Why go solar?

Until yesterday, I had thought people use solar energy because it's cheaper. It seems like a pain in the ass to get it going on, so I felt the payoff must be that it's cheaper than buying power in the long run. After reading the replys, it now seems to me that solar is both a pain in the ass and more expensive too. So why do people bother with it if they can get service from a power company?

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Until yesterday, I had thought people use solar energy because it's cheaper. It seems like a pain in the ass to get it going on, so I felt the payoff must be that it's cheaper than buying power in the long run. After reading the replys, it now seems to me that solar is both a pain in the ass and more expensive too. So why do people bother with it if they can get service from a power company?

They don't usually.
One of our utilities sells solar packages for the "outback" installations
http://www.aps.com/my_community/Solar/solar_10.html
Be on good terms with your banker before considering these. The small one used to be $25,000.00
There are several communication sites in Arizona that are 100% solar powered. The cost of running power to the top of the mountain far outweigh the cost of the solar and the maintenance these systems require.

dh@. wrote:

Until yesterday, I had thought people use solar energy because it's cheaper. It seems like a pain in the ass to get it going on, so I felt the payoff must be that it's cheaper than buying power in the long run. After reading the replys, it now seems to me that solar is both a pain in the ass and more expensive too. So why do people bother with it if they can get service from a power company?

Independence, for one thing. If the utility supplied power goes away you're not SOL with everyone else.
As far as the ROI, there are programs and subsidies that will significantly reduce the cost. A relative of mine in LA just finished a solar buildout last year. Total cost was about 40k, 25k of which was kicked back to them from the utility. Even with the subsidy it will still take years to payoff though, so the financial incentive by itself is minimal.
-- Reg email: RegForte (at) (that free MS email service) (dot) com

wrote in message

Until yesterday, I had thought people use solar energy because it's cheaper. It seems like a pain in the ass to get it going on, so I felt the payoff must be that it's cheaper than buying power in the long run. After reading the replys, it now seems to me that solar is both a pain in the ass and more expensive too. So why do people bother with it if they can get service from a power company?

Once you have invested in the equipment to reap solar power, it's all free energy after that - - especially if you can sell it high during the daytime and buy it low at night. And that investment adds to the value of the home, so in the long run, it pretty much cancels out. At least that's how I think it's going to be in the future, when dino energy becomes expensive and the benefits of solar are more widely understood and accepted.

dh@. wrote:

Until yesterday, I had thought people use solar energy because it's cheaper. It seems like a pain in the ass to get it going on, so I felt the payoff must be that it's cheaper than buying power in the long run. After reading the replys, it now seems to me that solar is both a pain in the ass and more expensive too. So why do people bother with it if they can get service from a power company?

Depends whether you are thinking of photovoltaic systems ((PV) or solar thermal systems. The former is only really good if you need to recharge battery systems used for powering equipment (computers, fans, circulation pumps. Solar thermal seems tro be better for space heating, hot water and similar systems. Whichever, you will need to do some sort of power budget to determine your needs to be able to properly size the solar panels you need.
-- ******************************************************************** Paul E. Bennett .................... Forth based HIDECS Consultancy .....<http://www.amleth.demon.co.uk/> Mob: +44 (0)7811-639972 Tel: +44 (0)1235-811095 Going Forth Safely ....EBA. http://www.electric-boat-association.org.uk/ ********************************************************************

Dead loss for me at $0.10 per kWh but a fun hobby I can watch grow and experiement with.
This is with todays grid rates. Break even point with no financials involved = 70-80 years.
When TOU comes in???? who knows?
wrote in message

Until yesterday, I had thought people use solar energy because it's cheaper. It seems like a pain in the ass to get it going on, so I felt the payoff must be that it's cheaper than buying power in the long run. After reading the replys, it now seems to me that solar is both a pain in the ass and more expensive too. So why do people bother with it if they can get service from a power company?

dh@. wrote:

Until yesterday, I had thought people use solar energy because it's cheaper. It seems like a pain in the ass to get it going on, so I felt the payoff must be that it's cheaper than buying power in the long run. After reading the replys, it now seems to me that solar is both a pain in the ass and more expensive too. So why do people bother with it if they can get service from a power company?

Because we can't get service from the power company. Those who can and still do it have more money than they know what to do with and have a need to feel green.
-- Steve Spence Dir., Green Trust, http://www.green-trust.org Contributing Editor, http://www.off-grid.net http://www.rebelwolf.com/essn.html

dh@. wrote:

Until yesterday, I had thought people use solar energy because it's cheaper. It seems like a pain in the ass to get it going on, so I felt the payoff must be that it's cheaper than buying power in the long run. After reading the replys, it now seems to me that solar is both a pain in the ass and more expensive too. So why do people bother with it if they can get service from a power company?

