2006-07-02 09:01:12 · answer #9 · answered by Josh S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Homemade Solar Power Videos : http://SolarPower.duebq.com/?kzc
2017-04-06 02:22:42 · answer #10 · answered by Alton 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