<![CDATA[When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven.]]>When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven. We broke even in 7 years, partly due to excellent electricity production from the panels and higher than expected electricity prices. Solar's a win-win!

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/topic/3574bb3b-8152-4dca-93e1-24a95aa51a4b/when-we-got-solar-panels-for-our-house-the-estimate-was-13-years-to-breakeven.RSS for NodeSat, 23 May 2026 01:20:41 GMTMon, 18 May 2026 05:28:22 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven. on Mon, 18 May 2026 12:25:50 GMT]]>@petergleick
We put in a 16KW hybrid system last year. Our break even estimate is 9 years though I think it will end up being faster.

But the best part is being able to ignore the almost daily blackouts that go with living in the Philippines with its useless power companies.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://ieji.de/ap/users/116572581589579113/statuses/116595566234007081https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://ieji.de/ap/users/116572581589579113/statuses/116595566234007081Mon, 18 May 2026 12:25:50 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven. on Mon, 18 May 2026 11:29:34 GMT]]>@petergleick
And you know what's best:
Breakeven for the planet is on Day 1 🥳

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://dju.social/users/dugartogo/statuses/116595344935326467https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://dju.social/users/dugartogo/statuses/116595344935326467Mon, 18 May 2026 11:29:34 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven. on Mon, 18 May 2026 09:37:44 GMT]]>@petergleick when, having solar and batteries, I bought an EV which I charge at home, my total electricity bill went down even in mid Winter as I can charge the solar batteries at night in cheap rate.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://ohai.social/users/John_Loader/statuses/116594905198859989https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://ohai.social/users/John_Loader/statuses/116594905198859989Mon, 18 May 2026 09:37:44 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven. on Mon, 18 May 2026 09:34:12 GMT]]>@lauren @petergleick
We don't sell to grid at all as that needs:
* More expensive electronics.
* Certified installer.
* Smart Meter and Direct Debit. We have a mechanical meter & pay cash at P.O. when bill (posted) is due.

So ours is a pair of DIY UPS systems. Most non-heat/non-cooking gear is on it 24x7. Batteries charge from Solar or Grid. Set to 80% in in Dec/Jan and 15% minimum spring to autumn.
Electricity bill nearly 1/2.
Indefinite backup summer, 12 hours in Dec/Jan during power cuts.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.ie/users/raymaccarthy/statuses/116594891305611403https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.ie/users/raymaccarthy/statuses/116594891305611403Mon, 18 May 2026 09:34:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven. on Mon, 18 May 2026 09:12:23 GMT]]>@petergleick that's a win

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/116589154341453615/statuses/116594805563345051https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/116589154341453615/statuses/116594805563345051Mon, 18 May 2026 09:12:23 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven. on Mon, 18 May 2026 09:01:35 GMT]]>@petergleick Breakeven was crossed in year seven, but as importantly, energy price independence was achieved from year zero! At least to whatever degree your system was provisioned at.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://toot.community/users/metaphase/statuses/116594763098171805https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://toot.community/users/metaphase/statuses/116594763098171805Mon, 18 May 2026 09:01:35 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven. on Mon, 18 May 2026 08:41:23 GMT]]>@petergleick Same here.
Calculated ten year break even, happened in seven. The main factor was increasing power prices. The prices went up fast enough to compensate for the decrease in value of excess solar export.

Unfortunately for others, I suspect that was the sweet spot, and such gains would be harder to achieve on new systems.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/Triddle/statuses/116594683609314592https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/Triddle/statuses/116594683609314592Mon, 18 May 2026 08:41:23 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven. on Mon, 18 May 2026 08:01:30 GMT]]>@petergleick
I think it was the battery we got with our solar that realised the biggest cash saving. As a combination of accessing better value tariffs and shifting time-of-use.

Similar to you, our payback has probably been half the prediction.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.scot/users/mikerspencer/statuses/116594526824398426https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.scot/users/mikerspencer/statuses/116594526824398426Mon, 18 May 2026 08:01:30 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven. on Mon, 18 May 2026 07:32:25 GMT]]>@petergleick We installed 6.5kw panels and 9kw battery and expected payback is down from 8 to 6 years. Battery storage is a massive benefit if you can afford it as it allows us the best part of year free electric as we moved from gas cooker to electricity. In summer months air con is run pretty much free and even In winter we see battery levels of 20-30%.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/116341830327324307/statuses/116594412469453512https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/116341830327324307/statuses/116594412469453512Mon, 18 May 2026 07:32:25 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven. on Mon, 18 May 2026 07:22:12 GMT]]>@petergleick

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/116594326372949573/statuses/116594372292533898https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/116594326372949573/statuses/116594372292533898Mon, 18 May 2026 07:22:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven. on Mon, 18 May 2026 07:17:00 GMT]]>@petergleick That’s impressive

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/seharinsights/statuses/116594351851088360https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/seharinsights/statuses/116594351851088360Mon, 18 May 2026 07:17:00 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven. on Mon, 18 May 2026 07:14:15 GMT]]>@lauren @petergleick

Is that really a bad sign? Given the cost advantage of larger scale PV compared to rooftop PV, it's not not obviously great when rooftop PV is financially attractive.

It implies that either the large scale PV is bottlenecked, or rooftop solar benefits from some pricing loophole

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/Zamfr/statuses/116594341016303883https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/Zamfr/statuses/116594341016303883Mon, 18 May 2026 07:14:15 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven. on Mon, 18 May 2026 06:22:39 GMT]]>@petergleick
We inherited a 4kWh install when we bought our house in 2023, and I really enjoyed the feedback into the grid for reducing my electricity costs.

I installed a house battery, though, because my country (NL) is changing the way selling electric works, making it much less attractive.

With all the solar here, electricity prices in the middle of the day often go negative due to oversupply, so I can act as a capacitor for the grid and charge rent.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.coffee/users/xinit/statuses/116594138143720747https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.coffee/users/xinit/statuses/116594138143720747Mon, 18 May 2026 06:22:39 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven. on Mon, 18 May 2026 05:57:54 GMT]]>@lauren @petergleick The bad news solar companies are almost always “out of town” operations. Instead chose long established local solar companies, many of which are also either roofers or electricians, and have very good prospects of hanging on through this downturn. Solar is too sensible to go away, but right now is “diving under the wave” or “duck diving” in surfer parlance. It will flourish again as sure as the sun comes up each day.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://montereybay.social/users/BegoniaArizona/statuses/116594040775207186https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://montereybay.social/users/BegoniaArizona/statuses/116594040775207186Mon, 18 May 2026 05:57:54 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to When we got solar panels for our house, the estimate was 13 years to breakeven. on Mon, 18 May 2026 05:30:45 GMT]]>@petergleick Unfortunately, vast numbers of homeowners have been badly burned by various solar firms, and changes in rules for utility power by-backs have done even more damage. The California home solar industry is viewed by many neutral observers as essentially nearly dead.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.laurenweinstein.org/users/lauren/statuses/116593934063140385https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.laurenweinstein.org/users/lauren/statuses/116593934063140385Mon, 18 May 2026 05:30:45 GMT