Solar Energy Systems are made up of several components, which can vary depending on the size and purpose of the system. All systems have solar panels which contain many individual solar cells. Also included in most systems are inverters, wiring and batteries as common components.
The average cost of solar energy for the home depends on the amount of electricity used in the home (i.e. how much electricity will be needed), the location of the home (how much direct sunlight the location receives), and how much of the existing electrical supply the home owner wants to replace with solar. As a rule of thumb, the panels always account for more than half the cost and the installation absorbs about another 25%.
Affordable solar is possible with the right instruction. The factor that impacts price the most is the number of panels used. More panels equal higher cost. Usually, even partial solar energy systems for existing homes cost over $50,000 and can even go over $100,000. Â For this reason solar power is not affordable for most people, which explains the scarcity of these efficient systems. You could eliminate a monthly electric bill of $300 and it would still take 14 years for the system to pay for itself in savings.
There are several ways to make solar more affordable for the average homeowner however. For starters, other energy saving strategies are usually employed to reduce the overall power usage. Next is to reduce energy costs with a smaller "starter" solar energy system and add on over time. Others install hybrid systems that use wind power combined with solar.
The most affordable solution is to build your own system starting with a single panel or two and growing it over time. This is done with low cost new or used panels, or by building your own panels from scratch. While this seems extreme to some people at first, the process really isn’t that difficult.
The process is made simple thanks to the variety of resources and materials available today. The average person can easily build and install their first panel for under $200. Anyone with a reasonable level of DIY project skills and basic tools should be able to build their own system.
There are a number of written guides on the market that provide complete instructions for building solar energy panels, but only a few of them are any good. But considering the small cost - most are available for under $50 - and the thousands of dollars you will save over having a system professionally installed, a quality guide is an excellent investment. In fact, we even recommend this investment for people who are going to buy their solar energy system from a contractor, because it will help you to understand how the system works, what you are actually getting, and what questions you should be asking of the contractor.
A decent guide product must show you how to size your system and where to find parts and materials and not just show you how to build a panel. Wiring and power storage options are also covered in the better guides and this is important because it helps you to size your project properly from the start. Would you like to learn more about how to power your home for free with an affordable solar energy system?
Nick Molinar runs DIYHomePowerGrid, where he discusses home grown power generation systems including solar, wind and automotive alternatives.
