5 Years with Solar Panels - Is It Still Worth It?

5 Years with Solar Panels - Is It Still Worth It? For 65% off with HelloFresh PLUS free shipping, use code MATTFERRELL65 at bit.ly/3D53QkS! I’ve been living with solar panels for almost 5 years in Massachusetts. Get my achieve energy security with solar guide: link.undecided.... There’s been some twists and turns with solar production and how it’s performed in the cold and snow. I also added a Tesla Powerwall into the mix. There are definitely some things I wish I knew before getting solar and a battery installed. How has it performed and do I still think getting solar panels was a good idea?
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[@UndecidedMF]

Do you want solar for your house? If you have solar, what are the things you wish you had known beforehand? For 65% off with HelloFresh PLUS free shipping, use code MATTFERRELL65 at bit.ly/3D53QkS! If you liked this video, check out: Wow! I Didn’t Know A Prebuilt House Could Do This kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2Sxh3enfZhseac

[@pauld6967]

I am indeed considering getting solar for the house. Seeing your rate makes me glad that I am supplied by an electric co-operative. Looking at the bill that just arrived in the mail, I am paying 14.5 cents per kWh that I used.

[@digiryde]

Thank you Matt! Great video, especially the concerns. So many of us are running just to stand still these days. Issues like these get overlooked far too easily.

[@raychat2816]

Thanks for the video, quite detailed and useful for some, however purely a curiosity as the money structure concerned in the video is completely absent form where I’m watching 😊 hello from the Levant, I’m of course very interested in the scientific side of your videos 😊😊😊

[@kaboom-zf2bl]

get polycrystaline panels ignore the normal monocrystaline panels ... the poly panels gather different wavelengths of light making them more efficient and a larger peak use period ...

[@itoibo4208]

republicans will destroy any program that makes solar viable and pays you back.

[@marci9983]

About 11 years ago, I had a grid-connected array of free-standing solar panels installed behind my barn. (I realize most homeowners do not have the space for this.) It produces about 90% of the power I need on the farm. The panels are angled for maximum sun exposure during the summer in Michigan; during the winter, we manually tilt them vertically for 3 reasons: 1) the lower angle of the sun during winter 2) to avoid snow sticking to them 3) to take advantage of "snow bounce" (the light reflected off the snow on the ground). I've been completely pleased with their performance; my annual electric bills are in the low hundreds of dollars instead of thousands. I can run my whole house A/C while still sending excess power to the grid on hot days! I love having green power!

[@Dbb27]

Great to hear. Looking at putting solar on a shed instead of my roof. That makes no sense whatsoever.

[@johannesswillery7855]

How much did you pay for the system?

[@franciscodanconia4324]

Has there been any degradation in the panels ability to generate electricity over 11 years?

[@EastWindCommunity1973]

Have you considered a more efficient DC setup that isn't grid tied?

[@EugeneSSmith]

Small farm? 😳😳😳

[@AlecMuller]

I did a DIY solar last year and ended up spending about $30k for 11 kW including 15 kWh of battery storage. My takeaways were: 1) Buy all the panels you think you might want at once, or accept that you'll end up with a mix of different panels that may not be mechanically or electrically identical. Panels change enough that it's extremely hard to find panels that were readily available 2+ years ago. 2) Get 20%+ more panel capacity than inverter capacity. The inverters have the same limit regardless of time of day or weather, but panels spend most of their time *below* peak capacity. 3) "Sun hours" is a very useful metric for system-sizing. In my climate, we get about 4.5 "sun hours" per day, or 4.5 x 11 = 49.5 kWh/day averaged over the year. 4) Use an off-the-shelf racking system. I designed & built my own ground mount system, and I *definitely* wouldn't do it again. 5) Battery backup is AWESOME for quality of life during outages.

[@victoriamiskolczy6336]

Thanks for this information, its very practical and helpful!

[@daleatkin8927]

Curious what you figured you paid for your diy ground mount? How did this compare with a commercial system?

[@ram64man]

ground mount rec solar 8kwh and on the annex lg 5kwh 340w ahas been flawless, south facing, due to local opposition, you can’t have any panels front facing to the street, which is nut’s but luckily my building was south westerly, connected to a 20kwh pylon tech each mounted system and 8kwh sma inverters , code required a 200amp circuit to be installed. That’s the expensive bit . The lg pannels do get grubby so it’s far easier to wash the ground mount for the rec solar due to shading from trees I opted to go down the tygo adapters route connected to another sma 3 phase 8kwh back to the annex, , so far 3 have failed but tygo were quick to replace and put it down to a batch issue , so replaced all of them . The solar day generation is key anything else is just a bonus and has seriously cut the cost of my 24kwh heat pump multi split so verily little goes back to the grid . I have found though on average two of 3 pannels of generation should be minus from your array for accurate energy output on a bright day , the batteries also suffer in the cold drawing a kw to keep warm that they don’t tell you about to keep them 20c

[@fuckthisksksjjksdfjd]

What kind of battery setup do you have? Do you backfeed the grid or does the solar only supply the house and battery?

[@kieranhanrahan2883]

@@daleatkin8927 bear in mind the power loss through excess cabling from ground mount to inverter and system or battery. It's quite a lot per metre.

[@patchvonbraun]

I have a friend who worked at a radio astronomy observatory for decades. They had this "standardized" intelligence test for their interns. When the "big" (26m) dish would fill up with snow, the procedure was to tilt it down, and hit it repeatedly with a whacking stick, and it would come avalanching down. The "test"? If the student stood *behind* the dish while whacking it, they passed the test. Several students failed this test...

[@dersturmerofjewery6038]

"Why are we hitting it with a stick?, SCIENCE"

[@Perroden]

I would've failed based on the fact I wanted to be covered in snow...

[@danilo352]

I would’ve failed it because I’d be making snowmen.

[@machonsote918]

And.........what does this have to do with the topic at hand?

[@Bat_Boy]

Does the solar panels come with a mathematician? 🤔

[@scottneal2738]

I recently looked at a home with solar panels and the debt to take over is what drove me away. I was looking to buy a home not a home with a large separate loan to be attached.

[@maryrenaud6732]

Interesting, if I really wanted the house, I might have negotiated the seller to pay at least 1/2 the balance of the solar loan. If you are in an area with high electric costs per kWh, if the electric savings covers most of your bill, it still could be worth it to pay part of the loan…

[@veganpeace_ATX]

We're in Austin,Texas and got solar and 2 powerwalls a few months ago. We had gone through winter storm uri a couple years ago and didn't have any power for several days where we live. This time during winter ice storm mara we kept our power on the whole time (it was out in our neighborhood for several days) having TV, Lights, and Kitchen appliances all working. We have a fireplace that we kept the house warm with so we didn't use the AC/Furnace. So I'm super happy with our solar!

[@dannydaw59]

Isn't it great?! Up here in SE Michigan we had ice accumulation and last Wednesday most of the area lost power but I have the same thing installed. I ran off the battery for the 20 hours it was off. I turned the furnace off and used the gas fireplace.

[@MrMoxy76]

I'm in Austin Tx as well and considering getting solar. Who did you end up using if you don't mind me asking?

[@veganpeace_ATX]

@@MrMoxy76 We went through Costco and the company that they used was Sunrun who we thought took a long time to get things going and had some snags along the way. However, the company that did the actual install for them was called Axis solar and we thought they were excellent.

[@DarthPoyner]

@@veganpeace_ATX North Austin here. We actually got our just before the big freeze a few years ago. While most of the state was down we had emergency power to our home. Even now in the coldest runs in winter we may have to pay 20 bucks in a month for heating. We used Trismart Solar and we have Green Mountain Energy for a provider. I won't live in a home without a solar system any more.

[@zaphod22]

Yes it was a horrible winter in 2021, the grid was down 55 hours. We lost power again this year. My old gas generator worked just fine. I had plenty of power and didn't have to spend a fortune. Solar panels are good for some, but I'll pass.

[@ambivalentone]

I'm in Ottawa Canada and I have a 10kw array. The installer neglected to install the snow rail and the first winter we had a fairly large accumulation slide off. It shook the house. I went out to look at what had happened and was surprised to see it had dumped the snow out far enough to smash my neighbours air conditioning unit in to the ground. Thankfully the installer covered the repairs and installed the rail. No avalanches since.

[@SeanPoulter]

Hi neighbour. How's your performance been in Ottawa? Would you do it again?

[@REALMAURUZO]

I’m also interested in knowing more about your setup

[@anteater2443]

I had the same thing happen twice, destroyed a couple gazebo’s, had a snow guard put in this year.

[@ambivalentone]

@@SeanPoulter right now it's net metering and I have no storage yet. So I get paid for what I generate. We're told to expect next to nothing in the winter months. During the summer it generates a lot weather permitting. The last 2 years were a little lower but I generate about 8000kwh a year. When I joined the microfit program the guaranteed paying me 29 cents per kWh. Normal rate is lower. I'm on a tiered plan. The first 1000kwh/month is 8.7 cents/kwh and after that it goes up to 10.3 cents. I use about 1100/month. I run some servers. If I ignore the stupid extra fees I use roughly $100 is actual electricity/month. So roughly $1200/year actual use ($2160 after all the fees) . The payout I get from the hydro company has averaged about $2300/year. I plan to add significant storage in the next 5 years with the hope of still selling to the utility but also making sure I never cross in to the 2nd tier pricing by using stored power. I'm pretty much waiting in the hopes more pre made storage options come out with newer battery tech. I'd prefer more stable batteries than lithium ion in my garage even though I don't red about a lot of fires from things like power walls... But I haven't looked too hard.

[@stuarthoopfer963]

We are in ottawa also and have been looking at doing solar panels with storage. I would love to hear more information. ❤

[@thedalillama]

I was looking for things to make life more complicated. This seems like the type of thing I am looking for.

[@borshardsd]

Lol

[@jpcampbell]

This is the perfect comment.

[@disc2120]

That was my takeaway as well. 7+ year breakeven point and it sounds like he got massive credits, rebates and freebies. When you factor in your time and energy it's just not worth it right now.

[@davidhenningson4782]

@@disc2120 even better... buy a house during a down market with all the heavy lifting done and costed in. Cheap energy subsidy with no hassle 😊 just watch for avalanches...

[@angelberthoteroful]

@@disc2120 oh yea it's definitely better to let 7 years go by and not save any money. It's better to stay with your utility and pay more year after year and never even break even. It's better to rent power from the utility and never own it lmao

[@30ASOLAR]

Nice video Matt. My advice would be to make sure your installer/provider is someone who has installed many years and all kinds of system designs. Example, your inverters are not desired because they create too many points of failure. Every extra part and extra connection is a point of potential failure. There are pros and cons of all decisions and choices. Nice video, good information Matt.

[@krvnjrcbs]

If you do your connections right, you'll be fine.

[@UncleDruncles]

Bought 40 acres and a completely off-grid cabin in April 2019. We installed 16-300w panels, a couple Renogy 100A charge controllers, 2-4000w magnum inverters and 4-300ah LiFePO4 batteries. Live out here year round in Upstate NY. Best decision we ever made!

[@michaeldoherty2289]

I commend you for your frugal energy use. That is a small system to run a home, especially the relatively small battery capacity. We all could live with a lot less and live just fine.

[@UncleDruncles]

@@michaeldoherty2289 Thank you MD2289. Going on our 5th year here come April. We can go 2 days on a full charge with no light. Typically only having to run a generator for 20-30hrs all year and this is Upstate NY. It can be done! 🙏

[@thegrayjedi5202]

@@UncleDruncles you mind my asking how much the initial cost was to get the solar setup? I’m really wanting to get a trailer and just get even a couple acres off grid and set this up.

[@game_jinx]

the exact opposite experience of myself and my family. no critter issues, no cloud cover, um what about de-icing in the winter. this post sounds like candyland bs

[@game_jinx]

@@thegrayjedi5202be careful of critters and icing if you live north like that guy

[@jopo7996]

My wife and I had a small 1kw system installed for our off grid cottage in Ontario 20 years ago. Amazingly, we just replaced our original battery bank last summer. The system has performed flawlessly. 120 watt panels in 2002 were $799 each!!!!

