Is Solar Power Heating Up?

With the focus on the high cost of energy, alternative ways to heat and cool your home are gaining traction. But are they finally going to become affordable? Money reporter Stacy Johnson has an update on one of the brightest ideas: solar.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• solar
• energy
• power
• environment
• warming
• global

[Casey2570]

Before you dump $50K into solar panels, you should invest $1.50 and buy a clothesline. Then you will have a solar clothes dryer, which according to the US governmnt is about 7% of your electric bill. I am shocked at the number of global warming believers (which I am not)that I know who come up with every excuse not to give up thier electric clothes dryers. It is the easiestand cheapest way to go solar.

[soulhunger1]

This statement seems very ignorant, since wind, hydro, hydrogen, biofuel, geothermal and other renewable sources all show promise for future energy needs. Solar is great, but it's not the only answer.

[eastern2western]

what ever discount the government throws at solar, the distributors tend to eat it up

[repfreedomforce]

The government is already too involved in the form of regulations and prohibitions on and against the installation and use of solar power. Rooftops and gardens could be teeming with photo voltaics if the government would simply step aside and allow people to do what they want to do. There is entirely too much government red tape to overcome to make installing these systems a convenient or affordable solution at this time. The government preserves the monopoly of the oil industry.

[TBirderic1]

This system today can be purchaed for under $40,000.00. With a state rebate of $20.000.00 and a federal tax credit of $12,000.00 that is good until 2016, the net cost of the sytem is $8,000.00.Your ROI is 4.2 years. Not a bad investment.

[TBirderic1]

The solar panels will with stand hits from hail stones up to 1"

[TBirderic1]

The system is a 5.6kW, the system produces about 40 kW per day or 1200 per month, at .13 per kW, he is saving about $156.00 per month

[ThaBeatDontStop]

I agree wholeheartedly. And I have to say this, there is NOTHING to be sun dried clothes for the fresh smell and the crisp drying . I live in the tropics and when we were kids it was normal for all the clothes to be hung on lines - the lovely smell of the clothes when they dried in the sun and breeze was amazing . Not to forget that they are healthier because of the Suns UV light killing bacteria .

[ThaBeatDontStop]

The problem behind costing such things is the fact that we have to look at "non traditional costs" . Environmental damage from Global warming, cost of loss of forest cover, cost of generation of electricity vis a vis pollution etc. These are never costed and so we look at per unit cost or infrastructure costs. greenfield power generation plant using fossil fuel such as coal and oil fired burners, would cost infinitely more if the capital expense was to be paid off per unit immediately

[ThaBeatDontStop]

That is an excellent question - any replies yet ? Excellent question indeed.