Home solar panels

[dudehead]

We just went solar. We have 30 panels going strong. After the government check, it cost about $20k. I do not have a power bill to pay again…ever! The battery packs are being installed within the month.
Since we live close to the beach, we do not have natural gas. To have a whole house generator, we would have to install a gas tank for a generator. The cost for that was quoted at $25k for everything.
Going solar made way more sense for us.

Are you in the southeast?

 

[KentuckyDawg13]

Gas is most inefficient in what way? You think wind and solar are efficient? How many acres of land would you have to use to build a solar farm big enough to produce the same amount of power as a 1200 MW gas plant? Or how about wind farms, which just start dropping blades or burning up nacelles after about 8 years? Not to mention solar doesn't work at night and the wind doesn't always blow for the wind turbines, so even if producing the same amount of power, they aren't as reliable as a gas plant. Battery technology has to come a LONG way for those sources to be reliable, and that's very dependent upon China who aren't the most forthcoming with their testing and standards.

There's no perfect answer, but gas and nuclear are critical. I'm optimistic about modular nuclear down the road. The waste is a non-issue in the scheme of things. There is a place for renewables in the mix, but we would all be better off if more money was spent on R&D to make them actually competitive and cost efficient instead of just throwing more tax credits at production of poor technology. The whole industry is currently propped up by poor ESG logic, tax credits, Tax equity, hopes and dreams.

What are the Disadvantages of Natural Gas?​

• Toxic Nature
• It is Highly Inflammable
• It is a Non-Renewable Source of Energy and will eventually die out
• Polluting Water and Earth
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• Leakage
• Relatively Expensive Storage
• Costly Pipelines
• Long Processing Process
• Impurities
• It is Difficult to Harness
• Growth in Terrorism and Violence
• It is Less Suitable for Dense Metropolitan Areas

The 2015 Aliso Canyon gas leak near Los Angeles released over 95,000 tons of methane into the atmosphere, placing more than 35,000 people at risk in one of the single-worst climate-related disasters in human history. (Leaks persist to this day.) Not long after, a pipeline in Alaska ruptured, leaking 210,000 to 310,000 cubic feet of gas a day at some points. Those leaks will affect the global climate for decades.

 

[ababyatemydingo]

What are the Disadvantages of Natural Gas?​

• Toxic Nature
• It is Highly Inflammable
• It is a Non-Renewable Source of Energy and will eventually die out
• Polluting Water and Earth
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• Leakage
• Relatively Expensive Storage
• Costly Pipelines
• Long Processing Process
• Impurities
• It is Difficult to Harness
• Growth in Terrorism and Violence
• It is Less Suitable for Dense Metropolitan Areas

The 2015 Aliso Canyon gas leak near Los Angeles released over 95,000 tons of methane into the atmosphere, placing more than 35,000 people at risk in one of the single-worst climate-related disasters in human history. (Leaks persist to this day.) Not long after, a pipeline in Alaska ruptured, leaking 210,000 to 310,000 cubic feet of gas a day at some points. Those leaks will affect the global climate for decades.

Nothing you just posted proved nat gas was the "most in-efficient". It was nothing but tree hugger talking points. Btw. The electricity you want to use to power that fancy electric car will come from a natural gas powered plant.

 

[jxndawg]

I had a solar install company (AMP Smart) come by yesterday and offer to install all the equipment needed (no battery though, said they are now considered a luxury) at no additional costs and you just have to agree to paying your fixed power bill for certain finance terms. Sort of like car payment, you pay a fixed amount (average cost of your bill) for a certain time frame (5-10 yrs) and once paid, the equipment is yours thus the solar power that is generated is free. If you need more, then you pay per usual.

I had limited time to understand the details and scheduled another time to discuss with my wife’s ears there too. It’s a newer business model for those reluctant to spend $50k for the equipment. Plus with the Federal Solar credits/rebates available, this is the time to jump on solar.

For those spouting nuclear and gas, you really need to read more. Gas is one of the most inefficient sources out there and with nuclear fuel waste issues is not even worth discussing.

Something else to consider about the financing options for the equipment if you install it on your roof - this might make it hinky if you want to sell your house while you still owe money on something that's attached to the roof. You may wind up having to pay it off the equipment completely before you can sell.

 

[maroonmadman]

Another thing about nuclear is that manned and unmanned flights to the moon are getting to be cheaper and more feasible. We can bury nuclear waste there along with other environmental contaminants. The moon will make a great trash dump that will help keep earth cleaner in the decades and centuries to come.

I'm not sure putting toxic and nuclear waste on rockets is a good idea. What if the rocket malfunctions? Then toxic and nuclear waste go everywhere. As was recently proved those things are not infallible. And, if your going to do something that stupid don't pollute the moon too, fire that stuff into the sun and incinerate it.

 

[willi13]

Are you in the southeast?

I live in Florida. This is our forever home. I walk out back to my dock and can be on snook in 10 minutes.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

Nothing you just posted proved nat gas was the "most in-efficient". It was nothing but tree hugger talking points. Btw. The electricity you want to use to power that fancy electric car will come from a natural gas powered plant.

I'm concerned that someone with enough sense to register for an account on this MB would just blindly repost those idiot talking points. Even AOC wouldn't buy that.

