
Lynn asks…
How much does solar energy cost per watt?
This is for a science project and i’m comparing wind energy to solar energy. wind energy only costs $1/watt and $0.03-$0.05/kWh in average windspeeds of 6m/s

answers:
Well your estimate for wind turbines is a little low in practical applications.
The 1 billion dollar 500 megawatt wind farm being built in Washington Iowa hopes to have a production cost of .093 per kwh.
Here are some production costs for various types of plants.
Costs are given as cents per kwh.
Nuclear= 7.5 kwh
super critical pulverized coal=6.5 per kwh.
Integrated gasification combined cycle coal(clean coal) =7.2 kwh
same IGCC plant with carbon capture=7.9 to 9.3 kwh
bio mass burning plants=7.5 to 8.8 kwh
solar thermal plants= 17.9 kwh
silicon photovoltaic plants=33.5 to 39.4 cents per kwh
thin film photovoltaic plants=24.6 to 31.5 cents per kwh.
BTW the biomass plants currently in operation burn agricultural & industrial wastes ranging from saw dust to turkey manure

Caroline asks…
how much does home solar energy cost in california?
i would like to know how much do i have to pay in order to installed the solar power system in my house. i live in california.

answers:
It will depend on a variety of things. Since you live in CA you should get a great rebate through your utility. The size of system will depend on your location, any shade, roof orientation and usage. I can tell you a little about my system.
I have a 2000sf tri level home in No. CA, I got a 3.74 kwdc system which cost $26K, I got a $10K rebate and a $2K fed tax credit (would have been $7800 if I waited till this year). I am generating about 90% of my summer energy and 75% of my winter energy (shorter days, less light). It took my summer bill from around $250 to under $20. I should break even no later than 6 years, most likely sooner with the rate increases they are proposing.
There are programs in some areas that lease panels, but I advise you get a no cost no obligation quote from a licensed contractor. They should be able to advise a system that is right for you, let you know about local rebates, net metering (buying back excess energy) etc.

Ken asks…
how much does solar energy cost in America?
and can i get a source please….it would be great if i could get how much it costs from years 1994-2008! thank you!!
I MEAN SOLAR PANELS!

answers:
I don’t know how much the panels themselves cost, but in my area (and i’m sure in other parts of the country it costs more or less) it would cost about 10,000 dollars for me to have a company come and do all the work. I called them and got an estimate, and for them to come out and install the panels and everything else you need that’s what it would cost.
I was trying to convert the whole house to solar power, not just heat.
Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Posted in 





