2007-03-05 01:56:50 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Environment
If you notice, the same guys answer "expensive...too high...don't do it..." for the same solar questions. :-)
Consider these numbers, even with the current technology:
* cost of heating/cooling an average house in mid-to-northern parts of US ~$350/month or $4200/year
* let's take as an assumptions this show where cost of solar installation was $18000, and that it covers 50% of your energy. You will also get state Grants, and will be selling electricity back to the company when you don't use it all, which - let's assume - will save 15% of the cost
* consider removing oil/gas heaters, and installing geothermal power. It consumes 50% of electricity. Average cost around $15000.
So - your cost is around $32000 to get completely off the grid. Assuming several thousand dollars in grants, and 15% sold back to utility ($630 per year), you are looking at $5000 savings per year. Not too difficult to calculate that you cover your costs in just over 6 years.
2007-03-07 03:29:59 · answer #1 · answered by TheWaterGuy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The sun sends over a kilowatt per square meter to Earth, but with night time, clouds, atmospheric interference and the curvature of the Earth's surface, any given spot on the ground gets only about a quarter of that, on average over a year. In addition to that, photocells only turn about a quarter of that into electricity. So we are looking at about 1/16 of a kilowatt per square meter, which isn't much. Basically, solar power is very weak compared to a gasoline generator.
A recent episode of the PBS program This Old House showed a solar panel system being installed on a house in Austin, Texas. The $18,000 system was expected to supply less than half the power needs of the house.
2007-03-05 10:03:00 · answer #2 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
pv is not the answer to The best use of solar energy. pv is only 10% efficient but does send heat back into the atmosphere. Solar electric turbines are 90% efficient and better if heat recovery is used, say to make ethanol cost effective.
2007-03-05 10:46:12 · answer #3 · answered by RayM 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My guess is that you must discover everything related to solar energy at: gogreensolarwho.info You will find habitual merchandise to newest solar energy information and related media.
2014-08-06 19:24:16 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The highest cop of solar energy is the solar heat pump, which use solar panel heat to drive a absorption heat pump.
Here is a absorption heat pump manufacturer:
2007-03-05 23:22:07 · answer #5 · answered by daviddy88088 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm confident that you must discover everything that have to do with solar power at www.solar-who.com.
2014-07-20 19:38:05 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