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What Potential Home Solar Energy Customers Need to Know – Part 3
By Solar energy | September 2, 2008
How much does a home solar energy system cost?
It depends. Several factors work together that dictate how much you will pay for your home solar energy system.
The main factors are:
1. How much energy your home uses,
2. how much do PV panel system cost
How much energy does your home use? This varies somewhat with each home and what you use electrical energy for. The Alternative Energy Store has a list of typical power ratings for common household appliances. Use the information here to get an idea of what it takes to use your home appliances.
Refer to your utility bill to determine your home’s average energy use. Look for the number of kilowatt hours (kWh) used. Divide the number of kWh used by the number of days for that billing cycle. That gives you your average daily energy use in kilowatt hours.
What’s average for a typical home? Of course, it really depends on how much you use electricity to heat your air, water, and food. One source suggests your daily average will be between 15 kWh and 20 kWh. Anywhere below 15 kWh is fairly efficient; anywhere above 20 kWh is considered inefficient. However, remember that usages vary.
How much do Photovoltaic panel systems cost? According to this site, generally speaking a small PV panel system will cost around roughly $1000 or $12 per watt. A medium sized system will average $16,000-$20,000 or $8-$10 per watt and a larger system that would provide energy for many conventional homes could cost $30,000-$40,000 or $6-$8 per watt.
These numbers look scary at first. But there are federal, state, and local rebates and incentives that can significantly reduce these costs. Check the DSIRE database to find incentives that apply to you where you live. Notice that federal incentives are good only through December 2008 unless congress decides to extend the deadline before the end of the year.
Also remember the possibility of going solar in small increments. Develop energy efficient habits, use passive solar energy where you can, and then use a PV system for the remainder of your energy needs.
Topics: home solar energy, Solar Power | No Comments »