Got a call from a solar vendor this weekend. I was told that with the credits I would get from my energy company and the governments subsidy would just about pay the entire cost of the installation. It would then only cost me $20 a month in connection fees. In addition, I could sell back any unused power which could offset the $20 as well as possibly put money in my pocket.
When something sounds too good to be true, it usually isn’t. First off, with all the subsidies and other things paid for by you the taxpayer, my out of pocket costs on the initial installation would still be between $8-11,000. That means I won’t start seeing any savings for 12-15 years.
So, the solar vendor gets their money. The energy company gets their money. The government doesn’t care because it isn’t their money in the first place. The only people who get screwed from this is the dumb schmuck who decides to go solar and the taxpayer who is on the hook for the money.
Side note. I asked the vendor about hail damage, since I am in the middle of hailstorm alley. The response was, I would need to take that up with my insurance company. I then asked what happens if my panes are destroyed by hail and I have no power. How long would it take to get someone to fix it and what do I do in the meantime. Response was, as quickly as possible and I would get reconnected to the grid at a premium.
No thanks.
Then there’s always the very obvious problem with solar & wind..they are not capable of giving us what we need without the backup of conventional power sources. Why do we want to spend money for both when only one will really do the job?
What would your homeowner’s insurance premium be if they have to replace broken solar cells? I live in a known hail area,too,& my premium & deductibles went way up even with no solar.
btw: My home owner insurancecompany just sent a policy update ... At renewal non of my solar gear, panels, inverters will be covered. I already pay $2k a year. Ha Ha.