Rooftop Solar Tax Credit Expiring

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Considering Rooftop Solar?

I wanted to take a moment to share some thoughts on why rooftop solar energy is not just good for the planet but also makes a lot of financial sense for all of us.

The Economic Advantage of Rooftop Solar

We often hear about the environmental perks of solar panels, but there are also great economic reasons to consider making the switch. Right now, the average cost to install a residential solar system is between $15,000 and $25,000 and if you act before December 31 this year, there’s a 30% Federal tax credit available if you are income eligible. Over time, those panels pay for themselves—many people see their energy bills shrink dramatically. Plus, if you produce extra power, you may even get credits from selling back electricity to your utility You’ll want to contact them for details.

Here’s another bonus: solar panels add value to your home. Houses with solar often sell faster and for a better price than those without. Depending on how much electricity you typically use, it’s possible to see a return on your investment in five to eight years—and after that, the energy is essentially free. With electricity prices always seeming to go up, solar can help keep your costs steady. If you pair solar with a backup battery, appliances stay on when there is a power failure.

More Than Just Savings: Why Solar Matters

Environmentally it makes sense too. Of course, there is the obvious connection between burning oil, gas and coal and its disastrous effects on the climate. Reducing reliance on fossil fuels is also important for preserving what reserves we have which is used for so many things, e.g. plastics, paints, pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, etc. Choosing solar is a simple way to help create a healthier future for our families and community, and in the face of increasing costs, it’s less expensive in the long run than other forms of electricity generation.

And let’s not overlook that when we support solar, we’re also supporting local jobs and businesses—everyone from installers to maintenance crews to manufacturers benefit, which is great for our local economy.

If you haven’t considered rooftop solar yet, I encourage you to take a closer look to see if it makes sense in your situation-whether your house has enough sun exposure, orientation and condition of your roof, cost of installation, etc. But if you’re considering solar, it’s time to move fast to claim the expiring Federal tax credit.

Mike

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I think solar is a great technology and as it becomes more affordable will become a great alternative. I just don’t think we are there yet. The breakeven on a solar installation appears to be 8-12 years, which is too long for most folks. That’s longer than the average person lives in a home. Also, the panels mounted on top of a roof are unsightly and has a negative impact on sales price. I hoped Tesla was going to get a lot of traction with their integrated roof system, but doesn’t appear that way.

Finally,.most solar panels come from China, which will turn some.people.away.

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Current solar is 100% a bad idea unless you are living off the grid somewhere. The equipment doesn’t last long enough to justify the cost.

And people frequently overlook that panels and batteries degrade and won’t last 20 years. Plus the panels get damaged and need to be replaced.

They DO NOT add value to a home if you want to sell it and are a liability if you still have a loan on them.

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I am installing and using solar. Here is my take.

Luckily I can do the install myself as I have electrical background (worked for an electrician wiring houses and am a Ham Radio Operator).

I have a farm and trees overhanging the house, but a large open fenced area near the house. This means that I do not have to put panels on the roof. Panels up there might increase my homeowners insurance and certainly would have the possibility of damage to the roof from holes or mounting. I also can adjust the panels to take advantage of the seasonal sun angle changes with ground mounted panels. There is a cost involved in having a crew on your roof installing panels. There is an added cost of having people periodically clean them up there. Thus, if they can be placed closer to the ground, maintenance is easier and less costly.

My panels are bi-facial, meaning that they generate power when the sun hits the front as solar panels do, however these also can produce some power from sun being reflected from below them to the back of the panels. If they were on the roof, I could not get that extra 5% to 30% bi-facial panels can achieve.

The ground panels need to be high enough to avoid people being injured or animals hitting them. The wires might be more accessible and thus need to be protected as hazardous voltages and currents are present. Also it is best to have them in a protected area, a fenced area similar perhaps to a pool location. It would be possible for people to take panels easier if they are near the ground. Still, ground-mounted panels are easy to replace or add to increase capacity.

Many locations may require permits and I don’t know how roof mounted vrs ground mounted would differ in complexity.

As for resale, personally I would pay a slight premium for a house with solar electric and even solar hot water, although with sufficient solar electricity you can produce lots of hot water without the possibility of rooftop water leaks.

Personally I did not completely replace the utility with solar; but that may become a reality soon. In fact just last night I lost utility power because of a downed tree and I noticed that few of my neighbors had lights on when I did. We also lost cable internet but I was able to use my cellphone as a hotspot to get online.

Although I have the capability of 240 volts for the clothes dryer and the stove, I left them on the utility and use them during the cheapest utility rates for my area. That is 9am to 5pm because my location uses solar to generate lots of electricity during the day and they do not have to rely upon expensive batteries during the day. So most of my house runs off solar and if my batteries are not enough currently to runn 24 hours, I charge them during the cheap rate time and use that cheaper electricity during the most expensive time. My system can do that automatically.

While I spent less than $6,000 for the system, the savings are that I cut my $180 a month power bill in half. So in 4 to 5 years the system is paid off. My electric after that is essentually free and with a slight increase in capacity can be completely off grid.

I have already reduced lighting to LEDs and don’t require heaing nor cooling in the house. We have the highest electric cost in the country and I have been able to be a lot more efficient.

With the proliferation of massive data centers being built for AI, utility costs are going up and some of that increase in facilities are coming from residents and their bills will go up, while those of us with solar will have bills go down and perhaps reduce to zero. It is nice not having to rely upon others to have necessities.

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An interesting case study https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dySSgfd8FgQ

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It almost seems like you’re just trying to see how far you can go with absurd absolutes before someone calls you out on it.

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When she has one after 20 years instead of while she’s still in her 1 year honeymoon period, lmk.

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It’s almost like you’re not able to dispute anything that I said.

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lol. Not bothering in this thread. You showed your hand in the other one.

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Ok, I see now. You were so bothered by me criticizing a 63-month auto loan that you followed me to this thread to grief me without having anything to say about Solar or the content of this topic.

No wonder you were suspended before!

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You know there are about five active threads on this whole forum, right?

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I see about 25 with activity in the last week. But OK, get you some solar panels and a 63-month car loan, and that’ll show me!

See you in whatever topic I post in next! :smiling_face_with_three_hearts: