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October 31, 2009
October 30, 2009
October 28, 2009
October 26, 2009
Solar Panels Required, Good Idea or Not?
If all new homes were required to have solar panels installed when built, can you imagine the money savings to the homeowner and the less need of the outside power plants and the environment wins too.
Susie Harrison and her two daughters’ favorite color these days is green. That’s because her new environmentally friendly home on the East Side will be a model of energy efficiency.
Last week, solar photovoltaic panels were put on the roof of the Helen Street house being built by the Sound Coalition and Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County. The 14 solar panels installed are capable of generating 3 kilowatts of electricity during daylight hours and will deliver most of the family’s daily electrical needs.
When Harrison’s home doesn’t need the power, it will flow back to the supplier grid and serve the rest of the neighborhood.
http://www.greenmadesimple.com/projects/details/solar-panels-habitat-home-will-bring-future-energy-savings
The main drawback to solar panels is the cost. They are thousands of dollars and the amortized cost is still high. As an example. If the solar panels installed cost $2,000. Which would not surprise me. At 3 KW per day and the electric company charges 15 cents per KW.
It takes over 12 years just recoup your investment. There are much less expensive ways to go green. If every house had a Radiant Barrier as an example http://www.radiosity3000.com/ it lowers a summer cooling bill by 15- 20%. The initial cost is less and it amortizes in about 3 years.