Reply #4: The payback for the solar hot water heater is ~7 years

[jpak]

A $5000 system would qualify for a 30% federal tax credit

That would bring the price down to $3500.

Florida has a $500 rebate on solar hot water systems.

http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/energynews/2006/2006-04-draftrules.htm

The total Florida cost would be $3000.

Electric hot water heaters use ~5000 kWh per year - at 9 cents a kWh, that comes to $450 per year.

That's a 7 year payback.

Florida has a $4 per watt rebate on PV systems.

The Blue Link 960 W system would qualify for a 30% federal tax credit ($2820) and a $3840 Florida rebate.

That would bring the cost of the system down to $2740.

Both systems together would cost under $6000.

And they would greatly add to the value of your home.

Hurricane damage????

If you don't live on the beach or the Keys, there are mounting methods to make them hurricane sturdy...

http://alt-e.blogspot.com/2005/11/hurricane-wilma-power-outages-boost.html

<snip>

Another concern: solar panels must be installed correctly so the panels don't fly off in a storm or become damaged.

Bone, the owner of a solar home on No Name Key, said the panels on his house did fine in the hurricane, but he has seen some homes where they have not. He said there are two ways to mount panels on roofs -- flush or, as was common in the 1980s before Hurricane Andrew, tilted to the south for maximum sun exposure. Tilted panels have a greater chance of catching wind and tearing off, he said. Most modern installations must meet strict building codes that certify they can withstand hurricane force winds.

Despite such drawbacks, those who have tried solar power say it is easy to get hooked on the silent, abundant energy source -- both during an outage and after.

<more>

There are 35,000 solar hot water systems in Barbados - and they have developed mounting techniques for hurricanes...

http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/echronicle/archives/2005/Q1/barbados.htm

Ask a local solar installer if you're really interested.

(PS the Blue Link systems can be mounted anywhere)