[@Manoftomorrow]

Whoa....

[@mrtechie6810]

What type of batteries? What usage pattern?

[@randybobandy9828]

That's insane! I'm looking at picking up used 250w panels for $55 each for my off grid system. Going with a 7000w system for $2100 shipped.

[@jopo7996]

@Mr Techie Rolls/Surrette s-460, flooded lead acid. Bank of 4 6v creating 24v dc to the inverter. We average about 50 days/year at the cottage. Equalized every year, watered, and hydrocaps..

[@jacquesdorval8173]

I pay 2000.00 dollars for 2 140 watts panels in 2000 big difference know

[@williamsmith4974]

I’ve been working in solar for almost 10 years. The cost most don’t consider is the cost of removal/reinstall when they need a new roof. Most rates across the country are about $200/panel, and not all insurance carriers cover that cost.

[@jessiec1194]

Supposedly my installer offers one free removal within ten years, my roof is at 15 years so I have it in the plan to replace by 25. Likely I’ll be dead or moved away for the roofing job after that.. We’ll see how it goes, panels are to be installed later this year.

[@Avram42]

The bigger problem was that I was too ignorant that I would need them removed within a year of install to do exactly that and then actually getting that done took me over 8 months. I'm sure my ROI is already shot.

[@KumiChan2004]

This is why I plan on having the roof redone at about the same time. Figure it might be more expensive. But in the long term the roofer can plan for this as it is being done and I won't have to worry about the replacement after they are done.

[@takashiross8553]

Neat to see this comment because I was driving the other day, saw some panels on an older roof, and was wondering how expensive it was to have said panels removed when the roof was replaced.

[@Driver8takeabreak]

A good solar salesman should mention this and suggest you replace your roof before the solar panels go on. On the plus side, the panels can add a bit of longevity to your roofing (as you are covering that roofing).

[@JimmyTheBoomer]

I'm an old, washed-up, retired electrical engineer, but I still feel qualified to pronounce your videos to be excellent. I just subscribed to your channel :-). BTW: Your energy costs are positively frightening. I live in hydro-powered Montreal; our cost in US$ is 5.6 cents/kwh. Don't think I'll be adding solar panels anytime soon ;-).

[@daviddrew4000]

@@JimmyTheBoomer That’s because you got that incredible deal from Newfoundland many years ago .

[@Mr1BOSANAC]

Canada gets their cheap electricity from a pyramid that I have generated for them (spoke into existence) located at Denali National Park. YESHUA Alpha&Omega 888 or RAMA to ZEHRAM &&&

[@billmanzke758]

We have a 14' x 70' ground mounted panel system in our large back yard. This avoided all of the roof-mounted issues. We also have a geothermal heat pump system for heating and cooling. Our utility bills with this combination are minuscule, and the home is totally carbon free. We have been comfortable year-round and very happy with the systems.

[@dreednlb]

I'm in the planning stages of our next home and seriously considering going with geothermal. Anything you wish you had known beforehand? Did you do vertical loops or horizontal? What would you say to those that say a modern air to air is nearly as efficient as geothermal for a much lower cost?

[@billmanzke758]

@@dreednlb : We did vertical loops because we have sandy soil here in Delaware. If we still lived in Ohio we wouldn't have been able to do that due to rock layers underground. We have three closed-loop wells side by side hooked up in series. Closed loop is the way to go, not "pump-and-dump." I have an air-to-air heat pump in my shop. It can't handle the cold winter nights like the geothermal can, which means that I need supplemental heat out there in the winter.

[@dreednlb]

@@billmanzke758 Thank you for your response.

[@CoolMusicToMyEars]

Hi Bill thats a great diy system, I be honest why pay for roof mounted panels with ample South facing garden it's the way to go 👍 have you ever thought of collecting rain water off the roof in a underground tank & pass through a filter & say use that for flushing toilets etc

[@billmanzke758]

@@CoolMusicToMyEars : We collect rainwater in three rain barrels for use in the garden. The house itself is hooked up to public water and sewer. We considered a graywater system when we built the house in 2020, but the county code does not permit it when public water is available.

[@rolfmandrup5982]

We had 22 solar panels installed (380 Watt) and a 10 KW battery. Here in Denmark we pay a high rate for transport between 5 PM and 9 PM. But low cost at night. So here at winter time we charge the battery at night and discharge between 5 and 9. That save us a lot. We have a 9 KW heating pump to warm up the house and 2 EV's. All electric now and I am pretty exited how much we save. The system is 1 month only but we can see now it is a great investment. Thank U for all your fantastic videos!!

[@PistonAvatarGuy]

They save you a lot because you have the most expensive electricity in the world, by a HUGE margin. The electricity in Denmark is nearly three times more expensive than the electricity in the US.

[@JoeMcFarlanesgoogle]

@@PistonAvatarGuy yikes, but helpful to know

[@martinandersen6698]

In DK every hours of the day is different if you chose to be on a spot price tracker. So sometimes the price is what mentioned is this video. $0.37, or perhaps a tad higher at times as the post above mentions. Other times when there is a lot of wind and sun, it's very close to $0. So I wouldn't say it's the most expensive in the world. Plus if you have a heat pump or similar green heat source installed after 12.000 kWh, the price on all electricity becomes slot cheaper to purchase from the grid. Have a look at the UK where I currently are. Prices are up between 400% to 500% on gas and electric since 2019. Or at least our bills are that high, and no increase in usage.

[@PistonAvatarGuy]

@@martinandersen6698 Averaged, Denmark has the most expensive energy in the world. Edit: Sometimes, the price is up around $1.00/kWh!

[@insaneshepherd8678]

@@PistonAvatarGuy Where do you get that 3 times number from? According to Eurostat it was 0.28€/kwh in 2020 and 0.29€/kwh in 2021. I don't have up-to-date numbers for Denmark, but usually their electricity cost is similar to Germany's which currently sits at 0.35€/kwh. That's exactly the same as the 0.37$ shown at 7:51

[@belmontsolar6202]

Matt. As a professional solar installer in Pennsylvania. I can confidently say that this is a very well-done video. Also appreciate all the time that went into this video. Congratulations.

[@tcurr0309]

Thanks for promoting a sensible way to reduce green house gases. As a full-time RV dweller I think you should incorporate more energy conservation strategies into your house and provide video guidance on them.

[@RogueCylon]

Nice advert.

[@willyjordan8997]

What do you think of freedom forever?

[@benzook1220]

@@willyjordan8997 I would not necessarily want Freedom Forever to do work on my house or any of my friends houses. It is a national sales company that often uses subcontractors. A much better choice is to find a good local installer. The NABCEP Solar Professionals list for your state, is often one of the best starting points. Regards

[@easyerthanyouthink]

In qld australia, we get charged 25c a kilowatt or up for grid usage and get credited 4c kw for feed in👎

[@johnchurchward7255]

I installed solar six years ago and living in Arizona I feel it was the best thing I have every done for my house. I am connected to the grid and never expected to not have a monthly bill. I have a pool that runs every night and the AC puts a big drain on the electrical draw of the house (2600sq ft). I had a very good solar company, not the cheapest, and with the age of my house they advised to redo my roof before installation. Also the rear of my house faces about SSW so it is good for several reasons, good alignment for the sun plus it does not affect the curb appearance. Apart from two months of the year I am either building up credit with the electric company or slowly drawing on them as demand increases as the weather gets hotter. My typical electric bill is less that $20 and before solar the lowest it would be during the winter would be about $110. When I have exhausted my credits my monthly cost will increase to about $160 which is very reasonable for my house. I just looked at my July performance and I generated 1.3MWh although it dropped slightly due to the extreme heat and I have 7.25KW system. I made use of the 30% rebate and with the savings I have paid for the system. I do not consider the roof cost as part of the installation as the age of my house meant that it was very close to needing that anyway, a house across from me recently has to have all the panels removed for the roof replacement. I may consider some additional panels as I am thinking of a heat pump for the pool and maybe a plug in hybrid

[@johnchurchward7255]

Nothing, I paid for it outright

[@deborahmarlewski6786]

I live in northern Idaho. We get a LOT of snow. I had our solar panels installed on an elevated frame on the ground. This work out great. I am able to clear the panels of snow easily and not worry about build up on the roof. We have the room on our property to do this. If we get a huge dump of snow, we still need to clear snow at the bottom of the panels to allow for the snow to slide off.

[@saynotop2w]

It makes much more sense to put the panels on the ground if you have the land. The roof is really just for the city and business districts.

[@jagondal8378]

Another thing to consider is structural integrity of your roof. I lived in a housing area for a few years that had some years prior attempted to put panels on most if not all of the properties. Apparently, the extra weight of the panels plus several inches of snowfall was enough to collapse some of the roofs.

[@p.chuckmoralesesquire3965]

most working-class people just dont have $50K laying around with nothing to do with it, to buy an array and a battery to 'invest' to only start saving a few hundred bucks a month after 10+ years so this is basically just toys for the already wealthy

[@Torbox1]

That's why inspections and engineering analysis are important first steps.

[@Luked0g440]

Roof heaters.

[@SpruceMoose-iv8un]

Also to add, you have to remove all the panels before the roof can be shingled or tiled so if your going to put panels on your roof make sure you have a fresh roof that will last at least 20 years because you have to add the cost of removing them and putting them back on to redo the roof.

[@johnfromnj885]

@@Luked0g440 Another expense and point of failure, which will reduce the effectiveness of the panels, that have to power the heaters.

[@bhendrick7015]

For those who are looking for some advice on extreme climates, I have had 2 off grid homes one in CO @11000ft elevation and one in AK at 66 degrees latitude. The suggestion for more than 6 months of winter is prioritize something more efficient in inclement weather like wind. The panels in CO needed to be shovelled not brushed off up to 4 times a day. Panels will crack with more than 2 ft of snow on them. I lost 25% in one storm where I couldn't physically keep up with the snow. I also had a roof avalanche that knocked my generator, 16kw propane, and propane tank off the pads. A snow bar would have made my roof collapse even at 100 psi snow load. In AK I have 11.6kw panels and 2 genies, 6kw and 10kw. There is 1 week a year the sun doesn't come above the horizon so solar was only giving 0.3ah for 24 panels. The snow also is an issue here I have a ground mount with the panels vertically. They are set @ 66 degrees so most of the snow slides but being 16ft in the air, I can't reach the top. With large storms, snow needs to be shovelled out of the bottom so the bottom half panel is visible. This will pay off in the summer with 23 hours of daylight. In summary, choose the most efficient system for your location and look out for hazards like extreme weather, slippery roofs and overestimating your physical abilities.

[@ohioplayer-bl9em]

My father tried wind in Ohio. A small system with a brake that would apply itself if the wind was to strong. One night it was so windy the brake blew apart and the blades spun so fast they ripped off the center mount launching one through the siding, outside wood, and inside wood of the of the garage. The blade was stuck into his house, halfway inside and halfway outside. He tore it all down at that time. An expensive mess..

[@redstate502]

Sound advice @b hendrick. 🕶👍

[@Zraknul]

If you have a metal or solar roof, or heavy snows in general with a high angled roof you should be getting everything cleared from where it could land. Last year my company plant was closed because a snow avalanche off the metal roof hit the natural gas meter and ripped it off the wall. The gas found the path of least resistance...into the building. People walked into the plant in the morning and there was the smell of gas throughout the building. Happened once in like 40 years, but still potentially catastrophic.

