Is it worth a loan to create you own solar power??

Yes, the evolution of PV Solar systems has evolved so much in the last 5-6 years that for the first time a viable affordable and even scale able solution is now available.  Yes, it is more than a standard weekly or monthly budget,  but the upside is that a investment in solar photo voltaic will benefit you for 25-40 years at least.  Panels,  Trackers, Batteries, Controllers, and even  Invertors now are here that scale from a single home, to an entire City.  Nature's First Power Company is the source for these solutions. @ Mentor

Mentor wrote:

a investment in solar photo voltaic will benefit you for 25-40 years at least.

This is not my subject area, but is there a source for the information above? I didn't think panels were rated much beyond 20 years. The panels I've seen were rated for 20 years. Not saying it is wrong/right, and I've probably got it wrong, but I'm just curious to know more.

Mentor, all PV modules in the US now have a 20 year or more power warranty, which usually states that the power output will be 90% or better for 20 years.  The modules will typically last much longer, but we are a relatively new industry, so time will really tell. We know we have modules operating in space for over 50 years now with usable energy output. Solarworld just went to a 30year: http://www.solarworld-usa.com/~/media/www/files/warranties-certifications/solarworld-sunmodule-protect-30-year-warranty.…

DAB, if you really believe that you are not staying tuned to climate science, or maybe you don't believe it. The cause of global climate change is well linked to a logarithmic increase in carbon emissions. If we can reduce those emissions, we are on the road to improvement. The faster we eliminate combustion sources the closer we get to solving our problem. I guess another way to put this is, if I can show you science (that carbon dioxide build up has an affect on the climate) would you even believe it?

Tim

P.S. Maintaining the grid-tie PV system is a cake, rinse the panels off once or twice a year (unless you get a lot of rain), and make sure the weekly or monthly output is near the predicted. Takes maybe an hour a year, so that you can have free fuel for life... Not a bad deal!

Hi Tim,

Actually, I have been doing my own research into the issue and I have formed my position from irrefutable data.

The Geologic record shows that the earth goes through warm earth and cold earth cycles all by itself for at least the last 2.5 billion years.

The Ice core data shows that the earth has been in a 100,000 year cycle, again with no human involvement.

The earth has just crossed the point where the warming cycle accelerates.  Don't panic, it runs for 20,000 years and reaches peak temperatures in 35,000 years.

All of this data is readily available.  The data shows that human generated CO2 is having little or no affect on the warming rate.  So by definition, carbon capture efforts are useless.

The current measured CO2 levels are actually below the expected levels from the Ice core data and well within measurement error levels.

The biggest issue is the fear mongering associated with global warming.  We are being told that global warming is bad.  In fact, according to the Geologic record, it will be very beneficial to humans.

The warm earth will permit arable land up to 70 degrees latitude, which will increase potential food growing areas by about a factor of ten.

The fear about rising ocean levels is a minor issue.  The melting ice displaces more volume of water than they contain.  So melting ice will have a net zero affect in the long run.  Yes there will be local flooding issues, but we still have several thousand years to deal with the problems.

Warm earth also means that a huge amount of water will be absorbed by the atmosphere, so we might actually end up with lower sea levels.

The increased humidity will also increase rainfall world wide, which should eliminate most of our current desert areas.

So you see, my position that the current "Global Warming" issues are all just political is based on solid Science.

There are no valid scientific data to support any of the issues we have been told to fear.

Meanwhile, millions of people have been put out of work because they used to work in politically incorrect industries.

Worse still, most of the issues have been heightened just so some ivory tower intellectuals can get their grants funded to research the non-issues.

The Science says don't panic.  Common sense says don't panic.  Politicians should spend their time dealing with immediate issues like unemployment, poverty and adequate food for everyone.

Spending money to capture carbon is a tremendous waste of resources.  It should be stopped immediately.

By the way, should you actually halt global warming, then we go back to cold earth.  That would mean that 95% of the current population would have to die.

Therefore, the risks of carbon capture far outweighs the imagined benefits.

Just my opinion,

DAB

Hi Tim,

Actually, I have been doing my own research into the issue and I have formed my position from irrefutable data.

The Geologic record shows that the earth goes through warm earth and cold earth cycles all by itself for at least the last 2.5 billion years.

The Ice core data shows that the earth has been in a 100,000 year cycle, again with no human involvement.

The earth has just crossed the point where the warming cycle accelerates.  Don't panic, it runs for 20,000 years and reaches peak temperatures in 35,000 years.

All of this data is readily available.  The data shows that human generated CO2 is having little or no affect on the warming rate.  So by definition, carbon capture efforts are useless.

