PV Gap

Steve Said:

Can anyone tell me about some cost effective solar projects?

We Answered:

If you are paying six cent per kilowatt hour you best stick with it.

I live full time in an RV and I have a pretty good solar system.

Occasionally I will take a spot in an RV for a month.

I pay on the average of 14 cent a kilowatt with no extra fees added on by the electric company.

If I used the same amount of electricity that I use in one day when hooked up to the Gird I would have to have 100 time more solar that what I have now. I have a pretty large RV and I would not be able to mount that number of panels on my RV.

When I stay in an RV park my electric bill averages about $25 a month. I have $3036.17 invested in Solar. Based on the cost of the solar system and the cost of grid electric it will take over 10 years to break even. Provided the Batteries and Controller last that long. The panels are guaranteed for 20 yrs but the batteries and controller are not.

There is replacement cost for batteries and electronics that are required to make the system work and that can get expensive

I do not look at it as being an investment or money saving. I enjoy living off the grid in remote areas and away from big cities and the rat race.

EDIT---

I don't understand what you mean by "Regular Solar". Solar systems are the same whether it is mounted on a RV, Top of a house or out in a field.

"- would have been economically viable without taxpayer
subsidies"

Currently Solar is not economically viable without personal tax credits. In the future possibly but not now.

"- produce electricity for around six cents per killowatt hours like my local utility"

A push to $3/Wp would bring solar energy costs from the present 30 cents per kilowatt-hour to around 10 cents per kilowatt-hour. Currently the cost for WP is around $9.00
which includes batteries, wiring, controller, Inverter and instillation. It will be a long time before it hits 6 cents per kilowatt hour.

"- if photovoltaic, that pay for themselves within the life expectancy of the photovoltaic cells"

That depends on the quality of panel one buys. Since Sloar has grown so much there are some low grade planes out there and even though they may have a 20 year warranty on them they will not last that long. The very high grade more expensive panels will last for about 20 years.

There are a lot of other cost for components that have to be thrown into the calculation.

With the current technology it is estimated that most solar system will pay for itself in 15 years. However that depends on ones useage, amount of direct sun light and the replacement of components in the system other than panels.

Darren Said:

How many people who complain about global warming know the production of electricity contributes the major?

We Answered:

That is too logical - the envrironment nazi's won't like it.