Has anyone found either solar or wind energy and actually affordable way of saving on their bills? Asking this especially for renters? We have a small backyard that we could put up either a solar panel or perhaps try to set up a winter turbine, but I really haven’t seen these solutions being very practical for small apartments with out a lot of room for added technology, like energy, converters, and all that.
Solar, wind or other energy saving?
byu/AdhesivenessKooky420 inFrugal
Posted by AdhesivenessKooky420
4 Comments
Depends on your local climate (sunlight, wind speed). Depends on what you’re paying for electricity.
If youre renting, I suggest talking to landlord first. He may not be OK with a photovoltaic array or wind turbine tower being built. Also, check with your town/county. You may need a permit.
If youre thinking of connecting the power generated to your home wiring, you need an electrician to install an inverter and main service panel.
Are you in a jurisdiction that allows plug-in solar panels aka balcony solar? If so, that will save you money on utilities and you can take them when you move.
I save thousand per year on electricity with solar. ROI was only ~3 years. However, I also live in the highest electricity rate region of United States, which has sunny weather, signed up when especially generous NEM 2.0 state rules were available (makes electric companies lose money on solar customers), purchased when more generous tax credits were available than today, paid in full without financing, and negotiated an especially good deal. As such whether solar is a good investment for you may be completely different from whether solar was a good investment for me, or other random people on Reddit. I’d suggest getting some quotes and working out numbers for your specific situation. Also note that solar may not be permitted in your residence, as you mentioned having an apartment.
As someone mentioned, that is what plug-in solar is attempting to allow. There are several bills before statehouses to allow it. Check your locality and if there is pending legislation, contact your state reps and tell them how you feel about it.