Our Solar Electric Panels: Done!

Now I'm with you lol. I looked into the tankless thing here, but incoming water temperature, coupled with the temp rise required, means I'd need at least 2 tankless in series, possibly each with up to 2 - 220 lines. Since I currently have 1 of those lines to my existing HWH, I'd still need at least 1 (a run of close to 25-30 feet, each), double breakers in the box, and quick disconnects for each one. That doesn't even include the actual units and installation. I could do the installs myself, if I had the wiring there already. I keep seeing the price of going tankless getting so high, that it may make more sense long run to go solar hot water.

 

Nope, no rebates, no net metering. If it isn't a Federal rebate I'm not getting it. Of course that will change eventually...

 

I predict solar modules prices will be quoted by the Chinese at Solar Power Int., In Dallas from the 16th to the 21st as follows: Grade A 85¢, Grade B (cosmetics) 50¢/Watt. | Solar Energy Blog

"Coming soon, modules for 29¢/Watt, I think. ETA 3 weeks." posted Oct 12 2011 aka 10 days ago.

If panels are really going to be under $1/watt then all we need is cheaper inverters and a little help with the Electrical/installation and you should see panels popping up all over the place.

 

That would be great! I know for my install, it took then about a full week with 2 or 3 workers to do it. Granted, they had to remove some after they had them installed, because my roof has a little bit of a wave to it and they needed to level the tracks. If they come down that low, you might want to think about jumping on it. Then again, if they're all chinese, that might be room for concern.

 

That would be a major game changer for the world.:rockon:

 

Just as an FYI, PV prices have never been lower. My guess is that they might come down a bit, but at ~$1.25/watt For raw panels is not such a bad deal today.

Icarus

 

Following up, I still haven't seen anything on 29¢/Watt panels. They are currently taking orders for panels at 78¢/Watt with a about a month until delivery.

I guess the big players are doing closeouts of existing grade A and grade B panels knowing cheaper panels are coming?

 

I am just going to add 8 to 10 panels to my system, however, all of the new panels will have Microinverters incorporated into them. That increase should be enough to bring me in the black year around. Then I can look forward to the check that GWP will be cutting me once a year!
Now if I could just drill my own Natural Gas well........

 

The $.78/watt panels are available in pallet loads. They are bankruptcy auction results of the Evergreen bankruptcy. So it is not really a case of getting rid of inventory because cheaper PV is on the horizon.

That said, it seems that the going rate is ~$1.25 watt right now. Personally I think that is going to continue to drop, but a floor of ~$1/watt seems reasonable.

Right now shipping is getting to near the cost of the PV.

Icarus

 

Here's two links:

San Diego made Kyocera 235W panels for $1.68 / W: Kyocera KD235GX-LFB 235 Watt Polycrystalline Solar Module

Chinese Canadian Solar 230W panels for $1.14 / W: Canadian Solar Panel 230 Watts 29.60 Vmp [CS6P-230-P] - $262.20 :

Northern Arizon Wind & Sun is easier to deal with from what I've heard, but Sun Electronics has some amazing deals because of the volume they do - but can be hard to work with if you're placing a small order. I have no experience or affiliation with either.

Watch shipping prices - shipping for 4 panels will be really bump up the price per watt as they have to go freight.

Don't know if either of those panels are compatible with what you've got already... Unless you have micro-inverters it's rarely as simple as tossing up a few more panels as they have to match your existing panels pretty closely.