How do i convert my house to solar energy?
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Question by Nikki L: How do i convert my house to solar energy?
What is a ball park price for converting an 1800sq house to solar power? What is involved? Things 2 consider? How long is the process?Any info would be appreciated.
Feel free to answer in the comment section below
7 Responses to How do i convert my house to solar energy?
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Half your electric bill is for heating water toss in 10 a month for the refrigerator and five for the TV the rest is your heating and air.
deskwalker@sbcglobal.net
April 28, 2013 at 12:52 pm
Lowes and home Depot both have people who will come out and give you an estimate.
I wanted to try it but we live in a very wooded area.
lb
April 28, 2013 at 1:15 pm
There are many companies the will either sell you the parts or install a whole system for you. The size of your house is less important that the amount of power you use. Look at your old electric bills to see how much that is. Then go to the first source and see how much a system that big costs. The source just sells the parts, so you need to know how to install and operate it, which is not easy. My guess is $ 25,000 or more for a “grid tied system” where you use solar power during sunny days and sell any extra power you may make then back to the power company, and at night you use power from the power company just like you do now. If you want to be disconnected from the power grid you will need large batteries which will probably double the cost.
The company in the second source will just sell you the power without selling you the solar panels. They put their solar panels on your roof, but they own the panels, not you. And they agree to sell you the power at some rate per kWh, just like you power company does now, but you never pay for the panels themselves.
campbelp2002
April 28, 2013 at 1:21 pm
tear the roof off
Going Cranky
April 28, 2013 at 1:29 pm
Converting to solar is more about how much power you use on a daily basis, where you live and how much space you have to install the PV panels.
First – make a note of your power consumption for the last year or so. Then look at anything you can cut consumption on – new appliances, home improvements, alternative heating/cooling.
Second – Survey your location for solar potential. Remember the sun’s ability to power PV panels will change significantly if you the more north you are.
Last – Plan for what you use. If you normally consume 4kW/day you will need to capture (and store in batteries) 4kW of solar on average. You can mount 5-6kW and if you have reverse metering have you meter spin backwards during the day and use the grid power at night.
If you can reduce your need from 4kW to 2kW you can save on the amount of panels you buy. For maximum solar potential you will need to mount the PV panels on a tracker – a motorized stand that will tilt and turn the panels to follow the sun. Thus you may need lots of space.
There are lots of factors that go into the price but a ball park number to start with is about $ 6/w installed so 5kW is about $ 30,000 give or take on your area and the complexity of the installation.
If you pay $ 500/month on average for electricity then you can see the light at the end of that tunnel. If you only pay $ 100-200 then well, it is a lot harder to justify until price/watt drops.
Hope that wasn’t all bad news…
Eco_Dave_011
April 28, 2013 at 2:12 pm
hi! may name is bio hazard.
it is very easy to convert your house to solar energy.
you can afford a solar water heater to produce hot water
it may cost up to 40000 indian rupees, you can also install a solar cell colony atop your house which provides electricity which is very cost efficient. this one may too cost around 100000 indian rupees, but once you install it it may provide you free current for nearly 6-7 yrs.
aslo you can do one thing by yourselves get lots of ventilation to your house so that less celctricity will be consumed for
light & ventilation [like using air conditioner
so i conclude that this option is the best one because you are
turning greener.
good bey….
bio hazard
April 28, 2013 at 2:19 pm
Most guesses in this forum about hit the ballpark. I install systems for 20K to 60K, although most of my customers rely on a 40 to 60% rebate in order to afford it. Be careful of being directed to CitizenRE, which promises free solar power (you rent the system for the cost of the electricity, they install it for free). It may likely be too good to be true. Despite many promises of installing solar by 2008 and changing the solar industry by vertical integration, they have yet to install a single module and, more importantly, yet to break ground on a single solar module assembly plant. They have yet to do anything, in fact, but make unfulfilled promises.
druid
April 28, 2013 at 2:32 pm