SOLAR DOLLARS AND SENSE

Determine Whether Solar Energy Makes Financial Sense for You

Simone Garneau, November 6, 2015 (Mother Earth News)

“…[Location] greatly impacts the cost of solar electricity, or LCOE…An average-sized residential solar panel installation with 5-kW capacity would cost about $14,000 ($20,000 minus the 30% federal investment tax credit)…[A]vailable rebates would decrease this cost further…[O]peration and maintenance costs over the expected 20-year lifetime of your panels would be about 20 percent of the initial installation cost before rebates — in this case, about $4,000…$14,000 + $4,000 = $18,000…In San Diego, the solar LCOE] equals about 11 cents/kWh…[I]n Portland, we are looking at about 16 cents/kWh…[C]ompare that number to what you are currently paying for electricity from your local utility…[and remember that while] the LCOE will remain the same over the lifetime of your panels, the cost of electricity from your utility is almost certain to rise…[Also remember the with] solar energy, you will save money AND help our planet…” click here for more

click to enlarge

Tweet