 

[LordMcBuckethead]

I checked into solar panels for my home, and to generate the same power that I use monthly with some battery backup, they quoted me almost $60K. The break even point based upon my monthly electric bill was 15-20 years, and the panels are only rated for 10-15 years. Thus, I deemed it uneconomical for Mississippi at this time. They'll either have to reduce the cost of panels or installation to make it worthwhile, not to mention the risk of newer technology not regularly used locally.

With the current tax credits that would be 7.5-10 years.

 

[LordMcBuckethead]

I'm concerned that someone with enough sense to register for an account on this MB would just blindly repost those idiot talking points. Even AOC wouldn't buy that.

Gas is most inefficient in what way? You think wind and solar are efficient? How many acres of land would you have to use to build a solar farm big enough to produce the same amount of power as a 1200 MW gas plant? Or how about wind farms, which just start dropping blades or burning up nacelles after about 8 years? Not to mention solar doesn't work at night and the wind doesn't always blow for the wind turbines, so even if producing the same amount of power, they aren't as reliable as a gas plant. Battery technology has to come a LONG way for those sources to be reliable, and that's very dependent upon China who aren't the most forthcoming with their testing and standards.

There's no perfect answer, but gas and nuclear are critical. I'm optimistic about modular nuclear down the road. The waste is a non-issue in the scheme of things. There is a place for renewables in the mix, but we would all be better off if more money was spent on R&D to make them actually competitive and cost efficient instead of just throwing more tax credits at production of poor technology. The whole industry is currently propped up by poor ESG logic, tax credits, Tax equity, hopes and dreams.

You act like it has to be one or the other. Imagine a world where we use solar, wind, nuclear, geo, and natural gas...... that is the answer. All of the Above in a connected system that feeds to each other. The world is indeed bathed in enough energy to power everything we need, every single day. Wind barely needs to blow to actually work. New nuclear systems needs real world ways to dispose of the spent fuel, but yes it needs to be used. Geo, the earth maintains a constant temperature, no issues there. Natural gas is not good to remove from the ground, but it does burn pretty clean. So, all of the above, except coal or oil. Both of those we need to get away from as fast as possible.

 

[maroonmadman]

Another thing to consider is partially powering your house. I have a friend who has been doing this for about the past 10+ years. He runs all of his 120 volt stuff on solar power, just the A/C and big load stuff off line power. He averages about $60 a month electric bill as opposed to over $120 a month.

 

[Walkthedawg]

For those spouting nuclear and gas, you really need to read more. Gas is one of the most inefficient sources out there and with nuclear fuel waste issues is not even worth discussing.

You need to add mining for the metals for solar panels and batteries to your waste issue research. Then consider that on a much wider scale than current use.

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

I live in Florida. This is our forever home. I walk out back to my dock and can be on snook in 10 minutes.

Sounds more like Jersey to me.

 

[The Peeper]

Timely article in today's Starkville Dispatch newspaper:

Solar install and pay back numbers

 

[TXDawg.sixpack]

I'm waiting on something like this. Looks like they got FCC approval last year:

Home - Solar Roadways

Welcome to Solar Roadways® This video, Solar Freakin Roadways, was created in 2014 by a wonderful volunteer. It’s had over […]

solarroadways.com

I could see a driveway install like this as a better option to solar panels on the roof. No idea of costs, though.

 

[johnson86-1]

What are the Disadvantages of Natural Gas?​

• Toxic Nature
• It is Highly Inflammable
• It is a Non-Renewable Source of Energy and will eventually die out
• Polluting Water and Earth
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• Leakage
• Relatively Expensive Storage
• Costly Pipelines
• Long Processing Process
• Impurities
• It is Difficult to Harness
• Growth in Terrorism and Violence
• It is Less Suitable for Dense Metropolitan Areas

The 2015 Aliso Canyon gas leak near Los Angeles released over 95,000 tons of methane into the atmosphere, placing more than 35,000 people at risk in one of the single-worst climate-related disasters in human history. (Leaks persist to this day.) Not long after, a pipeline in Alaska ruptured, leaking 210,000 to 310,000 cubic feet of gas a day at some points. Those leaks will affect the global climate for decades.

How do those disadvantages compare to burning wood? Or coal? Or nuclear? Because those are the current alternatives. Even if you go Green Mao and decide it's worth starving people to satisfy mother gaia, at the very least people will be burning wood and whatever trash they can find to stay warm when it's cold.

 

[johnson86-1]

I'm not sure putting toxic and nuclear waste on rockets is a good idea. What if the rocket malfunctions? Then toxic and nuclear waste go everywhere. As was recently proved those things are not infallible. And, if your going to do something that stupid don't pollute the moon too, fire that stuff into the sun and incinerate it.

Are you referring to the SpaceX test run? You're correct that they're not infallible and launching rockets with nuclear waste will eventually result in a failure of a rocket carrying it, but a test run doesn't prove that.

And launching something into the sun is much harder than getting it to the moon. Not that either should be done.

Not sure if it's still true, but most nuclear plants were storing waste on site as recently as a decade ago. So decades of waste could be kept on site. That's probably not the most efficient way to store it, but by the time it's not ok, we may have a better solution for dealing with it.