PV Gap

Gerald Said:

How do you heat your home with solar panels?

We Answered:

Different type of panels needed. It would require many more panels than have room for to heat with solar electric. To heat your home the collectors have some kind of fluid circulating to absorb heat. The fluid is stored in a large insulated tank so that you can have heat as you need it.
I would suggest using the solar heat to supplement your conventional heat source. Never know if it will be cloudy for several days.

Stacy Said:

would you invest in solar panels for your home?

We Answered:

That's difficult to say because current costs of photovoltaics is about $10 per watt installed but projections are that it will be less than $1 a watt quite soon and will be integrated into common building materials like roofing tiles and even paint.

I would focus first on insulating the home, then on using solar thermal collectors for hot water and for heating. If you're in a warm climate, it's possible to use solar heated water in a lithium bromide chiller to provide for airconditioning but due to the low demand in the market, small scale residential units aren't available forcing one to buy an expensive 30 ton unit and derating it for residential use. If there are significant tax breaks then a photovoltaic system might make sense but in the meantime you can get about 80% of the benefit with much less expensive solar thermal.

Mabel Said:

If you were to install solar panels on your home that would allow you to.....?

We Answered:

The 3 major suppliers in California do NOT pay you for excess generation - the best you can get is a credit on your bill up to the amount of your usage. This is true for the PG&E region, as well as SCE and SDG&E. Also there will be a minimum charge for staying connected to the grid, nominally $5-10 a month, which cannot be undone by generating credit.

This being true, if you get a solar electric system, you want to size it to not quite meet your electrical needs, averaged over the year. We made the mistake of over-sizing our system, so ended up with a net credit at the end of the 2007 period. At that time, the power company said "thank you for your donation" and zeroed out the credit.

See the California Solar Initiative site below for official information.

Matthew Said:

Where can you get a loan for solar panels when your "upside down" in your home.?

We Answered:

Go to your bank or credit union and get an unsecured personal loan or put them on a credit card.

Guy Said:

Solar panel for your home?

We Answered:

In the US, there are tax incentives from the Federal government as well as several state governments. I've included a link below that shows you all the incentives available for each state. Note that there are often different incentives available for solar water heating than there are for solar photovoltaics.

If you are interested in getting an estimate on putting a solar system on your home, I would contact a company that is listed through NABCEP (North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners). There is a spot on their web site that will list certified solar instalers for your state. By choosing someone off the list, you know that you are dealing with someone who has some experience sizing, pricing and installing these systems.

Good luck!