this post was submitted on 17 Nov 2023
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Solar now being the cheapest energy source made its rounds on Lemmy some weeks ago, if I remember correctly. I just found this graphic and felt it was worth sharing independently.

Source: https://ourworldindata.org/cheap-renewables-growth

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[–] [email protected] 21 points 11 months ago (5 children)

We had a solar salesman come by once and told us he could lower our electricity bill the same amount as it would cost us to install the solar panels.

I knew there was something up with this but I decided to let him continue to talk anyways. He does this whole presentation with solar panels and how great they are for a good 30 minutes.

Finally we get to the money part and he keeps emphasizing that they will lower my electricity bill so the cost of them will be made up there. I push him for the total cost of them plus installation and I about died.

$30,000?!?? They literally wanted me to pay for these for 30 years. As long as my mortgage! Aaaaah!!!!

[–] [email protected] 18 points 11 months ago

I had a few come over and I was already in the market for solar so I entertained them for a minute. I told them "OK, give me some invoices for your other customers so I know what you charge. Black out the names, I dont care - I just want the prices of your services and materials". These idiots would not stop calling me or coming over to my house for months. I kept telling them "Unless you give me actual, real world dollar amounts, I won't consider it".

Those solar sales guys are worse than used car salesmen.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Some companies in my area are installing them for free, and taking the utility difference. It’s a novel approach.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

I want a discount on my electricity if I have to have a solar array on my land. Even if it were otherwise free.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

Similar here, got a quote from a company that wanted $45,000 to only cut my bill in half. Said my roof having so many levels due to being a 1.5 story made it hard to install and get good coverage. Guess I get to just burn coal power then because that price is ridiculous

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 0 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago

If I save 100$ a month, sign me up

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

But they will still have to make the monthly payments for the solar panels. So, their real savings will only start after they paid off the loan in 30 years. lol

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

That's about 10 times the price it costs to have a full system installed in other parts of the USA.

I put in a small solar backup power system myself for $1500. It's not enough to power HVAC or any big appliances but it is enough that I can have my fridge, freezer, TV, and Internet going off the grid whenever there's a power outage.