Solar Electricity

August 31, 2005 | In Homeowner, Environment | 4 Comments

Another attraction at the fair was the vendor’s tent where we talked to Bob from Sol Systems, a local solar electricity contractor (website currently broken). Somewhere down the line, I’d love to install photovoltaic panels all over the garage roof and get free electricity. The problem is that the panels and all the other electrical hardware can run upwards of $24,000 for a house the size of ours. With monthly electric bills between $100 and $150, it will take a long time before the electricity is really free.

However, since the electric company burns oil and naphtha on Kauai to produce electricity, our rates will probably go up unless the utility increases its proportion of renewable energy sources. The sad part is that the price of solar panels is going up as demand increases faster than supply.

The type of system we would get is called grid-tied. This means that there are no batteries and you sell electricity to the grid during the day and buy oil-generated electricity at night. Such systems have become much more common recently, because the electronics to do so have become more available. This is good for the electric company because it helps reduce the peak generating capacity they need during the day due to air conditioning and business activity. Hawaii state law mandates that the companies purchase home-produced power, although they do not pay you beyond what you use. You can reduce your electric bill to zero on a monthly basis, but you can’t get carry-over credit or any money back.