The current measured CO2 levels are actually below the expected levels from the Ice core data and well within measurement error levels.

The biggest issue is the fear mongering associated with global warming.  We are being told that global warming is bad.  In fact, according to the Geologic record, it will be very beneficial to humans.

The warm earth will permit arable land up to 70 degrees latitude, which will increase potential food growing areas by about a factor of ten.

The fear about rising ocean levels is a minor issue.  The melting ice displaces more volume of water than they contain.  So melting ice will have a net zero affect in the long run.  Yes there will be local flooding issues, but we still have several thousand years to deal with the problems.

Warm earth also means that a huge amount of water will be absorbed by the atmosphere, so we might actually end up with lower sea levels.

The increased humidity will also increase rainfall world wide, which should eliminate most of our current desert areas.

So you see, my position that the current "Global Warming" issues are all just political is based on solid Science.

There are no valid scientific data to support any of the issues we have been told to fear.

Meanwhile, millions of people have been put out of work because they used to work in politically incorrect industries.

Worse still, most of the issues have been heightened just so some ivory tower intellectuals can get their grants funded to research the non-issues.

The Science says don't panic.  Common sense says don't panic.  Politicians should spend their time dealing with immediate issues like unemployment, poverty and adequate food for everyone.

Spending money to capture carbon is a tremendous waste of resources.  It should be stopped immediately.

By the way, should you actually halt global warming, then we go back to cold earth.  That would mean that 95% of the current population would have to die.

Therefore, the risks of carbon capture far outweighs the imagined benefits.

Just my opinion,

DAB

Wow Dab, you have done some research, and I applaud that! I am no scientist, only an engineer, so I cannot refute or really even comment on your own research, but it's clear you are thinking about the issue, and that is good. I can only stand on what science finds and it's pretty much settled there when 97% of climate scientists agree that climate change is being caused by humans, I'm not going to side with the fringe 3% who disagree.

Is there a scientific consensus on global warming?

I'm done with this part of the debate anyway, and I'll go back to the question. Which was also about bank loans for solar. A better answer to that question might be put to an accountant that come up with an amortization table to look at cost/benefit analysis of the project. Or you can just go do it if you want. You don't look at what the payback for that new refrigerator or how much whose new car leather seats are right? You do some things because you want to.

Tim

Gentlemen and presumably ladies too,  I love the banter that has increased on the original question of " is it worth getting a bank loan to invest in Solar PV solutions."  As my suedo indicates I educate people around me based on the vast experience I have achieved.  Solar PV panels have changed dramatically in the last 5 years and costs have dropped.  However as Solar 1, Solar 2 and finally Madrid mega projects indicated, tracking the sun's position is a major impact on overall power output of these systems.  The Dual Axis Auto Targeting 1 degree accuracy Solar Tracking system with  50 to 72 300W to 350W next generation solar panels is the winner in this market, as evident by the results in Barcelona with the next major mega project that supplies power to the entire city during daylight.  

The Stopper here for most of you, is humans continue to live after the Sun goes down.  Hence the need to capture excess power during the day, and divert it to storage batteries for supplying power at night.  Batteries come in many shapes and sizes, and the problems with the old glass tank type Exide batteries is poor efficiency and short lifespan or duty cycle.  Next big error in Lithium Polymer class batteries is your laptop catches fire or your IPhone burns up. The worst case scenario here is when you take this technology and put it in a Boeing DreamLiner.  Along comes technology that I developed that increases current output while reducing size and extends life cycle deployment with new chemistry Lithium Polymer derivative. Net Result you end up with a solution suitable, but proprietary, for use in Solar - Battery night time usage.   Our Battery modules come in scale able solution sizes.  20 KW - 40 KW - 80 KW - 120KW or even larger.  More than enough for most Solar projects, especially home use or sticking with the original subject, Getting A Bank Loan.

Now to educate a bit more, The Charging and Discharge of a battery controls life span or life cycle expectations.  Individual Battery cells sometimes fail. Failure can lead to catastrophic module or system failure.  Solution a device called a BMS or circuit that monitors charge and discharge and heating and keeps everything within tolerable levels.  When you have high efficiency Solar Arrays and you are kicking out 60 - 400 KW of power, you also need to monitor this flow so the Noon Sun does not blow out your system.   A power management system we have developed takes care of this so Net Metering or Fits or any type of eventual GRID Injection is within the limits established by the utilities. Our methodologies are so revolutionary when put together that even CSA International has asked me to discuss on the new Standards that will soon be deployed.  UL and ULC will follow, while 130 Countries around the world will adopt.