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Solar Panels

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DNK

DNK

Great Pumpkin
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Had a company over to give me a quote for Solar panels
 
and ...
 
Are they PV panels?
 
I tried a couple suppliers, and discovered the system wouldn't pay for itself until at least 20 years had passed.

Not sure I'd even last another ten years! I'm so old I don't even buy green bananas.
 
Will those trees in the foreground of the pic cause natural shading in the summer months?
If the company is any good, they will supply you with a solar shading analysis taking into account the physical location of your house, and the sun's elevation over the entire year.
 
One thing to be wary of - the company selling the product will do its best to "short cut" the payback period. Here in New England, winter sun only shines on the earth half the daylight hours; clouds greatly reduce what's coming from Ol' Sol.

But the pre-sale estimates often assume total sunlight every day of the year. And don't mention the time you spend cleaning dust off the panels. And heaven help you if you need to fix a roof leak. Eek.
 
Power costs are already set to double by 2016/17 according to one source. Supposedly the EPA is closing or has already closed 411 coal fired plants that produce power for $.04 kw to be replaced by units that make it for ~$.25/kw. It's already happening here now. IIRC heating oils futures for 16/17 have already been traded and they are double, supposedly that guarantees double prices during those years. Supposedly lotsa of subsidies for solar and the system should "really" cost around 6-7k outta pocket....so I'm told..
 
A total installation for $6-7K for a 4KW system would be great. But that heavily subsidized price often doesn't include the "removal fee" or "balloon payment" at the end of the lease purchase agreement.

At least, nowhere around New England can you do anything but lease a system, for under $10,000. There's a lot of guesstimating in that business.
 
DNK said:
Elliot- PV?
Click to expand...
Photovoltaic

As Tom points out sunshine during different times of the year can vary.... sun in summer vs winter, natural surroundings, and location on the face of the earth all come into play; that's why you should have them do a solar analysis for YOUR house.
 
errr - I thought Don said he just *had* a solar analysis for his house.
 
NutmegCT said:
errr - I thought Don said he just *had* a solar analysis for his house.
Click to expand...

I thought don said he got a "Quote".... not the same as an analysis; ie: how much sun will the panels receive over a 24 hour period during an entire year based on his location and local weather data, etc.
 
My house faces due south on that side .
My neighbor across the street had a small system install last month (On the N side of his house) I've been watching his meter

My break down using the figures from the units they have installed in our area .
Does not include a subsidy that will start next March

View attachment 35421
 
Don - that table is a great help. But did they give you any info on how they actually arrived at those numbers? How much sun, how much output from each panel, etc.? What's the actual *cost* of the system? In other words, how much do you pay up front, and will there be any further payments expected from you?
 
My neighbors
10830445_736457106403401_5259729487226304055_o.jpg
 
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