Thinking of going green...solar panel savings?

My electric bill is too high and my friend suggested I try solar. Will solar power cost more than I'll save? Has anyone tried it? Know of any credible online resources on panels and savings? I'd switch if I knew.

I think it's OK. One of my friends has the same problem with you. Then one day he installed the solar. It do save money. Maybe you can have a try too.

Your savings all depend on what type of set up that you currently have. If you have some aspects of solar panels already installed, then you obviously have less to spend on the set up. Remember though, "going green" is an investment. "Going green" is one in which you may not see the ROI (return on investment) for years. It is well worth it though. The cost of installation and savings can vary tremendously. It all depends on a number of factors. Here's a useful site for a guide to calculate cost, incentives, savings, rebates, etc. I hope this helps you.
http://www.spheralsolar.com/solarenergycosts.html

The short answer to the OP is no. not in the short term. Depending on a variety of factors, your typical "break even point" (and how big of a system you buy is irrelevant) is about 10-14 YEARS down the road. It is a long term investment, and you will see immediate reductions, but you've also got to PAY for the PV system first.

The things that WILL net a virtually immediate ROI:
CFLs: for fifty bucks you can replace virtually every commonly used bulb in your house, and you will see an immediate drop in electric usage. figure lighting averages 20-25% of electricity cost, and you just cut lighting by 75%...

Attic fans (note the plural): depending on where you live, two to three fans (for a large house) can reduce your cooling costs significantly in summer. cost: about $80 per (and most houses have at least one already)

Ridge venting. Same conservation principle as the fans, only allows continuous passive attic venting through convection currents. Not as effective at temp regulation as fans, but it's cheaper, continuous, and requires ZERO electricity itself.

Extra insulation: Worth it's weight in gold (or money as it were). if you dont have rolls of pink stuff (or whatever your local color is!) on top of and in between your ceiling joists you are throwing away money especially in summer.

Insulated LOW-E windows: double (or triple) pane windows are good, when you get ones w/ LOW-E they are twice as good... the farther south you live, the more effective LOW-E is.

Programmable thermostat, and setting it properly: Do you really need your house to stay 75 all day long while you are work? Getting a thermostat that's programmed for the days of the week can save you a crap load.

There are of course more things... like for example, is your garage attached to the house? if so, is the garage door insulated?

You could do EVERYTHING on that list and spend less than a PV system. and save more money. I don't know ANYBODY who's installed a PV system that didn't check off every single thing on that list before they even called to get a quote on the PV system.

Don't get me wrong, a grid tied PV system is awesome, especially w/ net metering, but don't delude yourself just because it's so sexy. If you didn't do this stuff first (a lot of which qualifies tax credits like a PV system does) you are pissing away a considerable amount of money...

It would be like if all you needed to do was cut your gas consumption, and you went and bought a brand new prius. Yes, you could brag on the fancy hybrid system, and it's new and shiny... but it still gets the SAME mpg as a 1989 honda crx hf.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you want to go blow 20-30k on a grid tied PV system to wow your neighbors w/ how green you are, go on (Your money will help the economy!)! but if all you want to do is cut your electricity costs (and in the end be greener), the ROI is far far better w/ the other options...at least first

Good luck!

Trying researching online. There are many good sources available on the net!

Thank you!

Thank you again to everyone for their help (wasn't logged in the last time). My husband and I are going to research this more with Solar Sphere's Learning Center. We're going to make a decision after we have read more.

I am also thinking about alternatives to using electricity and gas. Now that solar panel systems have been around for sometime have they been proven to help and will I save money in the long run? What is your experience with the Solar Sphere?

Hey Guy

If you wanna try to set a solar panel system for your home, you can tell me what is your total power for your home and your roof area, your electric equipment products than I can help you to check which model is the best for your home system

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Yup as posted above, Unless you are really sure you are gonna be in your house for 10- 15 years, you ill see 0 gain from solar, wind is the same way, Going green is just a scam. what you need to do is as posted above is start insulating and SAVEING energy, don't get that and going green mixed up, They are 2 different things.

Navar, can't help but say thanks for that informative posts. I live in a tropical country and having a solar system here is quite ideal but very costly. Would consider your post if ever I would pursue on this matter,thanks and nice forum.

Good post indeed Navar.
The biggest thing you can do is adjust your consumption, which you'll have to do if you want to run a completely off grid PV system.

What I wanted to add here is that PV isn't the only way to use solar. For the power consumption of a water pump, you can all but eliminate home heating costs. I have installed swimming pool heaters by running a few hundred feet of 3/4" ABS pipe on a rooftop and recirculating the pool's water through it. During the heat of summer, it pushes the pool's temp up above 90 degF (at that point it gets turned off!) and it provides comfortable swimming down to about freezing (water temp~70 degF) with zero combustion. Those numbers are at about 53degN latitude.

Home heating systems are built the same way by using ethylene glycol in a closed loop and circulating it through radiant floors and as a booster to preheat the hot water tank with whatever BTUs are left.

Heating is by far your biggest 'footprint' so if you can change how you heat your home you will see the greatest difference.

It might save you some money OK. Have you enquired about Vertical heat Pumps for enclosed spaces. This heating system is worked on a well system and you can take heat from the ground to heat your home. There are a lot of elements that you would need. You have to have underfloor piping in concrete and you would need to cover your floors with tiling to get the best results. As the tiles act like a radiator. I have it in my house here in ireland. Once it is regulated and used at non-peak hours for the heating of the slab it works out pretty fine for the bills. Hope this helps.