Quote:
Originally Posted by Isaac Zachary
[list][*]If it has a battery and there are sunny days where you live, why not do solar?
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Opportunity cost. Every dollar I invest in solar is a dollar I don't have to invest in something else that may have a better return.
Will the money I spend on a solar panel for the top of my car, charge controller, and the wiring return that investment in a reasonable time? If the goal is to reduce fuel use are there other technologies that save more fuel per dollar spent?
I work for a auto manufacturer and we have hard fuel efficiency targets to hit mandated greenhouse gas fleet limits. There is a list a mile long of things that can be done to save fuel. Hybrids, aerodynamics, weight reduction, electric accessories, energy saving oils, better heat management, etc. They are ranked the biggest bang for the buck to the lowest and we work our way down the list.
Solar on my house is the same. The last quote I got was for $15,000. My electric bills total $791 per year / $66 per month. That is a 5.3% rate of return and a 19 year payback. Consider the cost of solar is steadily dropping that doesn't seem like a very good investment to me.
Insulating my floor with spray foam is WAY less expensive and would likely make my house a lot more comfortable. The windows are due for replacement too.