PV Gap

Tamara Said:

How much do solar panels for your house turn back your meter during the day?

We Answered:

It really depends on your usage habits, and the size of the system installed. For instance, if I got a modest-sized solar array, then said, "Woo-hoo, now I can run the A/C all summer and electric heaters all winter!" then I might never turn the meter back.

Now for the data points. In August 2008, we had a net consumption of -214 kWh for our house (that is, the meter was turned back 214 kWh). That's the summer, of course. In January 2008, the dead of winter, we used a net 331 kWh. Other months are between these two extremes. Over the course of a year, it balances out to about zero kWh used. But again, if we changed the size of the system only slightly, or altered our usage patterns only slightly (say, it was a very cold winter), the answers would be different.

If you want to see our bill in detail, send me an email.

Vickie Said:

Can you get a government graunt to get solar panels for your house at the city?

We Answered:

There are no grants that I know of, but some municipalities have incentives for installing such devices. You also may be able to get a tax break for installing energy saving devices, depending on how you file. Most, but not all, electricity providers will install meters that allow you to lower your electric bill by putting power back into the grid than you take out. You'll have to check with your municipality and utility company. Now, the most important thing is how much it will cost to install the system. After that, you can calculate how long it will take you to recapture your investment in lower utility bills.

Bonnie Said:

Do you need a building permit to install roof-mounted solar pool heating panels for your house in Las Vegas?

We Answered:

Man , you need a permit to sneeze in Vegas , IF you're wearing a nail apron .

Johnnie Said:

How do you choose solar panels for your house.?

We Answered:

Unless you have extensive experience in electrical engineering I would recommend letting a professional installer take care of the installation process. A bad installation can hurt the productivity of your panels in the long run so I would say it's better to be safe than sorry after spending all that money on the panels themselves.
If I may recommend a great company that I used when pursuing solar, I would 100% direct you towards Global Solar Center. If you visit their site @ http://www.globalsolarcenter.com/ they will provide you with a free solar quote, including a break-even analysis, your projected annual savings and return on investment, as well as a breakdown of all the incentives you may be eligible to receive. All in all they simplify the solar transition and give you all the economic information so you may make a well informed decision about whether or not going solar is the right move for you. Good Luck!

June Said:

if you have solar panels on your house and produce more power then u consume?

We Answered:

A lot of cons actually believe the world is about to end so they see no need for clean energy.

Anna Said:

If you could get solar panels installed onto your house, would you?

We Answered:

First, to previous answerer, you can get solar shingles.

I could install them myself and have looked into it. Esthetics is not a serious consideration to me.

What is a consideration is that they are not yet cost effective, by which I mean that they will not make enough electricity to pay for themselves before they wear out. Yes, they wear out in less than 25 years. There are several kinds, but they all start loosing effectiveness pretty quickly - the more expensive kind more slowly as you might guess.

There have been a number of good articles out about this lately, unfortunatly the only ones I can remember for sure, I read in print - the best was about two months ago in fine home building.

As is commonly said, it is still much more cost effective to replace old appliances with more efficient ones than it is is to create solar energy.

I replaced my washer and dryer with the more efficient front loads, got an eficient fridge and upgraded to a 95% eficient heat pump. I imagine I will also do solar if it ever gets even close to cost effective.

Wilma Said:

Would you buy solar panels for your house?

We Answered:

I would love to! I cannot afford to at this time.