Backyard Aquaponics
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I am considering installing solar energy in my home. I have found a company that will install a system that they claim will reduce my elect. bill down to $20. They request copies of your elect. bills for the last 12 mo. and they design a system to fit your needs. Basically instead of paying an elect. bill you pay them until your system is paid off.

wow, that sounds good, is it too good to be true?
what deposit?

What happens if you die before paying it off

Me dying before its paid off will be sombody elses problem:)

me want me want

Me too... I want this system.......it certainly warrants investigation.
I have always felt that solar energy has to be successful......especially in places like South Australia where we have plenty of sunshine ( and likely to have lots more with global warming)
Unfortunately, the figures do not quite stack up for full scale solar just yet.

Check with Notable he has just installed a system in victoria

Mike you should do your own homework on this. Ask the vendor what the system will generate in 'KW/hr' per month and then call your utility company to find out about their program for a grid connection. In Florida, we can have a max 10kw system connected. At our rates a 5kw system can generate about $150/month.

Just beware.... Solar energy is finally starting to take off and their are plenty of vultures out there....

I'm not trying to discourage you. I'm going for it too... Just do your homework.

MikeH,
Dunno what your site is like, but if you can put a tracking array in, consider bifacial panels with a ridge concentrator. This type of panel is sometimes poo-pooed by installers as they would prefer to just slap some panels on a roof than install a steel post in the ground to mount it on. But when I spoke to the manufacturer he indicated that they were from the Russian space program and had the same 25 year warranty as normal monocrystalline panels. Also they let infra-red through which is one of the main causes for deterioration and loss in output.
[link is from Oz site, but you get the idea]
http://www.solarvalley.com.au/solartrackers.htm

Speaking of infrared.... Does anyone know if the latest claims about nanoantennae capturing infrared energy, and thereby doubling output, are true?

Mike,

Lucky you! I'd love to be able to go solar. Been a dream of mine for years. I second Jazzy's comment. Do a bit of research on your own before you commit to a system from this company. No harm in being informed

Here's a link to a site that not only does installs but has oodles of information about solar power. Oasis Solar

If/when I set up my AP System I'm planning on having it run from solar with regular power as backup.

Good luck!

I spoke to the rep. He said that I would need a 3.7KW system for my house which would run me a small fortune, $35,0000.00. Thats without the battery pak if I want that which would make me totally independant of the Elect. co. its an extra 20K.
A little to rich for my blood.

That sounds a bit much for $USD.
I thought Texas had good solar access.
Might be time to see if you can get your daily kWhs down so you just need one 2kW array.

Tell the rep you want references. Talk to some folks who have the system. Don't be the guinea pig.

Solar sounds great. $55,000 grand hmmmm.
Figure mortgage payments on something like that. If payments are more than power bills... maybe not a good idea.

$55,000 at 5.5 % for 30 years is about $312.28 a month.

Doesn't sound so great to me. Maybe DIY would work out better. Pay cash as you go.

Sounds like you are getting a good deal on those solar panels. In Australia solar panels are still sitting around $10 per rated watt. Does that include installation?

$20K on the batteries sounds a bit much. You may be better off doing some scrounging for a better deal on those. Don't go second hand for batteries though, there is always a reason why they are being sold.