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Does Cheap Solar Exist?

Now you can build your own panel, reducing the cost of solar. Photo Credit: Gizmodo

We've been after affordable solar for years. Sure, once you have your system in place, you’ll eliminate your monthly electric bills forever and save about $300 per month. But considering the high cost of solar installation, it could take you 10 to 15 years to recoup your investment. So, what can you do now to enjoy the benefits of solar and how cheap can you find it?

Piecework your project

Add solar power one room at a time. Harbor Freight and Ebay are great resources for buying inexpensive and/or used PV panels. All the components you’ll need can be purchased off-the-shelf and you don’t need to be an electrical wizard to install them. This DIY method costs hundreds (not thousands), and you can start saving money tomorrow.

Solar power your air conditioner with a mini system made just for the A/C.

Install a closed-system solar water heater and shave 33 percent off your power bill immediately.

Build your own solar panels

Considering that panels are half your costs, make them yourself and voila - you’ll have a cheap solar system that won’t take 10 years to recoup your investment. There are countless resources available, from DIY how-to guides to Youtube and on-line tutorials that explain the process.

If you install homemade panels yourself, you’ll save another 40 to 45 percent.

How much solar will you need?

This depends on the location of the property, how much electricity you currently use, and how much you plan to replace with solar. Figure out how many kilowatts you’ll need, and you’ll know how many panels to build.

As you can see, there are creative ways to achieve cheap solar power and resources galore at your fingertips. Whether you decide to piecework your project or make the panels yourself, one thing is certain: you will have cheaper solar power.

Resources:

The basics of solar and wind energy calculations

Harbor Freight

Ebay

Learn how to produce cheap electricity:

DIY Solar Panel System

Make Solar Panels

Solar Training DIY

Solar Panel DIY

Build your own panels

Ideas for building cheap solar panels using broken cells:

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