Facts About Solar-Powered Houses

Significance

• Solar power has gotten so efficient that just 100 square miles of panels can supply enough energy to fuel the entire United States, yet solar power currently meets less than 0.1 percent of the nation's energy needs. Any home can be built or converted to a solar-powered home. Many who choose to use solar power combine solar with sources that are more traditional, like using a solar-powered water heater or supplementing their solar-powered radiant heating with a backup furnace or wood stove.

Cost

• While the materials for a solar-powered system do not cost a lot, the installation cost makes the prospect of going to an all-solar system a very expensive one. The materials cost anywhere from $4,000 to $10,000, depending on the system, but the installation brings the cost up to as much as $100,000 the $200,000. The cost of a solar water heater runs around $3,000 installed. Solar panels last for as long as 40 years, while a solar-powered water heater has a life of around 20 years.

Requirements and Incentives

• The materials cost of switching to solar is reasonable, but most states require professional installation of solar systems in order to meet building codes. Systems that do not meet code are subject to fines and penalties, and even removal of the system prior to the sale of the house could be required. Federal, state and municipal governments offer rebates and tax incentives to those who install solar that help offset the costs, but professional installation is typically a condition for most of these programs.

Installation

• A home system of about 20 panels at around 450 square feet would meet the heating needs of most homes, including a hot water heater and radiant heating system at a cost of about $10,000 uninstalled. Installation of the solar roof panels takes about two days using two men. A heat storage tank and the necessary radiant heat plumbing take another two days. It is easy to see how the installation bills add up, especially when you consider that the number of experienced firms is limited.

Considerations

• If the cost of energy independence is prohibitive, steps such as installing energy-efficient windows and skylights on the sunny side of the house may be lower-cost ways of taking advantage of the heating abilities of the sun, also known as solar greenhouse heating. The cost of a solar hot water heating system can be recouped in about six years, leaving you another 15 or so years of free hot water. Given the fact that heating water makes up as much as 30 percent of the energy cost for a home, significant savings are achieved over time.