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By next Spring, you should be able to pick these "plug and play" solar kits up at your local hardware store.
"The key here is slowing the [electricity] meter down," Maglaque says. "Every kilowatt counts."
The "Sunfish" would work like this: Next spring go to your local hardware store or electronics retailer, purchase a power module, circuit monitor and pluggable solar panel—all the components of the "Sunfish". Return home to swap out a regular electricity outlet for the circuit monitor (not unlike installing a grounded outlet in your bathroom to prevent shock), plug in the 18-kilogram solar panel via the power module in any socket and hang it on the most convenient (and sunny) side of your house, lawn, fence or roof.
Then synchronize the power module with the circuit monitor using some form of power metering software—such as Google PowerMeter or Microsoft Hohm—and electricity derived from sunlight will begin to course through the circuit of your home. "We're talking about a [do-it-yourself] handyman on the order of cable guy level of installation," Maglaque says.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=solar-power-in-a-box-sunfish
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And who knows what kind of incentives and/or tax breaks there will be for solar home alterations in future? After the oil spill mess the green movement's got to have gained more supporters and that means more pressure on elected officials to support greener alternative energy sources like solar and wind power.
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This is really good information. In a year or two they will come down in price the way all new things do and become more affordable. I would do it then and sooner if there were new incentives like you say, Kay.
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It will be interesting to see how much is charged for installation of these kits. I wouldn't know how to do it and don't know anyone that would. I'd need to hire a professional which I hate doing. I always feel I get ripped off precisely because these guys know I don't have a clue about how much work's involved in what I need done. The kits would be worth the investment only if I'm not going to be charged the same amount again for installation.
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I had a newsletter come in with my electricity bill from the company and it was talking about energy efficiency credits.
It said (and I quote) that "the government also offers a renewable energy tax credit that expires Dec 31 2016. That credit covers 30% of the cost of materials and installation for solar panels, solar water heaters and geothermal heat pumps, for both new and existing homes."
It also said to be sure to keep the receipts and your Manufacturers Certification Statement (which confirms the product qualifies for the tax credit), and when tax time rolls around you claim it for 2010 using IRS Form 5695.
This kit would come under that, I'm 99% sure.
Lastly, the newsletter recommends visiting http://www.dsireusa.org , the Database for State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency.
DSIRE is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility and federal incentives and policies that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency. Established in 1995 and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, DSIRE is an ongoing project of the N.C. Solar Center and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council.
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Getting rebates as much as 30% would make the solar panels much closer to what I could afford in the range of. Trouble is, I wouldn't know how many we would need. I guess the staff will advise on that depending on the size of your property. If you need more than one or even two, the kit would soon get expensive. Plus you have the installation costs like Splash said. Time will tell. :)
I wonder if you'll have to go through building regulations to put them up?
Even though it is a high outlay at the start (or it would be for me anyway), I would be interested when the prices got closer to the $600 range and under. I don't think four years is long to pay back that cost in terms of savings at all.
The only reason a great many American families don't own an elephant is that they have never been offered an elephant for a dollar down and easy weekly payments. - Mad Magazine.