DIY
More Americans are finding out (with the help of sites like this one), that you can buy and install your own domestic solar panels and save a ton of money in the process. This is a true statement and this page contains reviews of the best low cost domestic solar guides on the market.
Domestic solar power is the way of the future, however the recent Third Annual Solar Energy Survey (2011) by Applied Materials found that 48% of American consumers are still not likely to consider installing solar panels at this time. This is compared with 27% of consumers who would seriously look at solar power as an option.
Of those surveyed who would not consider solar power as an option, 80% of this group would change their minds to consider solar power if it was shown to be more affordable. Unfortunately most Americans still don’t know that you can build your own solar panels for around $200 each if you have the right information. The products recommended on this page are all low cost and are highly rated and certified.
Domestic Solar Panels For Electricity
The domestic solar panels market is still relatively small in the U.S. More than one-
Another startling fact which most people don’t realise is that at the present time less than 1% of our National energy consumption comes from solar sources. The fact of the matter is that too many of us don’t know enough about the different solar panel options, especially at the low end of market where solar panels for your home can cost a mere few hundred dollars.
Price
The overall solar panel cost has dropped 70 % since 2008 and in the next few years is expected to drop to a level where the electricity produced through domestic solar panels will be on par with the more traditional sources of residential power. This is mainly due to the rising trend in people building and installing their own cheap solar panels.
All you need to do this yourself is to buy a reputable guide (see the Top 10 List on this page, above). These guides tell you where to get the parts, how to put them together and how to install them. The whole process is becoming easier now because manufacturers are producing more and more DIY domestic solar panels parts.
The days of spending tens of thousands of dollars on a domestic solar system are going to be short lived. Educate yourself first to avoid being one of these unlucky consumers.
Domestic Systems
Finally, let me dispel for you a couple of myths surrounding domestic solar panels. Firstly, don’t fall for the trick of thinking that the best solar panels are the ones expensive ones which are installed by a solar franchisee. All these guys are really doing is getting the same parts you can get yourself and following the same instructions you can also get yourself. Yes, they will probably do it faster and maybe even a bit better than you can do, but it is really worth paying 20k for? Especially when you can do it all yourself for under a grand. Or better yet, why not buy the parts and use one of the local installers recommended in the guide. It’ll give you the assurance of a professional install but without the sting of being ripped off.
As a final point, remember that the most efficient solar panels are not always the best choice. It’s important not to get confused with solar panel efficiency and solar panel cost efficiency, they are two very different figures. Solar panel efficiency is given as a percentage and is a measure of efficiency of a panel’s ability to convert the sun’s energy into electricity. The solar panel cost efficiency is represented as a cost per watt and is calculated by the total cost of a system divided by the total wattage output.
When looking for domestic solar panels it’s best to compare solar panel cost efficiencies when looking for the best value.