Featured The EV version of the "Dust to Dust" report

Solar makes sense if you live offgrid or in a mobile home, but you will not see a huge return on investment for those that are already connected to the grid. A 100W panel, is like what, $100? You get like 8 hours of sunlight a day, so lets say you do produce 800W, thats like single digit pennies. At 365 days in a year, you make like $36 dollars if everyday was clear sunny skys and summer, but realistically more like $30. It would take you at least 3 years to break even, which isnt terrible, but what happens when the elements start to corrode the material? Reinvest another $100 for a new panel and start the cycle over? Lol.

I used solar a lot when offgrid, so an EV would absolutely make sense if you had enough panels to make it worth it. Most people do not have enough panels, much less surface area to install them. The small amount they do have is maybe a return of less than $1000 in 10 years time lmao.

 

Sorry they have such a low return for you.
Be careful not to generalize too much.

The question about what happens when the elements start corroding the system seems a bit of a stretch.
Panels typically have a 20-25 year warranty. Panel lifetime typically last 25-35 years. Some even longer.
That cycle is much longer than most other product lifecycles.

My panels are paid for this year (year 8). Years 9 and 10 they will earn me $1600-$1800 each year (state incentives).
They will also pay for all our local travel, and some from net metering. That will continue for another 15-25 years.

 

Its a low return in general, just cost basis alone. Mathematically it has to make sense, and as far as im aware, solar panels are not cheap yet nor is electricity expensive enough to make their output yield high returns.

State incentives are a different factor altogether and that is area specific. Im only arguing on initial cost of setup vs production value. At what point do you break even and is it worth the trouble?

I think for most people it is, but again, unless its upscaled to a very large degree (solar farms), the returns are not significant enough is my argument.

 

Mine would be a 7-10 year payback depending on where electricity prices go, which has only been up in the past 50 years .
Then it would be free electricity after that

 

Why would you make such a claim when, if fact, solar panels come with long long warranties? Have you done testing?
My panels have a 25 year manufacturer's warranty with specific performance numbers on the degradation allowed per year.
I forget the exact number, but it is like 3/4% degradation per year at most.
Most people will not bother to check, for example if they have 7.5% loss after 10 years or if they have 8%. But the big installations probably do have automated software that does look for failures.

Just checking my stats and doing full year 2016 comparison ...In 2023 I generated 96.4% as much as 2016.. So I am losing about 0.5% per year not accounting for any weather or dirt effects.

Mike
Sorry...typo I initially wrote 94.6% but it should have been 96.4%

 

While I realize I must live within certain economical limits, especially in my case as I don't make what I'd say is enough to live the American Dream, I also feel that if life is only about maximizing profits, net worth, etc. then what's the point of life? If there's one thing that would tickle my fancy, that would be to have a vehicle that I can power myself. I guess I really should get into biking now, but a solar powered vehicle would be bliss to me, even if it's not the most cheapest way to transport myself in a personal car.

 

As I noted before, my panels have fully paid for themselves.
But get this: my utility (PG&E) is planning on raising rates over the next few years by an average of 11% per year for 3 or 4 years.

This is like getting a bonus for owning PV solar greater than the average stock market returns.

Mike

 

400W panels start under $150; some near $100. Include the price of the microinverter, and the price could reach $100 per 100W.

The Aptera will have solar panels standard with options for more. They claim 16 to 40 miles a day under best conditions.

Lightyear was going to do a more mass produced car, but there is nothing about a car form them on their site now.

 

Where do you live that you only average 8 hours of sun a day? Maybe full sunlight but some sunlight is surely more than that in many places.

And how many investments do you make that return cost in 3 years and show a profit for another decade?

 

probably trees blocking part of the day, i have the same problem