Spark Fun Electronics Inc – NES 7/1/2007
10/2007 7/2008 Source
Solar panel $/watt 3.75 4.65
Home usage : Avg kWh/yr 9300 http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2003/BoiLu.shtml
Take your pick 9125 http://www.morevolts.com/qna.htm
18000 http://www.faqfarm.com/Q/How_much_electricity_does_an_average_2-story_3-be
10392 http://www.solarbuzz.com/Consumer/FastFacts.htm
Home usage: Avg kWh per year 9300 9300
kWh per day 25.4794521 25.47945205
Watt-Hrs per day 25479 25479
Colorado Avg $/kWh (2008) $0.0891 $0.0891 http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/table5_6_a.html
Home Electricity bill $/year $829 $829 http://www.npga.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=914
Usable solar hrs in a day (Colorado) 5.5 5.5 http://www.discountsolarpanels.com/solar_hours.htm
Required solar per day (W/hr) 4633 4633 So I would need 46 panels (100W per panel)
Plus 20% (W/hr) 5559 5559 To cover heavier use (air conditioning during summer)
Total cost of solar panels $20,847 $25,850
30% Federal Tax credit (2k max) $2,000 $2,000
Colorado Xcel utility rebate ($4.50 per DC Watt) $25,016 $25,016 http://www.namastesolar.com/amendment.htm
Whoa! http://www.xcelenergy.com/XLWEB/CDA/0%2c3080%2c1-1-2_41004_43476-2307
Out of pocket cost -$6,169 -$1,166
Number of years to pay off solar (yr) -7.45 -1.41
Huge things not accounted for Shipping FOB China to US/Denver
Installation
Inverter (~$4K) to attach to grid
Lots of hidden costs
Solar panel life expectancy is 12-15 years
Tax credits http://www.aer-online.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.321
Tax credits http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_9651994
http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/howmuch.html
icity_does_an_average_2-story_3-bedroom_house_use_per_day_per_month_or_per_year
able5_6_a.html
2c3080%2c1-1-2_41004_43476-23075-0_0_0-0%2c00.html