[@billbirch3748]

Not getting on a roof especially snow filled. In my 60s and you too, Lord willing will get older and unable to do any of this kind of stuff or risk breaking your neck. Come up with some other arrangement as one fall and health gone makes no sense to save money if jacked up and now unable to do anything because you fell off the roof cleaning panels

[@bkon4675]

@@billbirch3748 I made the same comments. But adding to that there is just too many Americans that couldn't possibly afford any of this but those that can are being heavily subsidies in all aspects that push higher rates to those that couldn't afford it in the first place. I don't see solar as practical, even for those that now can afford surely the future is unknown, subsidies and mandated buy back most likely will disappear and eventually total replacement of solar. To me nuclear and constant power plants benefit all. To me we are moving away from the logical to the illogical and eventually the logical will prevail.

[@scottpaxton5275]

Thanks!

[@UndecidedMF]

Thanks so much.

[@AustinFoe]

I got quoted 100k for a 15k system. Monthly payment 670$ a month with 4.6% escalators. My electric bill is only 156$, makes no sense. I got a better quote from another company for 60k and got 280$ with no escalators, still twice my utility bill. No savings at all unless my electric bill doubles and might break even at 25 years, which is a horrible investment. If I DIY solar, I might get the system I want for 25k in material post tax incentives but would still take 10-15 years to break even. I don't plan to sell my home so I don't value equity.

[@brucemitchell5637]

You also didn't mention that solar panels have a finite life, you would be very lucky to get 20 years out of them without having to replace all or most of them. Not to mention " power walls" which only last 10 years. I'll take a hard pass on solar, thank you !

[@ianandrewthomson1]

Geez, that pricing is ridiculous. Why such a high cost? A decent 10KW system with a BYD battery is under 20k euro in Germany.

[@GregorySloanCLUChFC]

@@brucemitchell5637 Who likes the look of the solar panels.

[@colinexline7817]

@@brucemitchell5637 I have the exact same panels as in the video. The warranty is for 25 years with output being at least 88% so maybe your argument that you would be lucky to get 20 years is possibly not valid.

[@DIYDaveOK]

The issue for solar here in the Midwest is obviously not sun availability, but the risk of damage to panels from hailstones. Potential customers are strongly advised to consult with their insurance company to verify any special caveats or endorsements that may be in play for the panels, the structure of your roof, or the replacement of the roof when the shingles age out. Also, there are numerous shady solar operators who sell a bill of goods with poor installs, poor equipment, or poor terms (for the homeowner). I have a friend whom I fear is amid just such a contractor. Just be exceptionally careful.

[@kindredspiritzz66]

Damn I never thought of hail in the equation

[@EugeneSSmith]

Across the country are PhD Electrical Engineering graduates that claim the CURRENT 2022/2023 SOLAR PANELS HAVE 22 PERCENT, OR LESS, EFFICIENCIES! I am NOT an engineer! But if I have 1000 square feet of Solar Panels, then I'll install 5000 square feet of panels to get that 100 percent efficiency! RIGHT? 😅 ( It does not work that way! Just because I increased the number of solar panels by an additional 4000 square feet, to 5000 square feet! The "efficiency rating" REMAINS at 20 percent, or LESS! 🌞

[@marthakrumboltz2710]

Difficult these days to do business with most as the quick dollar is paramount.

[@charmc4152]

I've really wondered about the issue of roof replacement and hailstones. We had spiked hailstones a few years ago. That was something new to me. And it's rare, but golf ball to softball size hail are real things. But even without dramatic hail events, eventually roofs need to be replaced, and dismantling your solar panels to replace your roof will certainly add to the costs even if your solar equipment is still viable. You would probably have to hire people who work with solar outfitting to take down the panels and related components, and then have the roofing company come in behind them to do their part. But if parts of the solar equipment are worn out or damaged, you'll be looking at replacement and reinstallation costs to get back on solar power. I would think insurance premiums might be higher too just because of the fact that you're putting holes in your roof to anchor the solar equipment, and it's putting additional weight stress on your roof - so now your roof is going from being a cover to an additional support structure, and most roofs probably weren't constructed to perform as support structures. I guess my point is that there could be a lot of additional costs associated with solar power down the road that a lot of people may not be aware of, and it could be more than a lot of people could comfortably afford. If you could calculate what those costs might add up to, and you planned to stay in your home for a long time, you might conclude that you're just deferring what you would pay for electricity from the grid now, to be paid later in the form of additional costs for maintenance and replacement of solar equipment. It might make sense for some people. It's something that should be considered in relation to purchasing a home that's already equipped with solar panels too though. It might seem like a great thing, but the maintenance and replacement costs for the roof and managing the solar equipment part of that process might be an unpleasant surprise that a homebuyer may not be aware of and might be hit with dealing with sooner than they anticipate with existing solar structures. I think this is relatively new territory, and there are going to be more issues that crop up and have to get sorted out. Insurance-related issues could be a major issue.

[@1sinister80]

​@EugeneSSmith Solar is just not very good. Imagine anything else you spent 10s of thousands of dollars on that only gave you 20 percent t of what you needed and still having to use what you already had like city supplied electricity for the other 80 percent. The problem with solar is the overall cost and the efficiency. I live in Phoenix and I get multiple companies every month knocking on my door all offering the same thing and stating that the other companies don't do it right. I also have many friends and colleagues who have regrets in the purchase of their panels.

[@solarcabin]

20+ years off grid with solar. You made some good points and proper orientation for panels to get the most output is critical. A roof mount may not be the best option and you can do a ground mount or possibly a garage or patio mount instead. Ground mount also reduces snow build up and rain issues and are easier to maintain. Having a battery backup really is the best option and you want enough storage capacity to handle basic needs for at least 3 days. Blackouts are lasting longer now due to more storms and an antiquated grid. I suggest a hybrid system for city dwellers that is grid tied but can also be switched to full off grid in the event there is a long term blackout or you just don't want that grid connection at some point. With the right appliances you do not need a huge system and many US homes can be powered by just a 5-7Kw system. My system is only 1Kw and I have most appliances as any grid home. Good luck on the new house and I am interested to see the new setup!

[@bobcole3852]

What inverter do you use? Assume hybrid but which one please?

[@solarcabin]

I use a PowerDrive pure sine 1000 watt inverter. Handles everything in the cabin.

[@chevystuffs5971]

$15 k to install a battery sounds like robbery to me.

[@d3w4yn3]

I'm thinking about going solar when I retire (at the end of this December). My Mom is an oxygen patient, so power-outages can quickly turn into an emergency. This is a fantastically educational video!!! Thank you so much for posting!!!

[@d3w4yn3]

@Shane888 Davies oxygen compressor requires 110v AC. No tanks.

[@iowagreen8932]

Also a generator would help with relatively short term power outages.

[@richardpage2555]

Will you have enough tax to write off to get the rebates?

[@d3w4yn3]

@@richardpage2555 Good question, I didn't even think of that!

[@Joe-ul3gh]

Or you get get a generator installed to your gas line for about $8k less.

[@JackRussell021]

We have solar, but came into it in a weird way - we bought a house that already had it (installed late in 2014). So I didn't have any buying decisions to make. Did it affect the cost of the house? No way to know, really, as there are so many other variables. When we first got in the house, I got into the monitoring system, and quickly realized that there was a fault, and the system was only producing about 40% of the expected output. So my first job was to call the installer (who was still in business), and get him to come out and get that resolved. After that, the system has been flawless. I will make the observation that it helps to sort of look at it every so often to see if any faults have been reported that need to be dealt with, but those tend to be rare. For the case where you purchase a home with solar already on it, he SREC thing was kind of a bureaucratic hassle. it was originally in the name of the previous owner of course, and there is paperwork required to get it transferred over into my name. Fortunately, the solar installer came through here too and helped with that process. My only complaint was that it seemed to take a long time, but that wasn't their fault. We are starting to get close to the point where we hit the 10 year mark that the SREC have paid out, and after that, we still get another 10 years at a significantly reduced rate. We very rarely have power outages, and we don't have TOU. So for us, it is hard to make an argument to add batteries. The hard thing about batteries is that a lot of people come into it believing that in the event of an extended outage, they can run their entire house off of the batteries, and for most people, that's not really very realistic. So before ever buying any batteries, I would recommend thinking about what you think your needs and requirements are, and then figure out whether batteries are a realistic solution or not.

[@davidbailey1689]

Hi Matt. I am a resident of the UK and have had solar panels for some years. I have no comment to make regarding the financial aspects of UK solar because subsidies in the UK will be so different from in the US. What I do wish to comment upon is the issue that arises once solar panels have been installed - birds seeking to nest beneath the panels. I have had problems with pigeons trying to nest beneath my 30 panels. I have tried various deterrents including the use of a spring gun that fires BB plastic balls and which will hurt the pigeons but not damage them. Limited benefit, though my aim has improved. Next I used a water cannon (3ft long water pistol). That worked well but made a real mess of the windows as we are in a hard water area. Finally, and of most success, was a 25ft long series of bamboo poles. Simply tapping the solar panels with this assembly really seems to upset the pigeons. Of course the various pairings of potential sub-panel dwellers each need to be subjected to the bamboo training exercise before success is achieved. I relate all of this to hopefully let your audience know just how troublesome and determined these birds can be. Once established under solar panels I am advised that they can breed every couple of months - and the offspring return to their place of birth to breed. Once established there is the risk of them pecking through cables, the issue of droppings, noise… the moral of this story is that if you have pigeons in your area then, when having the panels installed, consider having some form of mesh installed around the panels to prevent bird ingress. Don’t wait until you have the problem and then have the additional expense of having to pay a company to retro fit bird prevention measures.

[@delta250a]

I have never thought about that being a problem before. Sure does make sense though, bloody things get everywhere!

[@mtpaley1]

It cost me a additional £400 to get bird proofing installed. Probably a bit of a rip off for just putting some mesh around the edges of the panels but it saved me from having to climb all over my roof so in general I am happy. I have seen pigeons land on my roof clearly eyeing it up as a potential nest then flying away disappointed so it is doing a good job.

[@serhiybakhshyyan10]

David, you described my problem. I live in Dubai. Pigeons is enormous issue here. I installed proper ledder to the roof so I can easily climb there every other day to destroy nests but seems like they don't care. Now thinking about mesh and also traps 😕

[@11teenproductions]

Install a fake falcon or eagle bird, here in Scandinavia are common in many city buildings and from afar they do look like the real thing. I’ve never seen pigeons or smaller birds get anywhere near one of these.

[@davidbailey1689]

@@11teenproductions That’s an interesting option. Thank you.

[@miker6090]

Roof leaks. The cost of repairing roof leaks caused by the solar install have more than wiped out any savings on my electric bill. Initial cost of install was around $15k minus the tax credit. Less than five years later, I'm looking at an additional expense of over $25k to repair the roof leaks including paying the original solar company over $4k to remove the solar panels so the roof can be repaired. You must factor total roof replacement into the cost of a solar install. Every roofer I contacted said the solar company should have told me this at the outset, but many solar companies won't because they fear losing the sale.

[@mj8495]

Yes, unfortunately it is up to the consumer to educate themselves. Fortunately we redid our roof before solar install and no longer have electric bill , so no matter what the price per kilowatt rises to we are covered

[@ZacharyWhaley-hx4xt]

Installer error

[@RadioRich100]

@@mj8495 You will never make out all things considered.

[@JohnPaul-ol5zl]

@@mj8495 curious....how many years, from when your solar panel was fully installed and full in operation will it take you to pay off the full solar panel system install? I assume it was a whole house system. What was your average electric utility bill per month and what's your monthly payment for the solar panel system install? What, if any, warranty does the solar panel system come with? Include what it covers and Time in years. Did your home owners insurance go up?

[@GreenGateTV]

25k to fix a roof leak 😂 😂 stop it! For 25k I’ll take a red eye to you right now and fix it not only that but I’ll fly out to you anytime after if need be no charge

[@smeggysmeg]

I've had solar for 3 years. One thing I wish I had known was that you need to compare the net metering numbers the system produces compared to what the utility is registering. It turns out that my system started misreporting my consumption some time in the first year, probably due to a loose CT in the electric panel. I then bought an EV thinking I had massively excess production -- it wasn't true. So now I have an electric bill again during winter. The EV was still a good choice for a myriad of reasons, but it's no longer "free" to run like we initially thought it would be. Another lesson learned is to use a solar installer with a local footprint. My installer is a big company in multiple states, including my state, but they don't have an office/warehouse in my area. So for service issues, I have to schedule visits that come from across the state, adding additional turnaround time.

