Recently, Reliant Energy has said they're about to raise electricity prices by double digits. (link) We try to conserve energy (keep things powered off, digital thermostat adjusts temperature for different times of day, etc.), But even with those changes our electricity bill is almost $300. It used to be that solar cells were a poor investment: they cost way too much money and didn't provide enough return-on-investment to warrent their expense. However, things are different now. Electricity rates are a LOT higher. And if solar panels have increased their productivity and decreased in price, they might be a good idea: they may cost less than they used to They may be more productive and efficient than they used to be They may be able to pay for themselves sooner than they used to they could provide electricity when there are outages I've googled solar power and solar cells, but there's too much information out there, most if which seems to be outdated. Does anyone here know of some modern web sites you can recommend that containt good information about using solar panels at your home to lower electricity bills?
Funny you should start this thread drox. The wife and I have been thinking seriously about installing solar power on our house in the Catskills. I have a whole list of websites on my computer at home. When I get home tonight I'll drop a few on ya. We have a spring fed water supply and if we install solar we could make our house totally self-sustaining. Which would rock!
About time they find a way to get POWER out of farting. Awesome. p.s. I've been wasting much energy myself.
I saw a solar powered house a few years ago on TV. It actually produced so much power, that the owner actually sold the excess to the local electric company. Of course, he had the house specifically built for solar power, so it was facing the right direction, and didn't have any windows on one side of the house, and the entire roof was covered in solar panels. ...but hey, if you can save a few bucks, go for it...
Sounds like a sweet setup you've got there! I know that solar panel systems can be crazy expensive. But I'd like to see if there's a panel system that might pay for itself in 3 or 4 years, and possibly be a good back up system in case of an emergency.
What benefit would solar power bring to you in winter (Midwest) if your house was built with gas heating?
They can be expensive but the prices are coming down and there are a lot of government subsidies you can apply for. I was reading yesterday about a guy who installed a system for his house that cost 75 grand, but the government paid 60 of it and it paid for itself in three years. Not to mention the tax breaks. Now, like A-train says, he sells his excess back to the power company. He's making money off of an electric utility. How sweet is that?
That's a tall order, if not impossible. EDIT: Wait, does it mean that all it takes is to replace a gas furnace with an electric furnace (if there is such thing)?
There might be other ways to get around that wnes. I'm not totally up to speed on all the technology.
Solar panels would reduce your entire electricity bill throughout the year, regardless of season. If, in the winter, you use less electricity... so much less, in fact, that your solar panels are creating a surplus of electricity, then Reliant is required by law to buy that electricity from you. But I think you'd have to have a really big, expensive panel array to be in that situation (unless newer tehcnologies and lower prices have changed things, which is why I created this thread).
Government susidies? Tax breaks? Me like!!! Where can I find info for those as they apply to the Houston area?
I just found these sites: Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy U.S. Dept. of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy - Green Power Network U.S. Dept. of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy - Million Solar Roofs project Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association Seems like good sites: http://www.infinitepower.org
Well there do exist electric furnaces! Here is one example: http://www.warmair.com/html/electric_furnace.htm Hey mark, be sure to post your bookmarks on residential solar power when you get a chance. I've been thinking about this for a while, glad droxford brought it up.
After seeing my last electric bill I'm thinking the same thing. Post any good info you find. I have a friend who lives "off the grid" out in AZ. I'll send him an email but I won't get a response until the next time he goes to town to check his email.
