PV Gap

Beth Said:

Can Solar panels start fires?

We Answered:

You're right that mirrors can start fires, but I think what you saw at the garage sale was a magnifying mirror (some makeup mirrors magnify), not a regular one. If you get a magnifying mirror, you can try this youself with a piece of newspaper. You'll also notice that you can't burn the paper with an ordinary, flat mirror.

The mirrors in the desert were probably one of the few solar power tower plants around. Another approach for utility scale generation would use distributed troughs, avoiding a single super-hot area, or photovoltaic panels, generating no hot spots. When we talk about residential solar systems, that generally means systems without mirrors, and no areas of extreme heat.

Our insurance company charged us X amount of money for fire insurance because we had a cedar shake roof, and when we converted to asphalt tile, they discounted us by about $100, because the roof is less likely to catch fire. When we told them we were putting on solar panels, there was no extra premium, so I suspect that panels are as safe or even safer than a regular roof. After all, the insurance guys have real money on the line, so they should know.

Tony Said:

How does taxes work on solar panels?

We Answered:

Many states don't charge sales tax on solar equipment for your own house. If yours does, some web based companies don't charge you taxes unless they have an office in your state.

If you are off-grid, it's nobody's business how much power you make, there is no tax on generating your own power.

Many states have a law that says you cannot have your property taxes go up (at least for 10 years in some states) if your property value goes up due to adding solar.

So, the answer really depends on what state you live in, and who you buy it from.