I have been trying to figure out how to justify putting
solar power panels on my house for about five years.I keep hoping that the price will fall or a
new technology will come out that could justify the expense.I really want to live off grid but every time
I do the calculations the numbers just don’t add up.First of all there is a finite life span to
the Silicon solar power panels that are being produced today.They have a 25 year guarantee but it is also
made clear that they will drop off in production of electricity over the course
of time.So the rating they have at day one
will decrease every year they are installed until they eventually give out
completely.
I have been using my local utility company’s website SRP’s
cost calculator to figure out not only the cost but the return.Every time I go there and put the numbers in
it is telling me there will be about a 23 year payback for the initial
expense.Even if I were committed to
living in this house for the next 23 years (with current real estate problems I
may be) I still can’t justify that long of a return on something that may have
completely given out at the time of payoff.I am running those numbers through their website because they offer a 3
dollar per install watt rebate, greatly reducing the initial cost.
Hopefully at some point soon there will be a major
technology breakthrough that will bring the cost of installing solar power
panels down to the point that homeowners can justify the expense.Until that happens though I just don’t see
any wide spread use of solar in residential neighborhoods happening.I am keeping my fingers crossed that it will
happen in the next 5 years just like I was 5 years ago.If it happens in ten years I will be
surprised though.
If I lived in a very rural area where it was very cost prohibitive
to bring the local electric utility onto the property it may make a lot more
sense.But that is not the case where I live
so for right now I will continue to do what I can to conserve electricity and
make my home as efficient as possible.I
think that is about all any of us can do at this point.I am really looking forward to the day when I
drive down my street in my electric car and every house has solar power panels
on the roof.We will all breath a little
easier when that day comes.
