PV Gap

Bertha Said:

solar power for home?

We Answered:

Hi Miky. It's kind of hard to answer this question whenever it's asked. If your wanting to simply reduce the amount of electricity that your using, the answer is just that, use less. If, on the other hand, your looking for cheaper electricity, the unfortunate truth is, that you can't make your own for less.....yet. Whoever your buying your electricity from right now, can produce it for far less than you can (via economy of scale). That said, if your wanting to "go solar", for any of the many other good reasons to do so, go to "backwoodssolar.com". These folks will tell you EVERYTHING that you'll need to know, and do it with astonishing honesty. I use their $4.00 pamphlet style books (you'll see'em when you get there) for reference material all the time. Their knowledge is really second to none.
In the meantime, about that "reduce" part of your question...Put in compact fluorescence's everywhere that you can (and dispose of properly when they eventually burn out). Buy appliances that meet "energy star" qualifications. Pack in insulation everywhere that you can. Caulk and otherwise seal all cracks and crevices around your doors, windows and foundation. On hot days, pull the shades and drapes closed on the sunny side of the building. On cold days, turn down your thermostat and wear heavier clothes. Close the vents and door in any unoccupied room...use fans when you can instead of running the AC...plant evergreens on the north side of your house...plant deciduous on the south...install an "earth pipe"...increase the amount of thermal mass inside of the building...humidify in the winter...get a couple of good books on energy efficiency......
The list goes on and on....and once you get started, it actually becomes fun. Your bank account might start smiling too..
Have fun.

Olga Said:

What is the most efficient way of powering your home? Do you use solar power, wind turbine, coal?

We Answered:

I have just answered a Q. similar to this,My G/Fs small holding has no mains, water, sewage,gas or electricity we have a genny that runs the washing machine, T.V & charges a large battery pack we have bottled gas for cooking & heating filtered rain water for showering & washing clothes, a composting toilet, all waste water is collected to water the veggys, when we've finished our waste 'gulper' we should be able to produce our own gas, the genny runs on bio fuel which we produce & the back up petrol genny runs on methenol, which we also produce, we dont pay any utility bills, how cheap do you want to run? you can only watch T.V for a couple of hours a night, but we've got all mod cons!

Edward Said:

does anyone know if using home solar power is worth it?

We Answered:

I had a system installed last year and I think it is well worth the investment. There are a lot of factors that need to be considered when you make your decision. The location of your house, the location of the panels, any shade elements, the amount of energy you use, if your roof can handle the weight of the panels, will you need to upgrade your electrical system, how long you intend to live in the home etc, do you have net metering, rebates and tax credits.

Here is some general info on my system: I have a 20 panel 3.74 kwhdc system, the total installed cost was $26K, I got a $10K rebate from my utility, I have net metering, which means my meter runs backwards when I produce more than I use, in essence I am a small power station for the city. I received a $2K fed tax credit, this year it has increased to 30% of the total cost of the system, so if would have been almost $8K. I didn't try to zero out my bill, I expected to reduce my usage by at least 30%, but with other energy saving strategies, I'm producing well over 50% and more like 75% of my electrcity. I expect to break even no later than my 6th year. My average summer bill was well over $200, last summer I didn't go over $25. My highest bill was in Jan. it was $35, last month I paid $6.11 for electricity. I live in a 2000 sf home with a pool. I estimate I will save well over $50K over the life of the panels.

My best advice is ask a contractor to come give you an estimate, a site visit is necessary to give an accurate estimate. You should be able to contact your utility and get your usage history, 2 years will give you a good idea of how much energy you produce. A local contractor would also know about rebates and utility company policies. The company I used has a structural engineer and an electrical engineer to make sure the house is compatible with the system.