[@OhHeyTrevorFlowers]

Congratulations on launching the guide! They're a ton of work to create but especially on this topic they can help a lot of people.

[@wlhgmk]

One question I have is why, when we hear that renewable energy is cheaper and getting even cheaper than fossil fuel energy and, that in most jurisdictions, more and more of our energy is being produced by renewable energy, why is the price of electricity, pretty well all over the world is going up. Someone is price gouging.

[@T33K3SS3LCH3N]

1. General inflation drives up costs that are unrelated to the primary energy production (like the wages of employees) 2. Rising fossil fuel costs, especially around the full scale Russian invasion of Ukraine 3. Previously externalised costs of emissions (like lung disease and global warming) are now taxed in many jurisdictions to convert them into real costs. 4. Energy grids are in a transformation/expansion that adds additional costs for some years. The main issue here is NIMBYism and anti-renewable politicians making this process slow and expensive.

[@whiskybrush3219]

Because every bit of renewable energy infrastructure must be backed up by a base load of stable electricity. So if you have a power grid that is running 10% of its load from solar panels, and you have sudden cloud coverage, you must be able to bring instant capacity online to compensate for the huge drop in solar generation or the result is regional brownouts. Unfortunately when that occurs, you buy that fossil fuel generated power at prime cost compared to the normal low rate you normally contract to when you are relying on a constant supply demand.

[@sparkyzoner]

Simple answer: it ain't cheaper and never was.

[@christophervennix9861]

The simplest answer is that unless each unit of renewable energy is backed with storage, it can't be used by the system. The way we use power requires a constant, stable supply, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Solar simply doesn't offer this as weather + time of day massively impact generation, so the coal stations have to continue producing virtually as much power as ever to maintain a stable supply. Now if we installed batteries for each piece of renewable energy we could solve this problem...however batteries cost *massively* more than generating power. To store enough to power a low density residential city block would cost millions of dollars which completely removes any price savings.

[@heltoupee]

My wife and I decided to install a 5.8 kWh system on our house in IL. Your 4-year video was a great source of information that informed our decision, so thank you for doing all of this. We are quite happy so far, and I'm glad your system is working out well for you still.

[@hiraonlineahop_pk]

hey I hope you are having a wonderful day today Do you want to install solar panels or anyone in your Circle area who wants to Go Solar? Reply must please

[@pietheijn-vo1gt]

You mean kW, not kWh? Or are you talking about the battery?

[@hiraonlineahop_pk]

@@pietheijn-vo1gt what you need?

[@pietheijn-vo1gt]

@@hiraonlineahop_pk kW is power, kWh is energy... im asking if you are talking about the battery (energy) or power (PV?)

[@hiraonlineahop_pk]

@@pietheijn-vo1gt Actually I work with American Company which provide solar panels installation to USA based homeowners and companies Company contains solar energy system design and products also

[@watvannou]

In our case the company we hired went bankrupt after a tax incentive program was cancelled. Few years later 1 panel stopped working and when we had it looked at by another company it turned out that the first bunch majorly botched the install and we were on the hook for an additional $9k to get everything essentially re-installed. If you can get any kind of insurance on your install I'd highly recommend it! Of course I'm also very annoyed with our city inspectors that was supposed to find these issues before the install was completed but they were useless.

[@guillaumerichard2724]

We went with Powur but we almost went with Pink solar or something and I think they also went bankrupt.

[@tmdillon1969]

When we lived in Florida we looked into panels when Tesla was partnering with Home Depot. They came out and the first thing she advised us to do was to get an energy audit from the power company to see what our use was and to get an evaluation on our home's efficiency. That's when it hit home! Our 1957 home was/is an energy hog. Poor attic insulation, decades old ductwork, zero crawlspace insulation, and an 80 gallon conventional water heater meant we'd be throwing good money after bad. The Tesla rep was amazingly honest and pointed out that to even come close to breaking even we'd be into it for 70K between panels and batteries. Now we live in the mountains and this home is better but still not good. It's a converted cabin so the wall thickness isn't great for R value. Looking at the numbers in two different homes we came to the conclusion that one's home envelope and efficiency need to be addressed before any talk of solar can be serious. It makes no sense to spend a ton of money on a home that leaks energy like a sieve.

[@Dbb27]

Good comment. Have a 1970’s house in FL. Thinking about solar but much to take into consideration!

[@tmdillon1969]

@@Dbb27 check hybrid hot water heaters. If you have a garage they're perfect in Florida. They use a heat pump rather than resistance coils to heat the water. Super efficient and they'll keep your garage 10-15 degrees cooler. Knocked $100 off of our electric bill when we lived there.

[@euphemiat7735]

Also live in Florida and checked out solar; exactly the same experience.

[@hiraonlineahop_pk]

​@@euphemiat7735 hey I hope you are having a wonderful day today Do you want to install solar panels or anyone in your Circle area who wants to Go Solar? Reply must please

[@hiraonlineahop_pk]

hey I hope you are having a wonderful day today Do you want to install solar panels or anyone in your Circle area who wants to Go Solar? Reply must please

[@MH-fe9hr]

I had a solar company cold call my property and give me a quote today. The problem i had was the hard sale, where I only had 2 hours to decide if I was going to sign along the dotted line. I told them under no uncertain terms I was not going to make a hasty decision no matter the benefits of solar and payback period.

[@stargazer7644]

When companies do that to me the decision is easy - I don't sweat it. The answer is "No way."

[@RadioRich100]

@@stargazer7644 The answer is always no-way. If those panels were so wonderful they wouldnt need to come to your door.

[@StoneColeStunna]

Because it’s a no brainer. If your house makes sense for it I don’t see why you wouldn’t do it.

[@RadioRich100]

@@StoneColeStunna Your just the customer their looking for - a no brainer.

[@MH-fe9hr]

I would also want to own my panels. The scheme is that the company would own them even though it’s MY house!

[@BuildItMakeIt]

One note on solar panels and house value. We recently moved and we were buying a house with solar panels. Our loan company said they wouldn't give us the loan if the panels were not fully paid for. I know it is pretty popular in New Mexico where a different company owns your panels and you pay a flat rate, but at least for our loan, the company said that was a deal breaker. Luckily the house had paid off their panels so it was a non issue.

[@billmartin1663]

Yes. That's because, if the solar panel company goes bankrupt or payments are missed, title to the entire home can be impaired. It's a potentially very bad deal for homeowner as well as lender.

[@randomwarzoneclips4904]

This is a big consideration for home owners thinking of adding panels too. When you go to sell if your panels aren't paid off you can be spending a considerable chunk of your equity closing those loans.

[@saynotop2w]

Did the seller include the solar panels with the house deal?

[@majorburke9735]

My coworker bought a new house with solar panels. (It’s law in my state that every new house be built with solar panels. Bc my state is so smart.) His arrangement is he leases the panels. It’s like buying a mobile home. You own the home but you still pay rent. He said the lease payments are low, for now.

[@Steelhorsecowboy]

FHA, FNMA and Freddie Mac who largely make the rules for residential lending do not permit the additional value that panels might add to the property if they are not fully owned. That's okay though because solar panels in most areas do not add to value according to what many of my appraiser colleagues say. It is extremely rare despite the representations of the solar company. I am in New Jersey and done many detailed analysis to isolate the incremental value contribution of solar panels and found nothing. I have an open mind and I cannot categorically say they do not add to value but be aware. Keep in mind; Financed panels are another financial hurdle for potential buyers to achieve to be able to purchase your home. Some people object to the appearance of solar panels. Electric in New Jersey has been rapidly rising so solar panels may still be a good choice for you.

[@mk1st]

This was very useful. I also have a bunch of “I wish I’d known” items after I installed my own 7Kw system. Can’t wait to see the rest of your new home journey.

[@elvdell5582]

Size and return on value are critical calculations to perform. I have a shed that is used as an office, and I wanted to use solar to power it. Found a nice $4k kit that my installer told me would do the job easily. Like you said never take someone's word for it but do the math yourself. Which is very difficult because there are no standards in the industry. Some report battery storage one way while another completely differently. In short, my experience was horrible. To power a shed that had computers, lights, fan or AC etc... the number of batteries necessary to run it through the night were MASSIVE. I'd need to almost build a separate shed for the batteries themselves. It's really something you have to investigate well. A lot of people think these solar panels will power your entire house easily, but the reality is people usually only power certain appliances or outlets from them. It's a worthwhile field but personally I feel it really needs regulation and better standards. I ended up giving up on the system and plugging into the almighty grid instead. Good video however.

[@brendancurtin679]

A thing that's a little frustrating is you hardly see anything that keeps the power DC for electronic equipment. When you want solar to run a bunch of computer/electronic equipment (and LED lights), the panels generate DC power, then it goes through an expensive component to invert that to AC power then you plug in your electronic equipment that converts the AC power back to DC. So much is unnecessarily lost in the conversions. I've seen some complicated DIY setups that use just DC, but I haven't seen much available to consumers.

[@muddyriverdogz]

@@brendancurtin679 Because DC in high amps is very dangerous.

[@brendancurtin679]

@@muddyriverdogz sure, but so is AC at similar wattage. I'll address that, but also, I'm not talking about wiring up a whole home with DC power. I'm talking about near your battery bank or specific short runs. Why isn't there much, if any, "off the shelf" (so to speak) solutions for powering some DC equipment directly from the batteries/solar without inverting to AC and converting right back? Personally, I'd be interested in a small off-grid solar system at my house that would let me take my home network and some computer equipment off-grid and also have a little DC-DC charging station for other batteries (cordless tools, phones/tablets, etc.). It'd be nice to have that all functioning during a power outage. And I also would think it would use less energy with the conversion losses. Even for folks who want whole home solar, who then need an inverter, I feel like it would still be nice to have the option of some DC-DC uses. As an imperfect analogy, think of adding a water softener to your home. You want most of the water softened, but you might want to add a branch before the water softener to send un-softened water to your hoses and maybe fridge/kitchen (if you prefer the taste). Obviously, sending unsoftened water around your house doesn't require much larger pipes or whatever, so it's not exactly the same. But I think you get the point. As far as the higher danger, I don't think that's a big issue (especially for the use cases I'm talking about). DC is maybe slightly more dangerous than AC at the same wattage in two ways I can think of that can be accounted for to mitigate the danger. Because DC is lower voltage and higher amperage for the same wattage, you need to account for that with lower gauge (thicker) wire to handle the higher amperage at the same wattage to avoid overheating/fires (e.g., 12VDC will be 10x the amperage for the same wattage as 120VAC). (You'd also want shorter runs, but that's more about losses than danger). And for high amperage DC, you need disconnects (like the switches on UK outlets) to avoid dangerous arcing when "unplugging"' things drawing a load. Other than those two things that can be accounted for, I don't think it's really any more dangerous than AC. The big reason AC won out over DC was that AC can be transmitted at much higher voltage which results in more efficiency and significantly lower material cost for conductors and generation.

[@muddyriverdogz]

@@brendancurtin679 AC is not near as dangerous as DC. DC at 110 volts witch is most of your house wiring would kill you !

[@brendancurtin679]

@@muddyriverdogz who said anything about DC at 110 volts?

[@scc1144]

I love having grid power! So much less to worry about! Thanks solar panel people for sending power to the grid!

[@owinstan]

Except that those solar panel people are jacking up your grid power rates by taking subsidies and freebies which you pay for through higher taxes and your higher energy bills!

