[sweethomeru]

Feel free to reach out to me for a tour if you are considering going solar.

[stadry]

not about the $ as solar's not proven economics,,, its being able to say 'i care more than you',,, w/o tax breaks, no one would consider solar & tesla never would've gotten off the ground

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by stadry

not about the $ as solar's not proven economics,,, its being able to say 'i care more than you',,, w/o tax breaks, no one would consider solar & tesla never would've gotten off the ground

The only way to prove the economics is to eliminate the tax credits and subsidies and see if these solar companies can still sell their product.

[mulligan]

We would be so much better off with more nuclear power plants, IMHO.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

Also posted in investment section:
2019 & 2020 Energy Tax Credits
There are significant “Renewable Energy Tax Credits” for up to 30% of the costs of major energy installations. These credits are unlimited, and include labor on installation for the following:
solar water heaters
solar panels
geothermal heat pumps
small wind turbines
fuel cells
The 30% credits decline through 2021, and are as follows:
2019: 30%
2020: 26%
2021: 22%
The installations must be installed in a home you own and use as a residence (no rentals, but second homes qualify).

[henry1224]

Originally Posted by cgalloway6

Many “green “ decisions are made with the heart and not the head. Payback may have not been considered

13K for the incentive to live another 30 yrs in TV?

[Jimbo120]

First of all, talk to your neighbor. I installed solar in 2019 with 30% tax credit and this year I believe the credit is 28% but check that.

Also not sure how you calculated: I used the best panasonic panels, Enphase inverters, and 25 year warrenty on parts, labor and roof penetration from a qualified Panasonic installer. My payback is just short of 10 years based on paying cash and current electric pricing. My roof was replaced in 2016 as part of the Shingle Defect Program that year in The Villages. Paying on credit really increases your cost.

[jerapinz]

Perhaps a family member will inherit and current owner is getting it started.

[Silver Streak]

We installed solar panels on our house in Key Largo in 2018. As soon as it was active, we started getting credits on our electric bill each month instead of paying (averaged at least $200 in that all-electric house that needs A/C year-round). Now we're selling that house to be full time in The Villages, so unless we make the balance back in the sale, no, we won't get our investment back. But I'm okay with that. When I was arguing with my hubby about putting in the solar, he was in the process of buying a boat...that coincidentally cost roughly what the solar panels did. I said he could consider the solar "my boat," since it was important to me. (I want to leave a livable planet for my grandchildren, if possible!) Unlike his boat, my "boat" is paying for itself! (And now he's selling that boat, less than 3 years later, and I guarantee he won't get what he paid, especially when you factor in the $ he's put into it since buying it.) We all have different priorities and dying with the most money possible isn't one of mine. <shrug>

[Fastskiguy]

Originally Posted by sweethomeru

My panels cost $13,188 after the 30% federal tax credit and provide 9,797 kWh/yr or 93% of my current energy needs. $13,188 divided by an adjusted $1191 (93%) equals a payback of 11 years.

Are you really getting 9797 KWh/yr or is that what the company says? Just asking because my dad is getting a fair bit less than what the panels were sold to produce and that is a big part of extending out the payout to 20 years for him.

It's sort like "these panels will produce 10,000 KWh/yr!" but they are only producing at that rate on a perfectly clear sky on Jun 21st. A cloudy mid december day is a whole lot different.

[biker1]

For FL, a good rule of thumb is to take the nominal rating of the system (in units of kW) and multiply by 4 (hrs) to get the average kWh per day. Based on 9797 kWh per yr, I am guessing they have a 7.2 kW nominal system. This essentially comes from NREL, a Government Energy Lab.

Originally Posted by Fastskiguy

Are you really getting 9797 KWh/yr or is that what the company says? Just asking because my dad is getting a fair bit less than what the panels were sold to produce and that is a big part of extending out the payout to 20 years for him.

It's sort like "these panels will produce 10,000 KWh/yr!" but they are only producing at that rate on a perfectly clear sky on Jun 21st. A cloudy mid december day is a whole lot different.

[DonnaNi4os]

Originally Posted by Chatbrat

Saw a person in our neighborhood was having a solar panels installed on their roof as an alternative power source--checked it out online--I have to live 30 years for break even

What am I missing ?

They are ugly! Wondering what happens to your roof’s Warantee?

[Win1894]

Originally Posted by mulligan

We would be so much better off with more nuclear power plants, IMHO.

Absolutely. Generation 4 Thorium nuclear power generation - zero CO2 emissions, proliferation resistant, and walk-away safe with 100 times less waste than Gen 1 - 3 plants. Also, can safely burn the waste of present nuclear power plants, cheaply reduce atmospheric CO2 gas to useable liquid fuels, and has the heat capacity to provide de-salinization for pure water. Thorium is plentiful enough to supply all the energy needs of the US for 1000 years. A lump of Thorium smaller than a golf ball has enough fissionable energy to supply a person with all their lifetime energy needs.

[Win1894]

Originally Posted by Jimbo120

First of all, talk to your neighbor. I installed solar in 2019 with 30% tax credit and this year I believe the credit is 28% but check that.

Also not sure how you calculated: I used the best panasonic panels, Enphase inverters, and 25 year warrenty on parts, labor and roof penetration from a qualified Panasonic installer. My payback is just short of 10 years based on paying cash and current electric pricing. My roof was replaced in 2016 as part of the Shingle Defect Program that year in The Villages. Paying on credit really increases your cost.

Realistically, the only thing that make solar panels economically viable is the federal tax credit. Here are some other things to consider. 1. The condition of your roof supporting the panels. The poster here (Jimbo) had his roof recently replace. 2. Photo-voltaic panels lose efficiency with time, somewhere between 1 to 2% per year. So after 25 years their efficiency could be about 45% lower than when new. 3. You have to keep them clean or they lose efficiency. 4. No one ever seems to address end-of-life disposal and the associated costs (same problem with wind turbines). PV panels contain heavy metals, which mostly come from China by the way, so you can't just throw them in a dump. Food for thought.

[Win1894]

Originally Posted by BrendaHB

We installed solar panels on our house in Key Largo in 2018. As soon as it was active, we started getting credits on our electric bill each month instead of paying (averaged at least $200 in that all-electric house that needs A/C year-round). Now we're selling that house to be full time in The Villages, so unless we make the balance back in the sale, no, we won't get our investment back. But I'm okay with that. When I was arguing with my hubby about putting in the solar, he was in the process of buying a boat...that coincidentally cost roughly what the solar panels did. I said he could consider the solar "my boat," since it was important to me. (I want to leave a livable planet for my grandchildren, if possible!) Unlike his boat, my "boat" is paying for itself! (And now he's selling that boat, less than 3 years later, and I guarantee he won't get what he paid, especially when you factor in the $ he's put into it since buying it.) We all have different priorities and dying with the most money possible isn't one of mine. <shrug>

Brenda: The further south you live, the more home solar panels start to make sense. But you are kidding yourself if you think you are doing great things for the environment. Besides, Silicon photo voltaic panels contain heavy metals, much of which comes from open pit strip mines in China. Also, after their 20 to 30 year(if you're lucky) lifespan how are you going to recycle them such that you don't create an environmental hazard by just throwing them in a dump? There are ways to do it but expensive! The dirty little secret of solar panels.