2007-01-13 08:09:00 · 4 answers · asked by Chi Guy 5 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Solar electric is the best investment in stormy and cold areas. The storms knock the electric lines down by trees falling or what ever and the sun comes back out. It might be days before the lines are back up but the solar panels are back up and running as soon as the sun comes out. The batteries keeps the power on till then as well. You still have power when everyone else is without is how you get your fastest pay back. Well worth it if you think in those terms. You get paid back the first time it happens.
As far as getting a pay back in cash in a sunny state, It will take years to get your money back. Parts with no labor for a 5 kWh system is going to cost you $35,000 USD and up depending on what you buy and who you buy it from.
Did you know people will pay that much money for a car just because it looks cool but could spend $10,000 USD for a car that will do the same thing and save $25,000. Kind of makes a person wonder why everyone thinks solar panels have to pay them back in cash if they will buy something else just because it looks cool with little or no useful value. I think solar panels look cool with an added value. They can keep your lights on.
How much is the cost per kWh in your area and how much electric per day do you use? In my area it will take about 40 years to get a pay back in cash. But on the west coast it would only take 10 to 20 years but only because the cost of a kWh here is about 7 cents.
You need to pick an area and get the total sun hours per day and how many watts you require plus the cost per kWh from the grid before that question can be answered.
2007-01-14 03:29:16 · answer #1 · answered by Don K 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A typical house can be totally divorced from the Electric Company for about $10,000 worth of PV cells, batteries and an inverter. Reliability of and longevity of the cell themselves should be studied closely before investing. Good luck!!
2007-01-13 08:18:22 · answer #2 · answered by Evita Rodham Clinton 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You dont have to live in a sunny climate because pure natural daylight will sufice.. Its expensive to have installed but would be cheaper if the building was new and in the process of being built. I would imagine in the long term it would be very profitable though.. May not be that profitable for you though because your heating bills would not be big anyway i would imagine..
2007-01-13 08:14:31 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
1
2017-02-01 15:23:34 · answer #4 · answered by Austin 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