[@claudiakitchen8094]

My daughter and her husband got screwed by an installer in South Carolina that has now gone out of business. One thing they ran into was that there are lots of installers, but few concerned with repair and maintenance. But they have been informed that the installer always intended to exit the business before people started making claims. There likely is no practical recourse for my daughter and son-in-law for their losses.

[@dl4608]

that’s a problem with neo-liberal capitalism and small-government unregulated markets though, nothing to do with solar panels.

[@joeconnielauer6111]

It’s been a long time since I managed contracts of construction contractors. All of my contracts used AIA (American Institute of Architects) forms. I remember that contractors were required to be bonded. This is insurance they have to buy to cover terms of the contract. Included are requirements to pay subcontractors, workers, workman’s compensation insurance (for worker injuries) and material suppliers. It also covers completion of the contract. Should the contractor fail in any of these areas, a claim can be made against the bonding company for the full cost of unpaid bills and completion of the contract. After the bonding company pays off these debts, the contractor likely will be put out of business because they may never to get insurance again. Also required by AIA forms is professional liability insurance (to cover costs to cover injuries to persons and property, including yours and neighbors.) There are other requirements in AIA contract forms. Contractors had to prove they have this coverage. Most of the construction contracts I managed lasted a while. Contractors were paid based on completion of work. For example, contractors were paid for materials only after they were delivered to the job site. When the work is half done, they are paid for half the labor costs. AIA forms also included one year to fix deficiencies in workmanship or products installed. The last 10% is not of the contract was not paid until these items (called a punch list) were fixed. Additionally, you can creat and define terms in the contract you have with your contractor. Anything you want. You don’t have to use the contractor’s estimate sheet. Job site cleanup and legal disposal of waste should be included. Maintenance and repairs, for instance, at extra cost, can be added to the contract for a few years or the life of products. Some of the above might scare off smaller contractors. Most just want you to sign their estimate form. I know most want to be paid up front. If you do that, they might just disappear with your money. Regardless, GET SOME WRITTEN FORM SIGNED BY THE CONTRACTOR AND YOU that describes your expectations including what’s to be done, what the total cost will be, when payments are required and when the work is to be started and completed. Note, contractors may sometimes come across situations that weren’t visible or expected at contract signing time (rain for two weeks, termite damage, presence of asbestos and building conditions that don’t meet code). These costs have to be negotiated. For bigger projects, AIA forms require arbitration in disputes, which can be expensive. On smaller projects, you have to get a lawyer to help you out.

[@mattleathen445]

@@dl4608 unregulated capitalism as promoted by Republicans.

[@topnotchelectric]

California CSLB offers free arbitration which I require agreement to in my contract

[@richardfellows5041]

Well, since you asked; I do have some feedback about my experience putting solar on my house. Some things I stumbled on ... 1. You cannot just look at your roof area to calculate what you can put up. There are required set backs from the edges to allow firefighters to do their job. 2. There apparently are some code requirements for spacing between your electrical panel and the gas line (meter?) If you increase your electrical panel current then that spacing may need to increase. Exactly how this is done? I don't know, I declined. I scaled back my system so it wasn't necessary. 3. Increasing your electrical panel current with your solar may require updating your service lines from the power grid. If you have service from an overhead line, maybe not such a big deal, but if the power lines are below ground then there will be some trenching involved. I declined to have a system large enough to make this necessary. I may change my mind later. Was the purchase and installation worth it? Yes, absolutely. I expect to achieve break even after about 7 years from purchase.

[@arik_hesseldahl]

Agree with the mini-snow avalanches. I've gotten used to hearing big clumps of snow hit my back deck where a cluster of panels for my array are located. I have another smaller cluster out front, which has the same issue, but there's no danger that anyone will be standing there. Today, thanks to you, I learned about snow guards and may ask my installer about them. Good luck with the guide!

[@Kurio71]

Can't wait for lunar panels

[@NormanSilver]

I have 3 Solar Storage Batteries. 1/2 costs, 2/3rds smaller and no crazy adjuncts either.

[@zjan4me]

In our area (LAS Vegas) you can have neighbors prevented from interfering with the daily sun on your panels. If a neighbor plants a tree they have to consider your solar install and prevent shading of your system. Something to look into in your area! Another quick observation is on windy or cooler days (yes even here in Vegas!) our 5.6kwh system can produce up to 6kwh (the max on our inverter). So take into consideration your wind and temps and what possible effects they may have on your system. One last note! Go big! My regret is that I didn't go bigger on our system to begin with. Now our panels are no longer produced and adding to our existing strings is not possible with mis matched panels. Our options now are to find some used versions of our panels or create a whole new system for added capacity. Reasoning for the go big approach include adding a plug in hybrid or fully electric car, maybe a pool is in our future, and even cooling our home a bit more when it's 115 outside! Hope these tips help!

[@littlet7556]

Sounds like a Communist town that yells you what to do on your own land!

[@TerryD15]

Solar panels operate only on the amount of light available, despite wind and temperature.

[@zjan4me]

@@TerryD15 you need look into it further. Temp has a lot to do with the amount of power solar panels make. Our highest out out month here is May. The sun is much kore favorably positioned in June and July but the heat here reduces output considerably. Of course cloudy days affect output but so does temp.

[@TerryD15]

@@zjan4me Sorry but you are wrong. Solar panels respond to light, not temperature, despite your local experience. Facts are facts, science is science, engineering is engineering.

[@zjan4me]

@@TerryD15 So, the laws of physics are ignored in a city with 115 degree temps. Too funny. Do your research. Temp doesn't provide the power itself but temps do affect how much power a panel will produce. All things being equal a panel in full sun on a cold (or windy) day will produce more power per square centimeter (power density) than in a hotter calm day. Even new bifacial panels are being being arranged vertically (facing east and west) so as to reap the benefits of cooler panel temps at mid day. This creats a double hump power curve but yields more power by avoiding the mid day added heat full sun creates. We may be arguing symantics here but please research tempurature effects on solar panels. It's usually even stated as part of the power specs on panels.

[@johnbrant2454]

I like your videos and you do a fine job. I have had solar on my home in California for over 22 years. I was an early adopter of this technology and have been very happy with it. The only issue I have had is that my inverter started to die after about 15 years. (It was guaranteed for 10). At that time I got a new inverter and added another 12 panels, which were about 66% more powerful than the original ones. All of the panels are still producing electricity and it has been fun to know the sun is providing our power. I wish we had the great support you have gotten in your state!

[@jameswilson5165]

One subject I NEVER see in video's like this (not just yours) is what would a hail storm do to these panels? Here in west central Texas, we have small ones every season. About every 4 to 5 years, golfball, baseball, and almost every 7 to 10 years, softball-sized hail. Solar panels are not as expensive as they once were, and they are getting more powerful, but the payout is still over a decade. Also, they are costly to insure, if at all. When you add storage, the price exceeds what most people can afford, even with the taxpayer's help.

[@calanbennett6817]

Hi I'm from Perth, Western Australia and we get plenty of sun, even in Winter. It can be overcast for up to 4-5 days here in Winter so we installed 50kwh of Lifepo4 batteries (house uses ~22-24kwh/day). I only have 8kw of solar panels with 2x 2kw Wind Turbines (actually only average about 1.5-1.7kw each at best). Total cost here was US$19,000 but we don't use any grid power at all. We are still connected to the grid via an isolator but choose not to use grid power. I recommend looking into efficient wind generators for cold climates and large LiFePo4 batteries banks. Tesla walls can explode (the unit Matt has, uses Li-ion batteries so could potentially burn the house down) 3 have gone up in smoke here and they lost their home.

[@syberphish]

This house has been off-grid for the last 15 years with no grid-tie. Just went from the old Outback to a new SolArk combo inverter with lithium batteries last week and it's running amazingly! 3P config Discover AES 48V 130Ah batts with 5kW PV input. Cost $32k It would have cost $45k to bring in grid power, and then we'd be paying an electric bill. I installed it all myself. The SolArk wiring was a breeze!!! Touch screen controls, all the settings are labelled intuitively. Manual is easy to follow. Also has a ton of options for sell-back and scheduling and peak shaving for AC coupled users. I'm not affiliated with them at all, just a very happy customer.

[@GBS1043]

PLEASE TELL ME THE BATTERIES ARE NOT CHINESE?

[@syberphish]

@@GBS1043 DiscoverBattery is a massive company, I've no doubt they do business with/in China, but their product has an excellent service history and has worked fantastic in our location. Very satisfied customer.

[@dominguezl6323]

I have solar panels for my house for 5 years as well. I live in Singapore. I installed 7.54kwp for $17800 and was able to save about $200 per month on my bills. I definitely agree that picking the right installer is key on which direction your experience will go. Mine (solargaga) was lukewarm and not great at times but I heard worse stories. Thanks for sharing about the less harvest in 2021. I experienced the same issue and thought that my solar panels was acting up but next year it spike so I wasn’t sure why. Now, I keep my fingers crossed that my solar panel continue to function properly so I get returns from my investment and able to break even. Over the 5 years, I did have to replace one of the spd which cost me $300. The install was supposed to come with 5 years of free maintenance service but it’s nothing more than them coming to look at your readings. They did not even bother to climb up and check the panels. Scheduling with them was always an unpleasant experience. In Singapore, we did not have the battery available to us yet when installed mine 5 years ago so I do not have that for my home. I would be interested to look into that. We do not get government subsidies or any form of credit at all. Singapore is still rather backwards that way.

[@eustacemcgoodboy9702]

Impressive, you might break even in 10 years.

[@Studio89Graphic]

@@eustacemcgoodboy9702 Singapore is a Country about the Equator = Lot of Sunlight, so is Malaysia and Vietnam; but those Solar Panels = were they China Made from Xinjiang Autonomy Region = Where labours are cheap and some are Forced Labours? Is it Human costs to pay for some Singaporeans benefit? [ While there are many types of PV systems known to be effective, crystalline silicon PV accounted for around 90% of the worldwide production of PV in 2013. To reduce energy losses, an anti-reflective coating is added to the surface, along with electrical contacts. After finishing the cell, cells are connected via electrical circuit according to the specific application and prepared for shipping and installation.[47] Environmental costs of manufacture: 😂 😂 (Just shifted the 😰 😰 Sweatshops to Xinjiang and our Conscience is clear) 😍 😍 They, China Manufacturer used Coals to fire up these Intensive Powers Demands Plants (Coals from where = including Indonesia. Where at some point, Smoky Air reach to other Countries across the vast Pacific Ocean! Solar photovoltaic power is not entirely "clean energy": production produces greenhouse gas emissions, materials used to build the cells are potentially unsustainable and will run out eventually, the technology uses toxic substances which cause pollution, and there are no viable technologies for recycling solar waste.[48] Data required to investigate their impact are sometimes affected by a rather large amount of uncertainty. The values of human labor and water consumption, for example, are not precisely assessed due to the lack of systematic and accurate analyses in the scientific literature.[1] One difficulty in determining impacts due to PV is to determine if the wastes are released to the air, water, or soil during the manufacturing phase.[49] Life-cycle assessments, which look at all different environment impacts ranging from global warming potential, pollution, water depletion and others, are unavailable for PV. Instead, studies have tried to estimate the impact and potential impacts of various types of PV, but these estimates are usually restricted to simply assessing energy costs of the manufacture and/or transport, because these are new technologies and the total environmental impacts of their components and disposal methods are unknown, even for commercially available first generation solar cells, let alone experimental prototypes with no commercial viability.[50] ]

[@Hansen710]

so many hustlers. its a couple of bolts for the panels and a couple of wires on the inverter i agree dont pays 5-10 times more then needed for that work many comapanys make over 10000 dollars on half days work for 1 man job, and sell the equitment very expensive

[@Hansen710]

@@eustacemcgoodboy9702 i will break even in 3 years and im able able to sell my house and get a value for the system that is more then i gave by choosing the right installer and looking into the prices (and i live in scandinavia) i had no need to look into tax credits, but in germany a project like i did is tax free

[@immealldayeveryday9425]

Not every place in the states gaves you a credit back, it totally depends on the state or the location

[@malbo2864]

Just picked up on your channel Matt. Here in South Australia which is a long way from you, I think I can safely say, solar is well worth it with around 1/3 of homes now using rooftop solar. Even in my small street, 10 out of 14 homes now have solar. And when I look at my figures; my electricity bill was $650 for 9 months and that's with just an average 6.6 kwh system, that has generated some 7,700 kw/h in 9 months. But then again, we never see snow and I'm ok with that!

