If you had the opportunity, would out get solar panels for your home?
By CRSunrise
@CRSunrise (2981)
United States
February 28, 2009 8:23pm CST
I really wish we could get solar panels for my home. This way we could save on some, if not all, of your electricity. It would greatly save our bill imensely. The main downside is that solar panels are expensive, as far as I can tell. I don't know what kind of panels we would need, so I don't really know where to beging to shop around.
3 people like this
15 responses
@kareng (61739)
• United States
1 Mar 09
I would love to have solar panels in my home but they would look a little funny on our current house. We have an old 1860 home and I think the solar panels would really look out of place. If I were in a modern home, I would consider this as an option, especially if we were building the house.
@CRSunrise (2981)
• United States
1 Mar 09
I would almost think there could be a way to make the panels blend into your home. Maybe put a cover over the edges or something.
2 people like this
@CRSunrise (2981)
• United States
1 Mar 09
**shrugs** guess whatever works for you. lol
1 person likes this
@KatieDidit (989)
• United States
1 Mar 09
I'd get them. What I'd really love is to be off the grid completely.
@CRSunrise (2981)
• United States
3 Mar 09
I would love to be off the grid too. I would want it so that the solar power would be stored in a battery to be used when it's dark out, or there's just not a whole lot of light outside. I just don't know how much it'd cost to do that. I know we don't have the money right now, and my parents don't have the money either.
@CRSunrise (2981)
• United States
4 Mar 09
I think I read an article for one of the houses for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. They did that same thing. At least, I think it was that show. Maybe I just read it online or in a magazine somewhere.
@KatieDidit (989)
• United States
4 Mar 09
I don't have the money either, but if I did have it then I would do it. Even more fun would be to sell electricity back to the electric company!
@balasri (26537)
• India
8 Mar 09
I would love to have them fixed readily.It can save a lot on my electricity bill and it definitely will give me the satisfaction of having my own power.But sadly it is not in vogue here in India where it shines almost all over the year.Precious power is being wasted.
@CRSunrise (2981)
• United States
8 Mar 09
Too bad you couldn't find a smaller version where you could power some of your stuff, if you can't get something for everything. Half of a cake is better than none.
@CRSunrise (2981)
• United States
8 Mar 09
It sounds like you would get lots of sunlight in your area. That's always a plus when you're thinking about solar panels.
1 person likes this
@CRSunrise (2981)
• United States
1 Mar 09
I jus wish I knew what kind I would need for my house. Then I could shop around, so I would know the best price, and could save up.
@Downunder_dude (407)
• Australia
1 Mar 09
Over here the Australian government has recently had a push for all homes to be more environmentally friendly, and they're also trying to boost the economy by maintaining/creating lots of jobs for certaining companies. More jobs = more tax revenue etc.
I forget the exact specifics, but if you own your own home, you can claim one of two offers - The first is that you can have insulation put in, free of charge - The government will cover the full cost.
The second option is to have solar panels installed on your roof. The government will give you an $8000 rebate if you do this. Meaning that the panels hardly cost anything.
@Downunder_dude (407)
• Australia
1 Mar 09
*Creating jobs for certain companies*
I really can't fathom how I manage to have such major typos in some of my comments lol.
@CRSunrise (2981)
• United States
1 Mar 09
If I had to make the choice, I think I'd go with the solar panels. I wouldn't think that insulation really costs all the much. We could manage that one over time. Of course, we don't own the house we're in. That decision would have to be up to my parents to make.
@xParanoiax (6987)
• United States
1 Mar 09
We're going to try to start saving up for a solar panel and wind turbine or two, it might take some years though...but in an all electric-house, it's really important...especially in the winter when we need to save as much as we possibly can on our bills.
@CRSunrise (2981)
• United States
1 Mar 09
I know what you mean. Our house is an all electric house also. While the bills aren't that bad, the January bills have always been over $400 a month. Fortunately, this year I had a credit from December, and I also got approved for HEAP installment. That helped big time.
@CRSunrise (2981)
• United States
3 Mar 09
I don't know if I'd want to do a wind fan. Wind can be so unpredicatable. Unlike the sun, you don't know from day to day if it's going to be there. With the sun, it's there every day.
@modstar (9605)
• Philippines
1 Mar 09
Having solar panels at home would be great! I guess i will save a lot of money because of the electricity it can provide for free. So maybe i can only use the electricity from power plants during night time preferably 6pm onwards. Too bad that its expensive. It would be a big help in the community if each home has it.
@rmorefield (941)
• United States
1 Mar 09
If I had the money, my house would be green. I would have solar panels, bamboo floors, a tankless water heater, etc. Unfortunately, I don't even have the money to buy an old house...yet. When I finally get around to building a home, though, it will be environmentally friendly.
@CRSunrise (2981)
• United States
1 Mar 09
I'm in the same boat. I don't have the money renovate my house, much less install solar panels. Guess it'll have to wait.
@twistedangellinda (174)
• United States
1 Mar 09
Ok if you can't afford to purchase manufactured solar panels are you or someone you know handy enough to make your own? I live in an apartment complex so we can't do this, but if we owned our own home I would definitely opt for anything that would save on our hard earned cash. I did a bit of looking about and they even have ebooks that will tell you how to make your own solar panels or even a Solar Power Generator for under $300! I'd say that's pretty reasonable. I also did not know that you had to live in a certain part of the world to be able to use solar panels. I live in NY and I know there are companies that will install them here.
@grammpaula (121)
• United States
2 Mar 09
I would love it. I have a small house so it would work great. Unfortunately, we live in Ohio and we don't get enough sum to make it work in the winter at all. Of course my husband also works for the electric company so I don't think it would look very good if we went solar.
@CRSunrise (2981)
• United States
3 Mar 09
I live in Ohio too, and I would think that we'd get enough sun. I have the perfect spot already picked out if we were ever to get panels. There's this slanted part of our roof that is just right for them.
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
2 Mar 09
I think solar panels are a great idea. I have considered getting the kind you put in a window that can power a major appliance. During hurricane season it's not unusual to be without power for several hours and in some places they lose it for seveal days. I would love to have an alternative and get at least partially off the grid.
@reneerose (106)
• United States
1 Mar 09
I would if they were inexpensive, but in the northern part of the northern hemisphere there isn't so awfully much for direct bright rays. I've never seen a work-up where they would even pay for themselves here.
@CRSunrise (2981)
• United States
1 Mar 09
I would think that it would work for us. I don't know the exact numbers though. There is a perfect place for them on our house. We just can't afford them right now.
@megumiart (3771)
• United States
1 Mar 09
I would absolutely get solar panels if I could.
I am all about saving the natural world. :)
