Make Solar Panels – The Cost of DIY Solar Panels
When you have embarked on the decision to make solar panels so as to be a more eco-friendly citizen as well as for their pocket-friendly benefits, you are to be commended. After all, not only will you harness the power of the sun’s energy but you will also harness the power of your savings.
You will still spend money when you build your own solar panels but the costs are definitely and significantly lesser than the costs for having professionals install said panels in your home. Plus, you also will get to learn something new to further your cause for eco-friendly electricity.
Click Here to Learn How to Make Solar Panels
Solar Panel Costs
The costs for the materials necessary to make solar panels will vary depending on the brand, type and wattage of said panels. Of course, there is also the matter of the profit margin of the retailers, thus, it pays to canvass the stores and sites to secure the best deal possible.
After all, you want to save on costs with solar power, not be saddled with unnecessary costs at the beginning of the DIY project.
You can also purchase cheap solar panels on auction sites like eBay. However, you must accept the high risks involved as the merchant may actually be just unloading sub-par solar cells or if the merchant is not knowledgeable about solar panels or, worse, if the merchant disappears with your money.
In the United States, you can expect to pay around $5 per watt of good quality polycrystalline and monocrystalline panels. In Australia, it can be a little bit more expensive at $8-$10 per watt.
Solar Panels Requirement
Before you even make solar panels, you have to determine your electricity requirements from the solar power set-up. You have to take into account many factors from the geography to the system elements to the grid connections.
To make the process easier, you can adopt the following steps:
- Take note of the all the electrical appliances that you intend to hook up to your solar power system
- Record the wattage of each appliance and the estimated number of hours used
- Add up the totals for each of the two figures and then add them up
- Assess the number of peak sun hours you get in a day with the use of the solar peak hours chart
- Divide the total wattage computed by the peak sun hours
The final answer should provide the ballpark figure for the total number of panels in wattage that you will need to build. You may also ask the sales staff to assist you in the computation so that you can purchase the DIY kit that best suit your needs.
As you have probably observed, you will still spend a fair amount of money when you make solar panels (Yes, these are not dirt cheap, yet). Thus, today is a good time as any to assess your electricity consumption and find ways to lessen it.
The less power you need, the fewer panels you need to build and the less money you have to spend. Take note, however, that federal and state laws may offer tax rebates and financial assistance to homes switching to renewable energy so tap into those channels for more savings.
Click Here to Learn How to Make Solar Panels