Affordable Solar Power

I have been doing a lot research on solar systems and solar panels and have come up with some numbers that are a start for making solar power available to all classes of people. There are big tax breaks that are available as well, but I don't have all the specifics. The quotes I have do not include installation, shipping or hardware needed. I'm still looking into working with companies to sell products at wholesale, the problem I run into is they want me to sell their product at a fixed rate they choose for me. I don't want that because it makes it a moot point. I would like to have the lowest prices available, but so far I haven't met that goal. I can put systems together for far less than most companies want for their systems and that's a start. It looks like a grid tie system of 3kw of solar panels would run about $11,200.00 as it stands. This would not include battery backup. If anyone knows a way to get this price down so solar businesses can crop up everywhere please share your thoughts so we have a solar powered country. I want solar panels as common as home computers. If all structures had solar panels, there would be little or no draw on the power grid. There would be such a surplus of energy it would be unreal. Lets work together and make this happen. This is my goal and I will spend the rest of my life trying to accomplish it if I must. It's a win for everyone because this would open up more jobs than what could be filled. This would add value to all houses and help the housing market. When full electric cars hit the market, there will be power for them. Let the discussion begin!

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Permalink Reply by Tim Boyd on January 26, 2009 at 12:17am: Greg

I hear you. I am ready to start on this. I too have been frustrated when trying to get photovoltaics.

Tim Boyd
I sent message to your page; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by John Hancock on January 26, 2009 at 8:17am: It's fairly obvious that each of our Congressmen have sponsors that help them to pay the bills and have a much bigger influence than the general public. The only power that we have is the real power to vote. The only real communication that we have is the internet. All others are biased towards a financial objective. The basics that Boone has pointed out are the keys to our bailout. If we have cheap energy then we can have higher wages and compete. If our money stays at home our balance of payments will stabilize. A third party is not the way to go, a populist movement that will promise votes to candidates at the primary level is the tried method that works. The Union vote, the Hispanic vote, the Black vote, the Female vote, the Senior citizen vote, shows us that the Pickens vote can be just as powerful. Then they will listen.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by greg lampert on January 26, 2009 at 4:56pm: Being able to make new energy affordable and making energy to the point where there is more than any of us could ever use would stimulate the economy because manufacturing costs would mostly be about the rent, lease, or mortgage payment on the building and wages. The cost of energy would be moot. This would make it possible for manufacturers to pay higher wages and people to start spending money again. This added to the Pickins Plan with the wind generators and large solar power plants in the desert plus running cars on natural gas could wipe out oil usage in 5 years. There is a thousand million in one billion dollars. What the hell is the problem? That money could take care of everything mentioned above. I hope this country doesn't screw this up because this is a due or die for this country!!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by greg lampert on January 29, 2009 at 5:27am: I did all all I could in writing and calling. I know it's more important to get this natural gas infrastructure started than to put more emissions on cars. More emissions lead to more check engine lights and costly repairs that don't get done because people can't afford it. This just defeats the purpose and it's crap. Clean non oil burning oil is a great solution and I hope they listen to us.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Al Toman on January 29, 2009 at 4:25am: "If all structures had solar panels, there would be little or no draw on the power grid."
Check the insolation maps. Less then 50% of the Country is do-a-bull by solar effectively. And less then 50% of that would be efficient.

"This would not include battery backup."
This is a serious issue that has not been addressed very well by today's science resulting in it being an expensive component of the solar array system.

Therefore, one of the first things you want to do before you even suggest solar power is to REDUCE the LOAD.
This means that YOUR LIFESTYLE must first change dramatically.

If you want to succeed in solar panels, then start changing your life style NOW!

This is simple math. Just do the math and you will be on your way to success.

Plants, instead, rely on photosynthesis. It involves plain (rain) water. Is converted into energy needed by the plant by way of sunshine or more correctly, solar radiation.

MIT is using cobalt and potassium phosphate as a catalyst such that the required voltage for electrolysis is dramatically reduced. Hence, a small array of photocells can be used to convert the solar energy into electrical energy needed to perform the electrolysis.

Electrolysis breaks the water molecule into Oxygen and Hydrogen. The hydrogen can be used in fuel cell technology. Hence, power your REDUCED LIFE STYLE at night and on cloudy days.

This eliminates " battery backup".

First step in energy conservation, solar energy, is REDUCE Y(OUR) LIFE STYLE.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Julie Busha on January 29, 2009 at 8:59am: This is exactly what the company I work for is trying to do. The problem is getting funding to make it happen. With this economy, people aren't willing to invest. Check out our website http://www.solaroadtechnologies.com leave us a comment. This kind of technology is the exact thing that the oil rich middle eastern countries are investing in. However, my boss won't take a dime from them. He wants to keep the technology here in the US (not out of greed, if that were the case he would've sold the patents by now, but to change the world for the better for his kids and ours). He's been working on this since the oil embargo in '73. We'd love to make solar affordable to the average citizen, that is part of his plan. And his solarfilm is just amazing.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kelly Crosby on February 2, 2009 at 4:39am: Good for him - pat your boss on the back for me - Keep it here at HOME!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Oscar on February 1, 2009 at 8:21pm: Greg,

The original subject is the price controls of the suppliers. Go along with them. You can always have a sale that will tantalize the potential customer into action and you can always adjust the sale to profitable ends. Giving the farm away will only put you in the gutter and that will help no one. Have you ever been self employed? If you have a solid understanding of business and can still do this... GO FOR IT.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Curtis G. Briley on February 2, 2009 at 1:08am: Hello Greg,

I self installed solar photovoltaic panels and battery backup with an AC inverter for my home emergency power backup. I had problems and found an experienced individual named Kent Farmer, owner of The Power Store specializing in solar energy systems. His email address is powerkf@flash.net

His phone # is (210) 476-0702. (He has relocated his business to Kerrville, Texas and may have a new phone number.); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Scott Baker on February 7, 2009 at 7:01pm: Fossil fuels will always "seem" cheaper than renewables until the producers start paying the true cost for things like pollution, resource usage (which really should go to ALL of us. After all, Exxon did not MAKE the oil, they only found it), and land. Then, renewables would seem to be the bargain they really are. And, I haven't even factored in the cost of our dependence, and defense, of foreign oil. Subsidies can always be taken away. We need a change in the mindset.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by greg lampert on February 7, 2009 at 9:18pm: Well you are right about that and I hope Americans can all stick together and NOT buy any cars until they make cars and trucks run on something other than oil. We can hold out for a long time without buying any new cars and trucks. There are plenty of used oil burning rigs to be had until they get off there butts and make a new infrastructure and they will know Americans mean business. No new oil burning cars if that is the best they can do. There are choices and they need to give them to us. Why do hybrids have gasoline engines in them? Why can't they have a propane or natural gas engine in them? Oil just has to stay in the picture doesn't it?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by greg lampert on February 8, 2009 at 10:26am: Has anyone heard of The North American Union? Go to You Tube and search for North American Union and tell me this is not going to happen. If what is being said is true, we are in a world of hurt and no matter what we do will make a difference. Please take a look at this and tell me what you think. This is: www.youtube.com search for North American Union. This is way worse than any U.F.O.conspiracy theory. See for yourself and if this is true, it needs to spread through out this web sight and all other web sights and emails!; ▶ Reply to This