Is solar an affordable option for personal residence yet
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If depends on where you live. We lived in Hawaii where the sun shines a lot. We produced so much electricity we were getting money back from the electric company 10 months of the year. The downfall of solar panels is they don't produce at peak when it rains, and not at all when there is snow on them!
Depends where you live. There are so many options, purchase outright, lease, lease to own. I would thoroughly research and check with your electric company provider to see what, if any, incentives they offer.
In our area (Phoenix AZ) there are companies that "lease" you the solar system and tie you into the local power company... who you sell the excess power generated by your system to. Our next door neighbor just did this, and her outlay was $0 and her power bill will drop from $300 each month to $108 (leasing the system) plus $10 to use (hook up to) the power company's meter. Her costs will only increase if her energy need exceed the amount of power generated by her system. Her equipment lease is for 20 years, with the company doing all maintenance and repair. THE WHOLE DEAL IS FAIRLY COMPLICATED... so.... the best thing to do is call one of the solar companies in your area and have them tell you what is available. Our power company, APS has information on their website on their solar programs, and even had a list of solar companies, they, APS recommended. Whatever company you choose, check them out on BBB (better business bureau)
Our neighbor was very generous in letting us read her contract to get the full story... it may not be the deal for us... we missed the "grandfather-ing" in deadline of Aug. 31st (to start install) so all of the LOCAL advantages would not be available to us.