Let's be honest, the state of the world is not exactly lit these days. A raging pandemic that can't stop, won't stop, all in the context of rapidly worsening climate change. Parenting in the midst of that can feel like trying to find a needle in a haystack of absolutely loaded diapers. As parents, we are tasked with protecting our kids from hurting themselves and hurting others, but we can feel helpless in the larger world, against the beating sun.
One way to convert that anxiety into action (and energy savings) is solar panels. 100% of the energy Stainless Baby uses for office functions is powered by the sun. It feels good, but just as importantly, it saves us money. Below, I'll lay out a brief summary as to why solar panels may be a good fit for you and your family.
The Economics:
The cost of solar panels has gone down significantly in the last 10+ years.
The average solar system in the U.S. is 5kw. The cost per watt varies by state, but if we take a $2.75/watt average, this average sized system would cost around $13,800 (some states have less expensive solar systems than others). But you get a giant federal tax credit regardless of your location! Recently, Congress extended the current 26% tax credit until the end of the year. That means if you purchase a system this year, you will get 26% of the purchase price back as a tax credit when you file your taxes. In the system mentioned above, this would mean $3,500 back to you. That brings your system price down to around $10,300. Furthermore, there are state level incentives and credits. And the recent Renewable Energy Act has provisions in which you gain certificates for generating renewable energy that you can sell back.
Still, 10k+ is a lot of money and maybe you don't have a giant bag of cash lying around. Or maybe you do, but you'd prefer to spend it on parenting survival tools like ice cream and beer. You can finance your system over 20 years, and most places are currently offering rates around 2%. That comes out to around $50 per month. That's likely cheaper than your monthly energy bill and, unlike energy costs, it won't increase over time. And at the end of it all, you own the system and your energy cost becomes $0.
This is just an example and your system size will depend on your home size, energy efficiency and power usage. Maybe you're a corrupt oligarch with a giant mansion or perhaps you simply enjoy 3 hour long hot showers while your partner does all the parenting. When you purchase a system, the solar company will look at your past year's energy bill and determine the optimal size. The direction, grading, and shading on your roof will also impact your system size.
And now, some questions from the mailbag.
Q: Hello kind sir! I don't know much about anything! What happens when it's cloudy? Will my family starve?
A: Your system will still collect energy on cloudy days. On very sunny days, or in the spring and early fall, when sunlight is plentiful and the AC/heat is not constantly twerking, you may collect excess energy. Depending upon how your electric company works, they'll either pay you for this excess energy or it'll go into an energy "bank" that you can pull from later. You can literally save up those pennies for a rainy day.
Q: I'm a grown adult with intimacy issues! I don't want someone all up on my roof, touching my shingles and whatnot!
A: If you're a homeowner, the roof is a holy place. Any reputable company will give you a full warranty in line with your roof warranty on repairs of roof/panel related issues.
Q: When the apocalypse comes, will solar panels help me or hurt me?
A: They'll help! If the grid goes down, when you're collecting energy during the day you can directly power all your essential home functions like the dishwasher, washer, dryer and Nintendo. To further fortify yourself against power outages (which seem to be getting more frequent as storms get worse and the days get hotter), consider a battery backup. It's a better version of a generator. Most companies require this to be installed at the same time as the solar system and it does change the cost calculus. But you can at least hide safely in your home forever while the zombie hordes consume your neighbors!
Q: I'm considering getting an electric car in the future, but I've been socialized to believe that I need to burn dinosaur blood and warm the earth in order to take my kid to chess class! How does this affect my solar system size?
A: Electric cars are awesome and we will explore them in a future article. For the time being, if you are seriously considering getting an electric vehicle in the near future, you should definitely work the anticipated increased electric usage into your system. Your solar company can help you with this while building out your system. In the meantime, you'll just be banking on extra energy and can use it to buy dehydrated food and water jugs for the apocalypse!
Q: I own a home and check my Zillow every 5 minutes! I need therapy! Will solar panels help or hurt my house value when I decide to sell and flee to a Caribbean tax haven?
A: It'll help! Solar panels can raise your home value by 4-5%. Just remember, if you're refinancing your mortgage, the panels won't figure into your equity if you have financed them. Darn banks! May the Sun melt them first!
Thanks for your questions friends! As the great Kurt Cobain once said, "In the sun, in the sun I feel as one." Cool guy, I wonder what he's up to these days...
That's all for now. Keep shining!
Sources:
https://www.seia.org/research-resources/solar-photovoltaic-technology
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/05/solar-power-can-boost-a-homes-value-in-these-10-states-the-most.html
https://www.energy.senate.gov/services/files/115BB3DA-EF5C-4096-B26B-221B23E0A024
https://news.energysage.com/5kw-solar-systems-compare-prices-installers/
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