[hardwired]

to elaborate further on the passive and active froms of solar power mentioned;
Passive is like a flower using the air, water, earth, and sun in it's environment to sustain life. You can build a passive solar home in such a way to take advantage of the local environment and it requires no moving part. Things of a passive solar nature would include a solarium(the heating of it via the sun); thermal air heater; an earthship but not is additional comfort systems, so mass and glass, the amount of light(solar heat) let in the structure to increase the temperature of the walls and floor (mass of concrete, sand, and stone) and the angle of the sun in different time of the year limiting the light in the summer (to make it cooler) that enters the structure and increasing the amount that enters in the winter(to make it warmer).
Active would be like a hydroponically grown flower you require a pump to give it water and light bulb to give it light plus the addition of nutrients (yes this could be argued that this is not exactly active but I'm trying). Active solar devices;solar panels (photo volactic panels ) when the panel is exposted to sun it creates electricity; wind turbine creates eletricity via the force of the wind rotating the blades and the blades rotate a generator; heliostat as made in Germany with a sterling engine, the heliostat is an array of mirrors that focus the light energy on a central point that is the hot side of the sterling engine and that engine rotates a generator.
So solar devices use naturaly created energy to create electricity (active) or we can build in such a way to harness passive energy. There is less states of change using passive solar power but our world(western) is built for convience and there for active solar power is needed but also more expensive. Any device that has to change from one type of medium to another loses energy at every change so the passive solar devices are more efficient then active. Sorry about going off on a tangent I hope i've not confused the issue more.

[horselover]

I still find solar power confusing so don't worry about it. It's a newer technology, so I guess it will be confusing for a while until I read up on it.

[hardwired]

Sorry to answer the question solar power reduces the use of petrolum based products for heating/electricity/transportation so decreasing the consumption of energy. There is so much energy used to create energy via petrolum products not to mention the environmental side of the equation. And people will argue that solar panels cost alot to make but there are many other passive and active solar ways to create/save energy that solar panels need not be the whole equation of energy generation from solar sources, wind turbines are by far the most cost effective and this is why so may wind farms are being built.

[horselover]

I would love to have a turbine in my backyard, but it's not big enough to support it. I'd go with the solar panels any day if I knew that they would help me.

[shadowbot]

Check this article out, the website also has info on lots of stuff besides solar.
Howstuffworks "How Solar Cells Work"

I think ultimately if you are looking into solar power to save money immediately, its not going to help much because they cost a lot up front. If you are in a place you see yourself living permenantly, its a good solution.

[horselover]

I totally understand the cost aspect. I know it wouldn't be fesible right now since we don't know how long we'll be here. Once I get my business going, that's when I'll need to look into alternative energy sources as I'll be using a lot of power for the business.

[workinman]

i just read that 10 years is actually the max payback time.. the national renewable energy labs states "modules installed under average US conditions reach energy payback in 3 to 4 years."

not to bad if u think about it.. if ur going to live in the same house for awhile i would definatly look into it.. and of course think of the good ur doing the enviroment

[horselover]

I'll definately have to wait until I relocate and start my business. The wait for the return will still be long, but should be worth it.

[ToddF]

Solar electric (PV) has a payoff of about 20 years with US incentives. The modules last about 40+ years so there is some payback.

Solar hot water is cheaper and saves more energy. Expect a 5-10 year payback and remember, your furnace or utility bills never pay for themselves and continue to rise in cost. Renewable energy makes locking into a flat energy rate possible.

[renic]

Originally Posted by ToddF

Solar electric (PV) has a payoff of about 20 years with US incentives. The modules last about 40+ years so there is some payback.

Originally Posted by workinman

i just read that 10 years is actually the max payback time.. the national renewable energy labs states "modules installed under average US conditions reach energy payback in 3 to 4 years."

There are too many variables, in calculating the payback on solar power, to give a generic answer that will cover all locations in a community, let alone an entire country. I have done solar payback analysis for neighbors who've had dramatically different results.

The main factors involved in calculating payback are:

• How much electricity you use
• The rate structure your utility company uses to charge you for that electricity (is it tiered? is it time-of-use?)
• Available incentives such as rebates and tax credits
• The inflation rate for electricity
• Cost of Equipment and Installation
• Interest rate of financing, and loan terms (if the system is being financed)

In California, common payback times are between 7-12 years for homes, and 5-10 years for businesses. Our electrical prices range from 11 cents to 36 cents per kilowatt-hour depending on how much you use, and the historical inflation rate for electricity is about 6.4%. People with large electrical bills see a tremendous investment in solar, while people spending under $100 per month rarely have systems put in.

Your best bet is to get in touch with a Solar professional that can put together a proper analysis. Quotes for grid-tied solar systems are almost always done for free, and any solar company worth their salt will do a proper financial analysis on the system.

Just be sure to check a company's projections with third party tools. This is easier than you might think. PVwatts and the CSI-EPBB Calculator are two, easy to use tools, that can help you make sure a contractor isn't over estimating the production of a system.