[@PhilipAnderson]

Just a simple THANK YOU for exceedingly clear and straightforward communication and actual data that supports your reports. Way too much bloviating by KZbinrs these days, thankfully you’re not in that group.

[@UrW0rstNighmare]

Matt, I have followed your solar journey for sometime now and it has actually pushed us to get solar here in southeast PA. We just passed the 1 year mark. while the benefits are similar they are different based on SRECs, etc. I'm still wondering if we had made the right choice at times when I see that electric bill, but once I do the math, we are still saving with the rise of electric prices. Batteries are next on my list but I am unsure if they are worth the price... I'm hoping the price will come down here in the next two to three years.. best of luck with the new home and keep up the good work

[@UndecidedMF]

Thanks for sharing, MJ. Glad you've found these videos useful. Batteries can be a dicey proposition because the costs can sometimes be too far out of reach. I'm starting to work on a video exploring this exact topic (stay tuned).

[@AndrewBuis]

A way to justify your battery purchase: Buying an EV that can utilize the battery to provide electricity. Our EV6 has this (Vehicle to Load), which can provide 1.9kw of power. Just had a 4 day power outage due to an ice storm, and was able to run my furnace, refrigerator & laptop, all from my car, without noise or fuel.

[@Thesummerismagic12]

Home batteries will probably become significantly cheaper over the next few years. Sodium hydroxide (Na-OH) batteries are about to enter the market and these should be significantly cheaper than expensive lithium-ion batteries.

[@czkid54]

@@UndecidedMF I know you have the Tesla power wall, but I've been intrigued by the Generac PowrCell (sic). You have any thought on that system? It seems a bit more versatile and expandable than the Tesla product... Thanks !

[@sleze]

PECO prices really haven't gone up in recent years like they have in other parts of PA and the rest of the country.

[@kirill_gusev]

Great video as usual Matt. I'm in MA and following your journey along the way. Have a 10kW array and PWs installed in 2020. Two things I would like to share with those who planning to build. 1. If you taking loan to cover your project watch out how long does it take to complete. Because of covid delays our project took over the year and I had to close the loan before I got 30% refund. So loan interest was calculated from entire amount. If I would be able to sent this refund check to lender it would pay less. 2. Even with great installers babysit every step. Like discuss exactly where you want equipment would be installed. Everyone wants to have done job quickly and sometimes not most optimal way. I was told we need to have meters, disconnects, etc installed on the front of the house. With little discussion it was moved out the way. Also I made a list of each microinverters ID and placement on the roof, so it was helpful when installer was mapping panel locations (my setup includes 2 strings and 4 arrays). 3. Hot coffee in a winter or cooler in a summer provided to install crew goes really long way.

[@geoffreyrhine8210]

One element which I have never seen addressed is the different rate of thermal expansion between the metal frame and the roof, which may impact the life of the roof.

[@GBS1043]

DON'T FORGET LEAKS, CAUSED BY INCOMPETENT INSTALLERS

[@RicochetRichard]

Some Neighbors had solar panels installed. they spent a fortune on them. They worked for a few months and quit working and the company was out of business. Now they are SOL.

[@RadioRich100]

YEP! typical

[@CD-ht6dk]

We installed a 5.4 kw system seven years ago. While it covers about 95% of our needs I wished we had future proofed it by going larger for a heat pump and electric car. Still like the system though.

[@TheCampervanBuilder]

If you go the used route, you can save so much more. I did a DIY solar install in my garden, 3.5kw for less than under £1500 ($2000), at those prices you really can't go wrong

[@redmatrix]

Agreed. Based on the IRS tax laws, the 30% solar incentive is non-refundable, as the host mentioned; and, it's only for new equipment, and not labor. The caveat is two-fold: first, if one's taxes are (way) under the 30%, then their tax comes out to zero, and any amount above their tax liability does not get them a tax refund for the difference. This is a loss until the following tax year(s) until the full 30% of gross credit is received. [A carry-over] Second, if one buys used equipment, the savings is felt immediately and not dependent on a non-refundable tax credit that one may have to wait multiple years to get. Caveat to the caveat: If the home owner installs NEW equipment in the following year(s) [presumably to expand their array(s)], THAT installation does qualify for a separate 30% solar tax (non-refundable) credit. This allows you to get started with a small array now, get credits (if applicable) and then expand at a later date. (all installs within a calendar year count towards the total gross amount for the tax credit)

[@kimkrill981]

Where would one go to purchase used solar equipment?

[@kimkrill981]

@@redmatrix Where would one go to purchase used solar equipment?

[@TheCampervanBuilder]

@@kimkrill981 eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist/Gumtree etc

[@ovni2295]

The snow avalanche you mentioned is no joke! I was out shoveling my front walk after a major snowstorm once and an avalanche off my roof's solar panels occurred just as I was underneath it. I ended up twisting my ankle as it knocked me over.

[@majorburke9735]

Did they warn you? Maybe sue the solar panel company.

[@ovni2295]

@@majorburke9735 Nah, s'not a solar panel problem. It's a "Roofs where I live are tall and steep to shed snow" problem and I happened to be underneath it at a bad time.

[@SuperSaltydog77]

I believe that roof top solar panels in areas where freezing temps occur is just inviting trouble. Every place a hole or fastener is attached to your roof is an entry point for water. Freeze and thaw cycles that occur maybe up to 200 times a year or more in some places could spell doom for your roof and any area that will get wet because of it.

[@jglee6721]

Yep. I love the idea of solar for decades. I changed my mind after seeing a video: Why I remove solar by Solar Goat.

[@a.ham.9856]

Good call on the snowy roof thing. When I was in college, my dorm got maybe 8 inches of snow on the roof which all came down at once and crushed a line of parked cars. Caved-in roofs, shattered windshields, dented hoods - couldn't believe how much damage this can cause. But it can.

[@seaotter42]

We pay a similar $0.37/kWh during peak hours, and had solar installed October 2022 after getting some gnarly electric bills last summer. Our cost was $31,450 before incentives for 8.5 kW of panels, though we do have a south facing roof and no shade on the part of the roof that has panels, so our production numbers are pretty decent for a system that size, in 4 months since it was installed we've produced just over 3MW of power, and that's despite a fairly rainy (for CA) winter so far. The installer projects 15MW for the full year, and I expect to save ~$4000/yr so the system will "pay for itself" in around 6 years. Yes, the value proposition of putting the money into the stock market would probably be better, but this is bought and paid for and I don't know that I'd have had the discipline to stash the same money in the market and leave it alone. Also the 30% tax incentive was great, got that back on our taxes (as others have commented, it has nothing to do with your withholding, but we pay enough in taxes to get the full 9k back this year... also you can split it between multiple years if your tax burden is lower). Overall we've been happy with our system. I can't imagine paying for the battery backup though. Our power is out for maybe 2 hours per year on average, it seems bizarre to pay 5 figures to mitigate that... though I suppose if it was free (as it was for Matt) I might have some enthusiasm for it... Even if I had a need for it, I'm not convinced the battery tech is mature yet.

[@JaSon-wc4pn]

He mentioned the Grid can use his banked power at peak times and give him a $700 check for it

[@seaotter42]

True, but $700/yr on a 10-12k expense/investment (it's not free for most folks) is not a great ROI, and even excluding alternative investment options may not even pay for itself over the life of the battery.

[@robertsalata7828]

I am in the process of having solar panels installed (on my garage) to reduce or eliminate my monthly utility bills... Getting info & specifics from 3 companies to decide which company to go with. I'm a BIG BELIEVER IN DOING LOTS OF SHOPPING & LEARNING before making major decisions ! Takes extra time, but is worth the time in the long run. Your video was EXTREMELY HELPFUL for problems encountered, etc. I wish even more people did similar videos that can help the rest of us avoid issues and problems in our decisions !

[@davidshanaman4647]

We installed 36 sun power panels at the end of august last year. We’re excited to see its full summertime production. September through December last year we made over 5000 kWh. Also loving the 30% tax credit.

[@BigDaddy_Jim]

We had ours installed at the end of 2022, but werent "turned on" until after the 1st of the new year (2023), so we cant claim the tax credit until we do our taxes next year. My question is; what good is the tax credit? noone has really explained it to me in simple terms that someone like ME can understand! :D

[@p.chuckmoralesesquire3965]

this guy is doing some really shaky math here to get to his numbers like not factoring in the cost of his tesla so he could call the powerwall free.

[@heltoupee]

@@BigDaddy_Jim - So the tax credit. Basically, it's going to reduce what you owe the federal government for income tax in 2023. They take 30% of the total cost (that's what it was for me, the number might be different for you) of your solar system and subtract that from what you owe on your income tax. Let's say that you make $100K a year, and the government has a 30% income tax (again, numbers just for illustration). That means you'll owe the government $30K at the end of the year. If you have kids or other dependents (or spent a lot of money on healthcare), you get "credits" for that - those just knock some off that $30K amount. So again for illustration, let's say you spent $25K on your solar power system - 30% (that's the 30% tax credit) of that is $7,500. The federal government is going to knock $7,500 off the amount you owe, so now instead of owing $30K in taxes in 2023, you'll owe $22,500. Now, the company you work for is probably withholding some of your paycheck to go toward your income tax (you set this up when you started your job, and usually you can adjust the amount they keep from your paycheck whenever you like). They give that money to the government, and the idea is that at the end of the year, the total amount that your company has taken from your paycheck to give to the government will be enough to cover what you owe for taxes - that's the $30K. Your employer doesn't know you put solar up, so they essentially gave the government $7,500 extra that the government will now have to pay you back in a tax return. Now, you are in a great position because you know your tax bill is going to be less, and you can calculate (based on the cost of your system and what percentage of that the government is offering in a credit) how much less your taxes are going to be. You can go to your HR department, tell them you've got this tax credit coming in 2023, and have them adjust your withholdings so you're essentially not paying the government money that you won't end up owing them - that means you'll take home more cash in your paycheck - or you can just leave it alone and you'll get a nice fat tax return.

[@BigDaddy_Jim]

@@heltoupee thanks! That is the BEST explanation i have received from anyone :)

[@CaptainQueue]

Many people going solar and planning to sell back excess power to the electric company are not aware that the electric companies are not compelled to purchase any excess electricity now, or in the future. It is voluntary to the electric companies. These companies may purchase it now, but can change their policies at any future time without notice by reducing the rate at which they pay home owners, or not paying anything at all. This happened in New Jersey when the power company there cut its buy-back rate of excess solar power in half with no notice.

[@yohanonshine4664]

I live in Massachusetts and had my roof done a few years ago. I decided not to go solar because I realized that the new technology would come in a few years as it already was changing yearly , also it voids any warranty you had on your roof. As my calculations for 50 percent bill reduction plus the monthly bill for the solar panels adds up to way more than I'm paying for electricity now

[@kingmike7729]

if Massachusetts you have an amazing program for solar

[@yohanonshine4664]

@@kingmike7729 having an outstanding bill of $20,000 dollars is no where near what I pay for electricity in the time period of the loan

[@Stoutluvr]

I am in Arkansas and this past September, I installed a DIY ground mount system at my farm. The utility here has 1-1 net metering. The other advantage is they allow for other meters that your responsible for to be connected to the same net metering account. I have a condo that I am offsetting my electric bill on. So for the past 8 months, I have had a 0 net metering kWh for both locations. Also the fact that the system is ground mount, I am not worried about roof issues or access if I ever have to perform maintenance on the array. I consider solar to be a WIN.

