[quote=air_ogi]I am not sure where you are getting your 138 years number.
In developed markets (for example Germany) home based solar costs are $5/W. (installed, without subsidies)
At those rates, in high insolation area like San Diego, over 25 years you get about 45kWh per W, or about 11c/kwh. And since this energy is local, it doesn’t require additional distribution costs.
Solar should be under $3.5/W by 2012 or 7.7c/kWh.
Or you can keep adding to $41B Black Lung Program program.[/quote]
I divided the $1,000,000 by a $600 a month utility bill to get 138 years. The point is it is pointless to spend that amount to be green.
Using a calculator on a local solar installer’s website the total cost to install a normal SFH system would be $38,000. If you pick $100 as your average electric use and divide the two you get 31 years to pay that back. Once again that is a bad economic choice.
I have a hunch that the costs are higher here in CA because it is subsidized. Why would you lower your prices to be competitive when everyone gets free money?
