Would you install solar or a wind at your home if it cost the same as power from

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   lime light powerposted 13 years ago

   Would you install solar or a wind at your home if it cost the same as power from the utility?

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   Matt in Jaxposted 13 years ago

   If the utility you could receive from the environmental options was the same and the cost was much lower? Of course I'd use it. The problem is still that solar panels are far too expensive and are simply not worth it for the benefit that they provide in my mind.

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   Josh and Lindseyposted 13 years ago

   Yes, I'd definitely install it, as long as upkeep was manageable.  While I know that both solar and wind options exist for the home, I don't know if it's something that would be easy for the average homeowner to maintain.

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   pedrogposted 13 years ago

   The initial investment maybe quite expensive but on the long run it will compensate, check this hub for more information:
   
   http://hubpages.com/hub/cost-of-installing-solar-panels

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   TimMEyposted 13 years ago

   Yeah I would install them. I think it´s great to generate your own power. Unfortunately it is quite expansive.

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   lime light powerposted 13 years ago

   Good start to the feedback and pedrog, you did a nice hub on the basic analysis. I still can't figure out how to find the publish date for hubs so it's hard for me to tell when you were writing, but there's been a good shake up in the solar industry the past year / 18 months and prices per watt are down to somewhere between $7.50 and in some competitive markets as low as $5.00. Still a little expensive, but we are getting a lot closer to that magic number for grid parity - where renewables are equal in cost to power from the utility.

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   Npasternackposted 13 years ago

   Yes i would. Especially seeing as i live in Rochester, NY....This place is a bit of a wind tunnel for most of the year. I would probably install wind power even at the current cost. Given the savings and resale value (back to the grid), i think it could be quite cost effective. I'm a bigger fan of wind power given my current location and climate.

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   supplies expertposted 12 years ago

   Honestly, if it was the exact same cost, I'd probably just keep regular electric then, ignore the hassle of having to maintain either solar panels or wind power. If you think about it, during a storm if a tree falls and knocks out a power line, the power company is responsible for that, if a tree falls and knocks out a few solar panels, I'm responsible for that.
   
   With that being said, I'd personally switch to Solar panels if i had the money for the initial investment. I know over the lifetime of solar panels, the savings can add up and be very beneficial. I hope in the future they can create solar panels that are smaller and not as much of an eyesore.

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