Wednesday, January 13, 2010

How Much Do Solar Panels Cost? An Honest Answer Exclusively Revealed

You may have considered at some stage exactly how much precisely do solar panels cost? Well, as many of us know, initially they can be extremely expensive.


A great deal of very specialized materials and engineering are involved in the manufacturing process of individual solar cells. This in simple terms means production costs are expensive which in turn leads to higher prices for us.


What is worse for us is that because of the recent surge in interest in the alternative home energy market, a bigger demand for solar technology has also pushed prices upwards. Therefore, if you already have a home energy budget or you are looking to plan a budget, the requirement to know how much solar panels will cost you is an important one.


However, believe it or not, solar power is not yet as widely used as it probably should be. This means that for the time being at least, professionally built and installed solar panels are still extremely expensive.

So how much does an individual solar panel cost?


A solar panel which would be capable of producing approximately 5 amps current would cost roughly $350. However, theres worse to come. In addition to the cost of the panel, you would require a full harnessing setup which would have to include items such as regulators, meters and brackets. This could easily cost a further $200.


Total cost for a single 5 amp unit would be approximately $500!





Heres the good news...


Recent innovations by a select group of home DIY energy enthusiasts have led to a number of high quality do-it-yourself guides and systems entering the market. These guides describe in intricate detail, how you can easily build your own single, stand alone electric system using solar electricity panels for under $200.


So, if you follow the commercial route and enlist the help of professionals, you will be probably be paying anything in the region of $25,000 - $40,000 dollars for your household. Compare that to approximately $2000 - $3000 if you wish to supply your own home by going down the do-it-yourself route!


By: James K Stewart

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