An interesting article from last two months ago: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/080905dnbustaxcredits.d429ad0.html Consumers can get a break with less energy New law means dual savings for efficient appliances, cars 12:27 AM CDT on Tuesday, August 9, 2005 By SUDEEP REDDY / The Dallas Morning News The energy bill won't lower the cost of your fill-up anytime soon. And it probably won't cut the nation's dependence on foreign oil. But through tax breaks and other subsidies, the legislation that President Bush signed into law Monday encourages conservation and the development of emerging energy technologies. Much of the debate about the bill has been focused on industry, which will receive tax benefits for producing ethanol, generating power from wind and the sun, and building new nuclear and coal plants. The new law has benefits for consumers, too. It offers tax credits for purchasing certain new appliances or vehicles with clean-diesel or hybrid technology, as well as for making home improvements that help energy efficiency. The law also will extend daylight-saving time by four weeks: It now lasts from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. The Alliance to Save Energy estimated that by the year 2020, the energy-efficiency measures across the bill could reduce growth in U.S. energy consumption by almost 10 percent. "That's fairly significant for what are relatively low-cost measures for the government and aren't sacrifice requests of the public," said the nonprofit group's president, Kateri Callahan. Manufacturers and the Internal Revenue Service still must hash out the size of tax breaks for specific models of cars and appliances. In most cases, retailers will likely promote the savings. TXU Electric Delivery, which runs an energy-efficiency program through contractors, said it's analyzing the new legislation for how the federal measures could supplement the state-backed efforts it employs today. The energy bill's tax credits "could work in concert with our weatherization programs to encourage more energy efficiency," said Carol Peters, a spokeswoman for the regulated company that delivers power across North Texas. Some tax benefits could spur consumer demand for renewable technologies such as solar energy. Solar-powered hot water systems have been adopted across the state for decades, enough that the cost has dropped to about $3,000 to $4,500 for some units, said Russel Smith, executive director of the Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association. The energy bill offers credits of 30 percent of the cost, up to $2,000, for installing a solar water heater or pricier solar panels for generating electricity. "It is definitely a positive," Mr. Smith said of the tax credit. "Everything I've seen indicates that the industry is gearing up to try to respond to that." The goal of the consumer tax credits is to lower energy demand that has helped raise energy prices over the years. Promoting the efficiency measures can help most households cut their consumption and save money in the long run, Ms. Callahan said. "New homes are going to last 50 or more years," she said. "So if you build the energy efficiency into that building, the energy savings go on and on and there's a tremendous return on your investment." E-mail sreddy@dallasnews.com TAX BREAKS AROUND THE HOME, IN THE GARAGE HOME IMPROVEMENT Consumers can receive a 10 percent tax credit – up to $500 – for home improvements in 2006 and 2007. The measure covers products such as advanced thermostats, insulation, caulking, doors and windows. The credit for new windows is capped at $200. EFFICIENT APPLIANCES Certain efficient air conditioners, heat pumps and water heaters can provide a tax credit of up to $300. Purchasing a furnace or boiler provides a credit of up to $150, and $50 for advanced fans. Manufacturers also receive tax benefits for producing high-efficiency washers, refrigerators and dishwashers. HYBRID VEHICLES Tax credits for hybrid, fuel-cell or clean-diesel vehicles can offer some of the largest benefits to individual consumers. But they'll also be some of the hardest to decipher. The credits, starting in January, replace a $2,000 tax deduction offered for hybrid vehicles. One credit ranges from $400 to $2,400 based on the fuel-economy rating of the new vehicle. Another credit of $250 to $1,000 is based on how much gasoline the vehicle is expected to save over its lifetime. Once a manufacturer sells 60,000 hybrid vehicles that are eligible for the tax break, the size of the credit starts diminishing. SOLAR PANELS In 2006 and 2007, consumers can receive a tax credit of 30 percent of the cost of installing solar panels or a solar-powered water heater, up to $2,000. In Texas, the heaters can run a few thousand dollars. The price of solar panels depends on the size of the system, with a project often stretching into the five figures. Solar systems for pools are excluded from the tax credit. ====================== Is it me, or does a $2000 max sound pretty wimpy? I mean, if the system costs tens of thousands, that two grand won't go very far.
if i remember correctly, the local energy provider is required to purchase all excess energy generated by individual solar providers.
Hmm... thinking about this more... If a solar panel system costs $15,000.... and if you get the max subsidy ($2000) from the gov't, the cost is $13,000. if that system took 150$ off your monthly bill, the system will have paid for itself in about 7 years. Now, of course, that does not factor in interest rates, inflation or other monetary changes.