You, like most people, think that "Solar" means photo-voltaic. That's one of the biggest problems we have in trying to get people to go solar.
The cheapest, most efficient, use of solar is in passive solar heating. Sunlight enters the building, warms up some thermal mass, and slowly releases that heat when the building cools at night. When designed into the building, from the start, this costs the same as a normal building.
Next most efficient is to use solar panels to heat water - either for radiant heating or domestic hot water. It's relatively cheap and pays for itself in a few years.
PV is expensive. It will only pay for itself over a very long term if you have a grid connection available, because electricity is _cheap_. It's for those of us who don't have a connection to the grid.
In answer to the question, intelligent people _don't_ bother with PV if they can get service from the power company. -- derek

Being too far from the grid is the main reason. Round here, there are two subdivisions and hundreds of cottages.
Another reason is fear and paranoid. In 1999 it was the Millenium cult. I expect the peak oil cult to result in more people going off grid.
wrote in message

Until yesterday, I had thought people use solar energy because it's cheaper. It seems like a pain in the ass to get it going on, so I felt the payoff must be that it's cheaper than buying power in the long run. After reading the replys, it now seems to me that solar is both a pain in the ass and more expensive too. So why do people bother with it if they can get service from a power company?

On Thu, 27 Oct 2005 17:21:46 -0400, dh@. wrote:

Until yesterday, I had thought people use solar energy because it's cheaper. It seems like a pain in the ass to get it going on, so I felt the payoff must be that it's cheaper than buying power in the long run. After reading the replys, it now seems to me that solar is both a pain in the ass and more expensive too. So why do people bother with it if they can get service from a power company?

Because sometimes, in worst cases..its cheaper in the short term to get power via solar, than via a utility
A case in point...a friend lives 1.01 mile from the nearest power pole. Pacific Greed and Extortion wanted IRRC...$90,000 to run the power that mile.
So my friend spent $30,000 on solar. A net savings in the short run, of $60,000. While it didnt get him a 200 amp 24/7, it gave him enough power to function and raise a family.
Gunner
"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire. Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us) off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give them self determination under "play nice" rules.
Think of it as having your older brother knock the shit out of you for torturing the cat." Gunner

Why do I do it..?
1. (partial) Energy independence. 2. Personal environmental belief. 3. I'm a gadget geek and I like to tinker.
wrote in message

Until yesterday, I had thought people use solar energy because it's cheaper. It seems like a pain in the ass to get it going on, After reading the replys, it now seems to me that solar is both a pain in the ass and more expensive too. So why do people bother with it if they can get service from a power company?

TV's and computers are a real pain in the a$$ too. You've gotta set them up.. theres all those wires, constant maintenance with virus, spyware, and spam eradication, wading thru excessive bottom posting replies (hehehe!!), etc.. etc..
Of course, like everything else, convenience has a price -- and it don't come cheap. If you have the ca$h you can certainly approach a professional solar installer and pay them to install a completely automated system you can just forget about. But how much fun is that..? ;-)
Or look at it from a MasterCard tv commercial viewpoint:
CFL = $4. 100 watt PV = $500 Battery bank and inverter = $350 Drinking ice cold beer while watching a Canadian hockey team beat the stuffing out of an American one for the Stanley Cup on your 33" LCD HD/SatTV during a dark and stormy night when the grid has failed..?
PRICELESS...!!!

"Gunner" wrote in message

On Thu, 27 Oct 2005 17:21:46 -0400, dh@. wrote:
Until yesterday, I had thought people use solar energy because it's cheaper. It seems like a pain in the ass to get it going on, so I felt the payoff must be that it's cheaper than buying power in the long run. After reading the replys, it now seems to me that solar is both a pain in the ass and more expensive too. So why do people bother with it if they can get service from a power company?
Because sometimes, in worst cases..its cheaper in the short term to get power via solar, than via a utility
A case in point...a friend lives 1.01 mile from the nearest power pole. Pacific Greed and Extortion wanted IRRC...$90,000 to run the power that mile.
So my friend spent $30,000 on solar. A net savings in the short run, of $60,000. While it didnt get him a 200 amp 24/7, it gave him enough power to function and raise a family.
Gunner
"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire. Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us) off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give them self determination under "play nice" rules.
Think of it as having your older brother knock the shit out of you for torturing the cat." Gunner

solar is the biggest scam, then comes ethonol.

carly wrote:

solar is the biggest scam, then comes ethonol.

Let's keep in mind that solar heat can be 100 times cheaper than solar electricity, per peak watt, and most houses need several times more heat energy than electrical energy, and the electrical slice of the energy pie can easily shrink with compact flourescents, etc.
Nick

carly wrote: ....

solar is the biggest scam, then comes ethonol.

Perhaps you would care to elaborate. How are solar and ethanol scams?
Anthony

Anthony Matonak wrote:

carly wrote: ...
solar is the biggest scam, then comes ethonol.
Perhaps you would care to elaborate. How are solar and ethanol scams?
Anthony

Ethanol is badly brewed booze , it makes the car happier than you are