Do I really need to elaborate? In case I do, let me just remind you that you get what you pay for. Cheap usually means more headaches, shoddy quality, and more money in the long run. Spend a little more money up front for quality equipment and better workmanship. In the end, you’ll be glad […]

Any solar system that generates more energy than you use is a waste. You save nothing by using a solar system at less than its full capacity. If you install a solar water heater that’s too big, you’ve wasted money. If you install an intertie system that’s too big, you get nothing for the excess […]

If you review the availability of solar water heater systems, you’ll find a large range of prices and performances, and you’ll discover that some systems don’t work very well in cold climates. If you’re in a climate where tempera­tures can drop below freezing, the pipes or the collector in some solar water heaters can burst […]

If you’re in a cloudy, rainy, cold climate, and your utility rates are low, don’t install a PV system, no matter how much you want to jump on the band­wagon. You can use your money to save the world in many other planet – friendly, more efficient ways. Install a geothermal system for heating and […]

If you have a choice between going off-grid and installing a PV intertie system, do not go off-grid. The economics are horrible, in a relative sense. Off-grid systems use batteries, which are operational and waste nightmares. Plus, you can’t get a mortgage for an off-grid house. Nevertheless, a movement is afoot to “go back to […]

Wait a minute, you’re thinking. This project was listed in the ten best solar projects chapter! Exactly. Solar pool heaters are very expensive, and you don’t get any return on investment from them. They don’t last that long because sunshine and chlorine eat them up. They’re hard to maintain because they’re on your roof, and […]

In This Chapter ► Not seeing the forest for the trees ► Leaping before you look ► Measuring once, cutting twice — no three times 1/1 elieve it or not, you can abuse solar power. I don’t mean just by laying out naked in the sun for hours without sunscreen, but rather by install­ing ill-advised […]

For around $40, you can get a little light module that you can charge during sunlight hours and use when it gets dark. They’re similar to solar landscape lighting and just as effective. You can read with the light or hang one in your tent for a cool light that you can play cards under […]