Hard to even consider the idea when the residential solar industry is rated right up there with used car salesmen and failed politicians.

Cost
 

System cost varies greatly depending on house size and what you want your system to do. Our house is about 2000 square feet and after taxes the total cost was around $20K. I realize that I will not recoup the investment in my lifetime, maybe our kids will enjoy the low cost power.

why? plenty of questions..before you do..

break even/never best reply

Is there an ARC approved Tesla roof in TV now. It seems to be a very impressive product.

And WHY would you put holes in a perfectly good roof?! Leak central…especially with bad storms, hurricanes and hail! As a science teacher, I once used these and “replacement” windows to teach the economic futility (yes, cross-disciplines) of both.

We used Sun PPM out of Gainesvilles and were fairly pleased with their professionalism, estimates and execution. For us, we had a new roof and a sizeable tax bill for 2021 so the tax credit was crucial to making this a worthwhile endeavor although we did like the idea of the environmental concerns as well.

As many have stated, and I don’t entirely disagree - it’s certainly a toss up for long term cost savings - we paid cash for the tax credit portion and financed the rest which is basically close to the amount we would have paid for our monthly bill already. Most months we have small or no bill from Oct-May or so.

Biggest factors to consider - a) size of system vs. what you need and can export back to grid to make this financially feasible, b) age of roof for us was a factor, c) do you have a tax liability the credit will help with…. And are you paying cash or financing?

Not sure if this help - Respectfully, DB

I’ve planted many trees in my life and never stayed long enough in any of my four houses to see the trees mature to the point where they provided usable shade. Yet, I can visit places with magnificent trees that were planted by people who also didn’t see them mature.

People have built cathedrals that took generations to complete. They never got a payback for their efforts.

Nobody looks past the next quarter when running a company, anymore. It’s always short-term thinking and we are suffering for it.

We often benefit from investments like museums and parks that were made by those who proceeded us. Is that ending with the What’s in it for Me generation?

Most of these “payback” considerations fail to take into account the value that a solar panel system adds to the home. In Florida, it generally is considered to add 4% to the total value of the home. This may vary based on the age of the system and size of the home but most systems have a 25 year warranty. Since Florida only has net metering, you can only break even at the end of the year so it makes sense to size your system as close to your needs as possible. On a larger, fully electric house it can easily pay for itself in under 10 years, If you are thinking of selling in under 5 years, it probably does not make sense. It also does not make sense if you will need to replace your roof in under 10 years so it is best to install on a newer roof. You will also make the most power if you have a south facing exposure for the panels. Some quick math based on a 20kw system and a $600,000 home assuming you sell the house in 10 years.

Cost of the system: $50,000 (this includes battery back-up)
Tax Credit: $15,000
Net Cost: $35,000
Annual Power Generation: $3,500
Power Generation over 10 years $35,000 (break-even with no value add to the home)
Value add to a $600,000 home at 4%: $24,000

So if you are keeping the house for 10 years it will definitely pay for it self. If you factor the 4% value add into the equation, it can pay for itself in under 5 years. Obviously your mileage may vary but those are real numbers. Hope that helps.

Get out a existing home that has panels with a EMF meter, electro magnetic frequencies.
If the power goes out in the neighborhood, consider if the power generated by the panels goes back to the grid first or to your home.
Does the panels have 100% production quality.
What is the time for the return on your investment.
Research Nikola Teslas wireless electric power plant in Long Island (WARDENCLYFFE TOWER AND LABORATORY) that was destroyed by GE, JP Morgan and the crew

I don't agree that solar panels will increase the value of your house. I think the opposite is true. Many buyers, including me, will not even buy a house with a solar system. In all of the threads on this topic, I have never seen a real estate agent provide an opinion on this. Also, I have never seen a real estate ad promoting a house that has a solar system. There is a house on my street that has a complete solar system, but it took almost 2 years to sell. Do you have any data to back up your second sentence, because I don't think many real estate agents who actually sell houses would agree with you, especially in The Villages?

A quick Google search will show you several but here are a couple of links:

Do Solar Panels Increase Home Value in Florida? [Your Questions Answered] | Current Home.

Do Solar Panels Increase Home Value? (2024 Guide).

Based on the MarketWatch data and my numbers, the value add would be much greater. While some buyers may shy away, consider that when buying a house with an existing system, by definition the system MUST be paid off, so the question in looking at 2 houses, one with solar and one without: “would you rather have a house that has a ZERO (0) energy bill or one with an energy bill.” We may disagree on the actual value add, but it is definitely more than zero.

A few points:

1. You did not include the time value of money. The $35,000 initial cost, invested at 5 percent for 10 years would generate $17,500 in income.
2. Many people in The Villages spend less than $3,500 on electricity per year. My electricity cost is only about $1,200 per year.
3. No small contractor can possibly service a 25-year warranty. It is unrealistic. They probably won't even be in business in 25 years.
4. I don't agree that the value of the house will be increased, especially after 10 years, when the roof will soon need to be replaced, and which will require a solar contractor to remove and re-install the solar panels at a cost of about $4,000-$5,000. I don't think a homebuyer will pay an extra $24,000 for a 10-year old solar system. Most people don't want one at all.

A zero electricity bill will usually get the attention of a buyer.

We can agree to disagree. Some people like pools, some don’t so they add value for some and detract for others. My main point is they add value at some level, i.e. on an annual basis the home will have little or no energy bill. I agree you must be careful in choosing a vendor which is why we went with Tesla.