[@magnumpi28]

How much did it cost you?

[@MotherofOdin]

Also live in Arkansas. After a year and a half,I still haven’t seen the benefit from my solar panels. The lifetime production of a year 1/2 is 13.7 MWH; however, I only receive a 60% production credit. It’s been one headache after another. Entergy is a nightmare to work with. That being said, I’ve read where if the installer omitted the RGM import/export setup, entergy only allows 60% of your production. It’s odd no one informed me about this issue. After speaking with the engineer of the company, he tried to add RGM virtually but there was an issue with my meter; therefore,one of their technicians will soon make the necessary upgrades. Will see if Entergy honors their agreement.

[@CFonda23]

Great video! I had my solar installed last year. System size is very similar to yours. I’m two months in from activation and so far have generated more than I have used, even while charging my Tesla at home. Living in Texas I don’t have as many incentives as you do, but overall it’s been a great experience. Happy to share my installer experience with anyone in Texas that would like! Thanks again 😊

[@brodriguez11000]

Be interesting seeing how home wind power would affect the equation.

[@markmathias9240]

I'd love to know any of the financial numbers you're working with. I'm also in Texas and couldn't find a quote for less than $60-80k for a smaller system than what was installed in the video, don't have net metering, and our cost for electricity is usually less than 15c/kWh on average (sometimes under 10c).

[@pstaffor]

For comparison, I had 42 Sunpower SPR225-BLK panels installed about 15 years ago, they are pretty worn-out by now. Total price was $75,000 before credits, total capacity was 9450 watts, very similar to yours. After 15 years the power is down substantially due to deterioration of the substrate, which was expected. 2021 generation was 16,620 kWh which covered exactly 1/2 of our total usage, which was ~32,000kWh. Being part of SRP means about $70 per month in fees and taxes. My panels are small compared to the new form-factor where you get ~400 watts per panel, efficiency is pretty similar. At least when new. I suspect our panels wear out faster in Phoenix than they would in New England.

[@markpukey8]

As an example of how solar varies by location, I have a 5.78kw system in Northern CA, compared to his 9.7kw system in MA. Last year I produced 8.5mw to his 7.4mw. 15% more power from 1/2 the capacity of the system. I'm a firm believer that home solar is worthwhile just about everywhere, but the ROI period sure does vary a lot! Keep this in mind if you are considering solar for your home.

[@nickm9102]

There is also the perk of having power even if the grid is down. Recently moved into a house where about once a month something happens that results in a power loss. A couple of times it was for several hours. My Wife wants to do a home generator, I want to do a battery bank and Solar panels. Guess it will depend on the price and when we have the funds available as to which one we do. I have thought about doing both. Solar and batteries as primary and a smaller generator for SHTF coverage.

[@markpukey8]

@@nickm9102 When you do your digging, make sure you talk to the sales guy about hybrid inverters. The standard home inverter you will get is designed to TURN OFF in the event of a power outage! This is to prevent back-bleed into the lines which could hurt or kill the linemen working to fix the problem. The options offered to me to address this would have almost doubled the cost of the system. So we passed on the batteries or other options. Not a big deal here, the power might go out for an hour or two in a year. But if you NEED the backup ability... maybe solar and a generator is better than a battery system? Either way, good luck, I hope you score a good deal.

[@nickm9102]

@@markpukey8 I'll keep that in mind. I also know there is a special cutoff switch to cot from grid and switch to battery only. That might be what you are talking about but I will have to look into it when the time comes.

[@markpukey8]

@@nickm9102 Pretty much. But it's not a standard feature, and the cost is higher. Enough so that I chose not to purchase the hardware that could do that. So it's good that you know to ask about it. One other option they offered was to install an entire new circuit to my breaker box, and run several outlets to rooms in my house. And things on THAT circuit would be fully powered in an outage as long as the solar/storage held out. I really liked that idea... but then I realized that if the inverter had a 120v plug... I could run an extension cord into my house for thousands of dollars less!

[@gatsbylight4766]

And you only had to pay $23 MILLION dollars more to live in California!! #Bargains

[@richardwhitehouse8762]

Hi Matt. I remember watching your pv install vid before I took the plunge and got panels on my roof in the UK in Aug 19. As you may know, the energy market here has been a bit of a roller coaster over the last couple of years. Initially I was signed up to a utility supplier who paid a very nice rate for my spare kwhs. In fact, in 2020 (when the weather was admittedly fantastic) I didn't pay a penny in utilities (gas or electricity) for six months. Then in 2021 it all went a bit pear-shaped. The market convulsed and many suppliers, including mine, went bust. I became a British Gas customer for over a year and the rate they were buying kwhs was so small, it wasn't worth doing. There are more eco-friendly suppliers out there and in Feb this year I was able to swap to Octopus. Cheaper rates, nicer company all round to deal with. EXCEPT when it came to selling my kwhs. I first asked them about it in April and, having gone through a tedious signing up process discovered that here in the UK we have two types of system installation certificate. Well, guess what? The one that I have is not the one they recognise. So back to the drawing board. I am now signed up with a different supplier and am currently waiting on final approval from our national grid (takes up to 8 weeks, I gather). However the payments start from when I applied, so I shouldn't have lost too much of the main generating season. Next stop is to swap over the supply of gas and electric (tomorrow's admin task) so that I'm not buying from one supplier and selling to another. Also have a battery issue to resolve but that's another story.

[@Valjurai]

In our case ,the solar panels removing the snow themselves was more of a feature than a concern. That said, the house was made with eventual panels in mind,, and so the positioning of where that snow cascades off too has been tactical.

[@niv8880]

for me, its two therapeutic values: one is knowing I'm somewhat independent of the (reliable) grid, the other is the rip-off energy costs from the main supplier. Mine is only a small installation but looking to increase it 250% this year.

[@pyramid011]

Just went through our first winter with solar and I really wish I knew about the snow issue. Even with just a few inches of snow, when it melts, it can be quite spectacular when it comes crashing down.

[@crismcdonough2804]

It does that without solar panels also. The snow started to melt and ripped off my gutter.

[@DulceN]

As much as I would love to have one of those solar systems, as a 60+ person it doesn’t sound like I would have enough time left to see a return for the investment. We got a geothermal system for our 4,300 sq.ft. home, but the frequent, expensive repairs and maintenance over the years make me wonder if we’ve really saved much. I definiteky see the return for the on-demand water heater and I strongly recommend them. Regarding buying a house with a solar system, I have already seen a few houses that come with the remaining balance for the system installation (as much as $30,000 in one case) separate from the asking price for the house, making it even more prohibitive.

[@alcooney4566]

you need to include a calculation for the cost of inflation regarding rising utility costs. you might be surprised.

[@PKHenry]

Matt - enjoy your videos; installed my system in July 2019 and its exceeded my expectations. I have a 45 deg roof that orients SSE with no obstruction, so a 98% solar rating. My 22 panel 7.04 KW array has produced 33.9 MWh of power so far and I will recoup my investment in 4 yrs. Haven't had an electric bill since I installed my system and love getting my monthly checks from the power company. Thinking about adding a battery but have to do more research and also watching to see if costs come down with evolving technology. Good luck with the new house.

[@weiss27md]

You did not discuss all the negatives. 1) More chance of roof leaks due to more penetrations. 2) Higher costs when you do have to replace the roof at some point. 3) I'm betting once the panels are paid off you'll have to replace them.

[@bennylloyd-willner9667]

Great video, I just accepted an offer on solar energy and feel like we haven't missed anything big. There was a big big difference in offers from different companies but we went for quality rather than cutting corners to get the price down. The one we chose was the only one with proper roof load analysis regarding wind, snow, the roof beams' strength, etc. Now we just have to wait for all components to be available, they thought around Q3 this year (16,8kW with 42 panels and a predicted production of just over 17MWh here in mid-Sweden). With the rules in Sweden, we maxed out on subsidies on the system without batteries so that will have to come next year with somewhere between 15 and 25 kWh capacity, we haven't decided on how much to invest in batteries yet. Meanwhile, we will have geothermal heating installed so this is definitely a great year for us in our quest for self-sufficient living! I will follow your new house project with great interest, good luck!

[@load3dedgaming]

You're currently utilizing geothermal heating in your home? Very cool! Do you have a link on the company? Thanks!

[@bennylloyd-willner9667]

@@load3dedgaming it's not installed yet, depending on availability of components the projected start of the system is about early autumn I'd guess. Equipment is Vaillant, the company I chose is a local here in Värmland, Sweden called "Wermlands Energi och Rörservice“ (energy and plumbing service). It'll be ready just before we get our solar panels installed I think. It's a good year for me and my wife 👍

[@load3dedgaming]

@@bennylloyd-willner9667 Right on Benny! Congrats on the project and thank you very much on the info! I've been waiting for the solar tech to improve over the years before I made the investment, but it may still be worth it with some of the Fed/State incentives. I live in Southern Arizona, and my new roof would accommodate panel installation on the southern side of the home with unobstructed sun light. I just have to do some digging on the best company and program to suit my financial ability to get the best bang for the buck. Ideally, with this type of investment getting the best is would be the way to go. With A/C running nearly all the time almost 5 mo out of the year my electric costs to the power company is outrageous and will only go up. Paying nearly $400 3 out of 5 of those months! Sorry for any confusion, that quip was for Matt. Giving him props on his video channel, content and presentation but wasn't feeling the $125 for his experiential video on the subject. Thanks again Benny! Let us/ me know how it turn out. =D

[@903lew]

If you’re in SE3 I’d look at connecting the battery to a VPP like ChangeWatt. The rates are really good these days, looking into getting a battery just for this reason.

[@bennylloyd-willner9667]

Update, we just got a message from our distributor, the cables are to weak to accept our overproduction as it is. They are investigating a solution. I am a bit amazed that they work on maximum at our current current of 3x16 Amps. Well, I trust they can solve their problem before our installation starts in Q3 this year...

[@havelockvetinari9395]

Great video. I live in Austria and I have only just installed a 14.7 kwh system with a 20.7 kwh battery pack and the whole thing cost us just over €50k. That is expensive but so far even on really overcast and rainy days the system has covered 100% of our electricity.

[@macfady2181]

Hopefully your system will last long enough to see realized cost savings.

[@havelockvetinari9395]

@@macfady2181 thanks. So far its looking good. In the 3 months I have had the system it has saved me over €1700. We are only currently using 30% of our capacity.

[@royboy7401]

@@macfady2181 Our electricity and natural gas averages $200.00 US dollars a month or less with a 4 bedroom house and we use AC all summer long and keep our home comfortably warm all winter .... it would take a lot of years to pay that off....

[@RadioRich100]

@@macfady2181 It wont

[@samthemultimediaman]

If I ever get solar i would be going off grid, dealing with our energy provider has been getting worse, and with gouging rate increases every year, were about ready to tell them to stick it where the sun doesn't shine. I plan on looking into nickel iron batterys for our energy storage because of their longevity and serviceability. just hoping solar panels come down in price too.

[@RedScareClair]

The rising energy costs is such a big one. My husband did load calculations and realized our hvac unit isn't properly sized for our house. Plus we have a cheap, inefficient system to begin with.. So our electric bill has always been high. Now with our power company raising rates our electric bills are extremely high for a 1400 square foot homes. We're talking about working in building our "forever home" and I'm definitely looking into airtight home designs, passive solar, and solar panels.

[@anthonyc1883]

An expense I've never seen addressed (and I've posted it on 5-6 specialty YT channels without anyone ever replying) is how much it costs EXTRA when you need your roof re-shingled. I would think a couple/few thousand at least for the panels to be moved/disconnected, the roof work to be done, and then the panels to be reattached. True, you're good for about 20 years after that, but if you already have some wear on your roof when the panels are installed, you'll be looking at less than 20.

[@YTAG33]

This is a major issue that gets glossed over or not mentioned and can actually affect the value of the house in a negative way.

[@stargazer7644]

The roof under the panels will last basically forever.

