I need help on a school project.

[ColonelWalrus]

I'm doing a project on Arizona and its solar powered potential and I need some help with a couple questions.

I want to know, to those who own solar panels, are you "happier" now that you rely on them?

If its not too personal to ask, do you think the long term benefits of relying on solar power have outweighed the high initial cost of installation?

Are there any concerns a someone should know about if they want to switch to solar power?

[Mike90250]

.....
Are there any concerns a someone should know about if they want to switch to solar power?

cloudy days, night time,birds and hail (texas will be replacing a lot of solar PV after last weeks tornados and hail)

[ColonelWalrus]

cloudy days, night time,birds and hail (texas will be replacing a lot of solar PV after last weeks tornados and hail)

Thanks!
Do you own solar panels yourself?

[Mike90250]

Do you own solar panels yourself?

Only about 8KW worth, in earthquake country. see my .sig in earlier post

[ColonelWalrus]

Only about 8KW worth, in earthquake country. see my .sig in earlier post

Thank you for the input. I take it you believe solar panels are beneficial?

[billvon]

I want to know, to those who own solar panels, are you "happier" now that you rely on them?

Happier? I guess. I don't rely on them (I have a grid intertie system) but I do like that I generate more than I use, so I'm not contributing to power shortages when we have them. But it hasn't changed my life or anything.

If its not too personal to ask, do you think the long term benefits of relying on solar power have outweighed the high initial cost of installation?

Tangible long term benefits for me are lower power costs and backup power when needed. Intangibles are a feeling of just not contributing to the problems associated with high grid usage during times of high demand.

For example there are a lot of people out here objecting to something called the Sunrise power link, a desert power line intended to bring energy from the El Centro area to San Diego. I'm actually pretty neutral on the topic but there are a lot of people who protest very strenuously that it will damage ecosystems, ruin the deserts etc. If they all got solar power systems that would do far more to prevent the line from going in than all their protests.

Are there any concerns a someone should know about if they want to switch to solar power?

It's no magic bullet. It's a good way to reduce your energy bills if you can look at long term (20+ years) investments.

[ColonelWalrus]

Happier? I guess. I don't rely on them (I have a grid intertie system) but I do like that I generate more than I use, so I'm not contributing to power shortages when we have them. But it hasn't changed my life or anything.



Tangible long term benefits for me are lower power costs and backup power when needed. Intangibles are a feeling of just not contributing to the problems associated with high grid usage during times of high demand.

For example there are a lot of people out here objecting to something called the Sunrise power link, a desert power line intended to bring energy from the El Centro area to San Diego. I'm actually pretty neutral on the topic but there are a lot of people who protest very strenuously that it will damage ecosystems, ruin the deserts etc. If they all got solar power systems that would do far more to prevent the line from going in than all their protests.



It's no magic bullet. It's a good way to reduce your energy bills if you can look at long term (20+ years) investments.

Thank you so much for the input. It's good to know that solar panels don't immediately lead to easy-Living like some think.