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Re: (ET) New Electrics
I feel a need to comment:
Since Home Power Magazine has analyzed the cost of PhotoVoltaic off-grid
power systems (PV cells, batteries, control system, and inverter) to be
about 65 cents per KWh, I think at-the-pump cost of gasoline will have to
really jump before PV becomes cost effective. If oil costs jump, then
The lifetime cost of a *grid-tie* PV system today is much lower than that.
My company installs typical grid-tie PV systems for $7-$8/watt AC. Here
in CA, we typically see 1800-2000 kWh/year per kW of solar installation.
Almost everywhere in the country, the number is over 1000 kWh/year.
The performance life of the panels is guaranteed for 25 years, and
expected much longer; at least 30 years.
So.... ($7000/kw) / (1900 kWh/year * 30 years) = $0.122 per kWh.
That's close to the national average residential electric price.
That doesn't include rebates, tax credits, finance costs, depreciation
benefits, or inflation. And I assume net metering on the retail side
of the meter (most states now allow it this way). But anyway.
My RAV4 EV uses 0.4 kWh AC/mile, so solar electricity costs under
5 cents per mile.
The gas RAV4 gets 25 mpg. Gasoline at $1.25/gallon would already
be more expensive than solar electric power in the RAV4 EV. I haven't
been to a gas station since... well... a while. But I think the prices are
around $2/gal these days here on the left coast.
Fuel costs for an ET offer a comparable advantage over gas.
/wk