[@anthonyc1883]

@@stargazer7644 Are you referring to a specialty roof installed specifically with the intention to put solar panels up? Because normal, everyday shingle roofs typically last 20-25 years and that's if the best shingling material are used.

[@stargazer7644]

@@anthonyc1883 That's if they're exposed to sunlight for 20-25 years. Regular asphalt shingles last a very long time covered by solar panels.

[@anthonyc1883]

@@stargazer7644 But I've never seen a solar panel installation that completely covers the entire roof, edge to edge, top/bottom/sides. There's always shingling visible above, below and on the sides of the panels. So those areas are getting normal, constant environmental wear even if what's directly underneath the panels is shielded from the sun.

[@anonymous-eg4cq]

The rain issue is why I finally found a company to install stone coated steel shingles on my home. They are very expensive (7 times more) but 1 they come with a 50 year warranty 2 the stone helps slow the rain down so it enters the gutter just like standard shingles.

[@jeffro221]

Your warranty is 50 years, or 5 years when the company goes out of business, whichever comes first.

[@JohnShalamskas]

@@jeffro221My first computer had a long warranty and the company only lasted 2 years after I bought it... also you need to look at the fine print, businesses usually put a lot of wiggle room into warranties so they don't lose much money.

[@artfuldodger7838]

Okay, this is all very nice. Has it paid for itself? Does that include maintenance? I want to see the numbers.

[@joepfeiler5911]

Well even if he got his money back, the tax credit money did not exactly fall from the sky. The tax money came from people like me and you.

[@Smash_ter]

​@@joepfeiler5911 you're speaking from a perspective of not understand tax credits. A deduction is what you do before you begin to factor how much you owe the government, and tax credits are factored after you do your math. You technically can get tax credits from having kids depending on how much you make annually and if you qualify. Either way, if it effects us positively whats wrong with having it?

[@leightonsullivan3552]

​​@@Smash_ter the UK government lost 300million in government grants in 1 scheme expecting a return off the grid because of initial false claims of returns. If these systems were economically viable they would be everywhere its just not true they are required to advertise as environmentally friendly not economically friendly as that is a deliberate misrepresentation to obtain funds which is a legal definition of fraud

[@MossoAyre]

​@@Smash_terit doesn't affect us positively is the point. The tax credit is literally subsidizing the panel and you're pretending it's not because they lower your tax burden after they calculate it lol. Yes we give credits for having children because having children/raising the next generation is priceless. Solar panels that don't break even on energy production is worthless, not priceless lol. Look into where the panels are made and where they go when they have to be discarded before you tell me they're good for the environment. It's a huge money laundering operation and useful idiots keep building it up and burning innocent peoples' money

[@IIVVBlues]

A friend of ours had solar installed, but now has a leaky roof because of improper roof installation. The roofing company is now bankrupt. Now they have to foot the bill for removing and replacing the solar panels plus replacing the roof. 20 years ago we a similar experience with our "50 year roof" failing in just two years. Our roofing company also went bankrupt. At least we didn't have solar to worry about at the time. I'm now 75 and retired living comfortably in a new energy efficient house which is paid for. Our electric bills are completely manageable. I cannot see any benefit to adding solar which does not also increase my financial risks to an extent that could ruin us, if things go wrong.

[@oakld]

Increase from 0.22 to 0.37 is not 40%, but 68%. Increase is not the same thing as by what value is the latter number bigger (which is really by 40%). But don't get me wrong, it's a small detail on a really good video, as one would expect on this channel 🙂

[@farnsworth111]

Excellent lessons learned Matt, I hadn't thought about the rain. I have a metal roof on a 2 story building we have snow guards on our metal roof and would do the same for solar panels but in the end I'm on a acreage and have plenty of room, in the end I will setup my solar on the ground not on the roof. Based on your videos this makes the most sense for me. Cheaper install easier to keep them clean, can put them in the optimum direction and son on.

[@happyhome41]

I lived in Mass for a number of years. There were other resources to let folks know when contractors go bad. I had a similar challenge (though not nearly so impactful) with Tesla Solar. They said they had to remove my existing gutters and covers, and gave me a recommendation for a contractor who installed "Tesla Solar Roof-compatible" gutters and covers. After multiple attempts, that contractor was unwilling to even give us an estimate. We got it done in the end, without Tesla's help.

[@pfwag]

For most solar panels, a little bit of shade anywhere on the panel, even shading on just one solar cell, shuts down the entire panel's output. Some newer panels divide the panel into 2-4-8 sections and add a by-pass diode across each section so only that section gets shut down with any shading. SunPower has (or at least used to have) panels with an integrated by-pass diode across each solar cell. They are also expensive but then generally lead in conversion efficiency too. I don't know if there are others with integrated diodes across each cell but if you get any shading you need to research it before buying.

[@elmojito]

Hi Matt, thanks for sharing your results. I was a bit surprised by the solar production but then again my installation, although just a bit larger produced significantly more. Guess major difference due to latitude difference as I am in the Barcelona, Spain area, and lots more sun. Anyway, with a 30/400W panels with 9 facing south and 21 west I produced 16.3MW with a 10kW string inverter. You have a great deal with your power company with a 1:1 net metering which shows that batteries only make sense depending on where your live and the rates paid. Also, guess depends on if you have many power outages. BTW, I would change your 1,000kWh consumption per month for mine any day. Again thanks for sharing.

[@paulfrench9003]

Hi Matt, I enjoy watching your videos especially on solar. I live in Queensland Australia and have had solar panels since 2016. My current system is 6.63KW with a fronius primo inverter. My panel arrays are east and west facing. Average power production is 7.6MW pa, My wife and I consume on avg 6.41MW pa and self consume 2.6MW pa (our own power) meaning we are only buying 3.81MW pa from the grid at a cost of 22c per kw AUD. We export around 5MW to the grid each year for that we recieve 11.5c for the first 5kw per day then 5c every kw after that. For installation costs the whole system cost $7,400 AUD after a STC discount was applied which reduced the price by $1,400. making the price $6,000AUD included in that price we also had to have our meter upgraded to read grid exports and a fronius smart meter installed(so i can meter everything myself) Thought you might appreciate how differn't costing is in Aus vs US and power production Cheers Paul

[@stephencrowley7446]

Thank you Matt - great video. I have seen the same saving over the 10 years we have had solar panels on our roof (43 panels). Last year we had $300 in electricity bills - that's it! Net metering is great!

[@adityarookey1]

How much did you pay for those many panels?

[@bbfoto7248]

@Stephen Crowley And what general area are you located?

[@stanley4006]

I had a 7.4kw system installed in 2009. I paid around $30k and got back around $15k in tax credits. The first 2 years I got $3300 each year In SERCs then the program changed and has decreased each year since then. I figured the system paid itself off In approximately five years. So I am happy, definitely has reduced my monthly bills

[@blaine3193]

Our solar was installed recently, I envy your 2018 pricing, but we are not far off. Your videos were a huge help in deciding our goals and choosing an installer. We are in a western state so our production is already showing a huge difference. Thanks for the guidance and the great videos

[@TheNicog1]

Kinda overpriced, the 8k tax credit is closer to what it should cost

[@Spartan0430]

@@TheNicog1 i mean if you think you can pull off designing budget solar panels and installation for that then go ahead and make bank.

[@johnfromnj885]

@@TheNicog1 It should stand on its own without having to use other people's money

[@CrypticCabal]

@@johnfromnj885”using other people’s money” loads of every industry are held up by government subsidies. Farming in the scale it is today isn’t profitable for a wide variety of reasons. But I don’t see people commenting this shit under those topics. What’s profitable and what’s necessary or “right” aren’t the same things. Profit shouldn’t be the only factor.

[@johnfromnj885]

@@CrypticCabal Do you work for free? Taxpayer money shouldn't be used to push political agendas like solar and electric cars. If the tech can't stand on it's own it shouldn't exist. It's all a fraud anyway.

[@thzzzt]

People probably don't plan this far out, but asphalt roofs typically last only 30 years. It must be a royal pain to remove the panels to re-roof. I think if I were to get rooftop panels, I'd invest in a standing seam roof first. Or better yet, have enough land for solar array on the ground.

[@bryanupton9872]

With insurance companies in Florida, you’ll be lucky to get 20yrs

[@stevelacombe5291]

The panels may be obsolete in 20 years. At least I hope we have better stuff by then.

[@Jupiterjudie]

We have had solar for 18 years and it is still working great. Our panels came from Canada with a 300 pound snow limit and the contractor did that because we live in Florida with hurricanes and strong winds like they have up in Canada at times our bill is a third of what it would be including a heated pool and hot water that you never have to boil water ever again.

[@bobmarketos6149]

2 year on solar, in Sonoma County. I produce enough to cover home and EV. Battery backup has saved us through 3 blackouts, and also runs the home in peak times. They put a second sub-panel for all the 220 circuits. I chose to keep the oven on the main sub-panel, so I don't lose that when there is a blackout. I also put in a heat pump. That's the real savings. I personally think it is part of the package.

[@AntManBee19]

That was really informative. So many factors involved. I haven’t gone the solar route but am always interested. Instead I opted to super insulate the attic of a brick ranch that has two furnaces in the Chicago area. We will see how that helps. Just had it done

[@oldlee2706]

If you wanna go solar. Use it to power your light only. The rest is totally not worth it.

[@stephanfenton4352]

Two things I wish I had known before having panels installed. First, I should have checked the condition of my roof. It needed repair, but I didn't know that until AFTER the panels had been installed, adding to the cost when I eventually had it done. Second, definitely get the panels critter-proofed. Pigeons made a shitty mess of our yard between the time when we got the panels and we got them critter-proofed. We should have done it immediately.

[@stevebimm19]

Putting solar panels on anything other than a new roof runs the same risk. To repair the roof properly will either require removal and reinstallation of the panels or extensive and unsightly patching. All that assumes that your roof trusses have/will not sustain damage during the process or due to water intrusion due to roof leaks. On the flip side, most quality architectural composite shingles these days have a rated service life of 30-40, or even 50 years depending on where you live and how well you maintain them. As another poster indicated his 1st generation panels are pretty much done after 15-17 years. Unless the replacement panels are the same size as the originals, or the mounts are very adjustable without adding or moving the stanchions you'll have to poke more holes in your old roof again. Bottom line, your panels and your roof are one system and need to be engineered as a single complementary unit.

[@nickkenney9727]

As a solar installer myself, I have told companies I have contacted for that the roof is in no condition to have panels mounted. In my belief that should have been checked by the person who did the original site visit. As well, pigeons are a massive problem where I work as well and I agree with you, always get critter guard installed around your panels. Pigeons can be pests to deal with and affect your production of power due to their fecal matter😂. Lastly panel efficiency is said to drop about 1% a year. As long as you have a solid roof with metal or fairly new shingles when installed you should be good for 20-25 years with new systems. That being said micro inverters on the roof are known to fail after 8-10 years. Look into the type of system you are getting and make sure the installers are knowledgeable about the product they are putting on your roof. My apologies for miserable literacy.

[@rbphilip]

I had panels on my house from 2008 through the house sale in 2021. Paid nothing for power for 13 years, made a little bit of money from net metering, and when I sold the house the buyer admitted that the panels were a big reason they were interested. And as a bonus, the panels are an improvement that helped reduce my capital gains to nothing on the house. Absolutely worth it for me.

[@BryanGibbs-nh9uq]

The utility company still charge for service fees whether you are using power from them or not. In my area, I pay $16/month. Additionally, if you paid out of pocket, then good for you.

[@Andrew-iv5dq]

Yeah, until it’s time for a new roof.

[@ClarkMercer]

If you had invested that money you spent on solar panels in 2008, you would be far better off today than the small amount of money you made by saving on your energy bill.

[@bobmariano3731]

Exactly 👍

[@matn7743]

@@ClarkMercer Ok, what if his investment strategy turned out to be disastrous and significantly damaged him financially?