Most of my neighbors have either solar panels or solar heaters. I’ve been thinking of doing this on and off but the threat of a high up-front investment always stops me.
Solar panel prices have been falling rapidly in the last few years. You can high-quality panels for less than $3/watt. At this point the price of the panels is actually lower than the price of mounting hardware, grid-tie inverter, and installation labor.
You get a 30% federal tax credit towards all the money you spend on the project. There’s a state tax credit that’s phased out as more and more solar systems are installed, but money is running out. (We’re down to $0.65/watt in San Diego, I think.)
Taking the tax credit into account, panels should pay off in 8 to 10 years.
