May be time for PV at my house

[dremd]

I ran across a fellow this weekend who works for the Louisiana department of Agriculture, I asked him what he does and he is in charge of "green". Basically trying to get tax incentives for Hybrids, EV's Efficient cars, Solar Power (not wind though) etc.

He's telling me that In Louisiana we now have a 50% tax credit on both PV and Thermal Solar. It got tagged on to a bill recently passed. He however did not get funding to publicize it at all. . .

So . . . . .. . I can get a credit on my (just finished) solar hot water heater.


50% off of Solar for me.

What PV setup do I get???? Skys the limit so to speak, not a whole lot of money to play with (maybe $10,000 before the 50% Credit)


BTW, I told him about this site, I'll see him next weekend at Jazz fest as well.

Cliffs: 50% Tax credit on Solar in Louisiana, Want to take advantage, what should I buy?

[MetroMPG]

A 50% credit on a PV system is better than a kick in the pants, eh?

Have you run the numbers yet on payback time?

[dremd]

Not yet other than just in my head, was looking like around 10 years.

http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/codes_al...ATTS/version1/

I am nearest Lake Charels, Louisiana on that map.

telling me that 2000 watt (nameplate) would give $208 per year in savings (at current rate of 7.9c per kwh)

So lets say $5 per watt (does that include grid tie inverter?) $10,000 *50% = $5,000

so $5000/$208(per year) leaves us with 24 years Can that be right? after a 50% credit?

[Daox]

Calculations I've seen have been around 30 years. I'm not sure if thats with or without credits.

[groar]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

A 50% credit on a PV system is better than a kick in the pants, eh?

Have you run the numbers yet on payback time?

For France :
. credit tax of 50% of material, limited to 4000€ by adult and 200€ by child.
. 3kW installed cost is between 20 and 25 000€.
. I will generate about 3.15MWh/y, so I will earn 1800€/y.
. You have to pay 650€ to be connected to the grid then 60€/y + 40€/y taxes.

Our profitability: (22500+650-8200) / (1800-60-40) = 14950 / 1700 < 9 years
As the converter will have to be changed every 10 years and it costs about 1500€ then profitability is 10 years.

But in Europe the data are different in all countries. Each country must have a certain percentage of renewable electricity before 2012.

In France the selling price (0.57€/kWh) is currently the most important (iirc) but constraints are the worst. You can have credit tax under 3kWc and the house must be older than 2 years. To have max selling price the installation must be integrated into the roof (else it's 0.34€/kWh).
Current law is valid until end 2009 so things will change in France in 2010.

One year ago I calculated for a little PV system with batteries to run my 3 24/7 computers. Return Over Investment was 50 years, but without counting batteries and converter changes... so there is no ROI.

Without credit tax nor high selling price, PV doesn't pay for themselves, except if you leave very far from the nearest electric point.

Denis.

[Ryland]

depending on your site $11 to $14 per watt of installed PV is what I was told for estimating, but it will vary with your area and you might get more sun then we do here in Wisconsin and I don't know what installers tend to charge in your area.
About 3-5 years ago was really the best time to install a system as alot of prices have gone up, copper, aluminum, steel, silicon and silver have all gone way up in price so the age of cheap solar is coming to an end.

[fshagan]

There are a number of thin film suppliers starting up ... several have proven they can produce PV that they print on film with what amounts to be an ink jet-type printer rather than using the vacuum method with silicone.

YouTube - Nanosolar 1GW Coater

Also see Nanosolar Blog

These should bring down the cost of PV arrays in the next two to three years, maybe reducing that 24 year payback to a more reasonable 12 years.

[dremd]

Well the tax credit here is supposedly ending soon.

If the credit was for self install I might go for it, but installers here want about $18~$20 / installed watt, which makes the payback far to long (obscenely long) . However electricity prices could go up. . . . .

[MazdaMatt]

24-30 year payback? That tech will be more obsolete than beta tape rewinders by that time.

[Arminius]

Look at the right side of this homepage for tax incentives by state. It may not be complete, however. For WI it neglects to mention that solar power devices can't be added to property tax. I'magine having 50k worth of solar power panels being taxed as part of your propety! I already pay almost 9k a year!

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