Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

From Blue to Green

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No, not switching parties, just thinking about adding solar panels to my house, if possible. I’d appreciate any help; I’m trying to find stuff on the NSTAR website, but it’s a challenge. Thanks in advance.

(I hope this isn’t off-topic; I consider it to be under the general umbrella of liberalism.)

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  3. Hi, Jim C,

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    If you can stand some input from a neocon who has installed several such systems, including some here at Latitude 47, here are a few basics:

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    First, a solar panel, with the capability to withstand the rigors of your weather, will be a flexible-type panel, and will generate about 60 watts, for around 10 hours, on a hot summer day. On a cold winter day, make that about one-third that, for about half the time. This panel will cost you about $600 with controller and conversion capabilities, and will only generate DC  (battery-type) power. Thus, you need to convert it to AC, which is why the cost.

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    100 such panels would power an electric furnace for a three-bedroom home in your area, for a very few hours per day. Around 180 such panels would provide all the energy your would need for such a home, but only for a few wintertime hours per day, and probably for quite a few more during the summer. (Excess energy generated during the summer could be stored in storage batteries, and used during dark hours.)

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    Thus, for an invested cost of about $108 thousand for energy panels and conversion, and about another $50 thousand for storage, you could do it. Maintenance (replacing batteries and hardware periodically) would run you about $10-$12 thousand per year. For this investment, you could reduce your electric bill to zero for three months of the year, by about 20% during the winter months, and porportionately during the remaining months.

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    You will also need around 2000 square feet of space for the installation, and that space should have a clear shot at the sun all day. For another few tens of thousands, you can install motorized aiming devices to ensure the panels remain perpendicular to the sun for maximum time each day.

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    Clouds, rain and snow, obviously put you back on the grid. And the environmental impact of manufacturing all that silicon and heavy hardware, including immense banks of storage batteries, is frightening!

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    The thought is good. It is also probably a few decades too soon to be viable. But don’t stop thinking green, it will happen eventually. The reality is, there is enough energy falling on the roof of your car to power it, if only we could convert it!

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    Best,
    Chuck

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