Why dont we all have solar panels in our roofs?

Question

If every one in one city had this solar panels installed it will do a lot of good for the environment.

Just think about it Most of the people with in the morning and don’t get home until the afternoon or at night.

So the solar panels will be creating most of the energy in the morning all the way to the afternoon imagine all the energy they will make!!!!

They should make some sore of goverment program or something.

Answer 1

Totally agree.......... Is being used by some cities to

for eco-friendly Christmas celebrations currently.  

Building contractors are also currently using your suggested

types of energy where practical and approved by the

home owner or commercial group.

Welcome to the 21st century - by a 68 year old retiree

from  General Electric..

Answer 2

expensive. i can't afford it

Answer 3

Because - 1) The energy industry has been buying our politicians for the last 50 years or more.

2) We would much rather spend the money on a new kitchen or bathroom or on a house that's twice the size we need.

3) We could brag about the house or the kitchen or bathroom

rather than the ugly panels on the roof.

4) We're to collectively brain dead to know how good they would be for us and our country by freeing us from  a) the pollution, b) the nuts with the oil and c) the need to write a big check for oil , gas and electric every month, something those particular industries don't especially want to see happen which explains the large campaign contributions.

We did it in th 70's after the first oil embargo and we made a sizable dent in out energy consumption with programs for tax

breaks and grants to go solar and we should be doing that again as quickly as possible.

Answer 4

Several people have already mentioned the high cost, long payback time but there is also the constraint of planning law in the UK.  If you live in a conservation area, you may well not be allowed to install solar panels.  Even elsewhere, you had to go through the red-tape of applying for planning permission, with the outcome being far from certain.  I *believe* the UK government is thinking about loosening the planning laws to some extent so this obstacle may be reduced.

Answer 5

Tragically, I think the better question is, why have we humans not already worked towards solar and wind, tidal, etc energy availability for everyone.

-cost

-cut the red tape

-convince the neighbors that they are not ugly to look at

-spread the awareness of the entire looming Earth's disaster that is avoidable.

Answer 6

cost against savings is not much .maybe 5% per annum if you are lucky.

Answer 7

hey, do you want go buy me one then?

they are not efficient

cost to much to make

to fragile

you need a lot of sun to power a small tv

Answer 8

Well if the government were so bothered about conserving energy, they would have it done for people. They average British citizen can't afford it. We have just had cavity wall insulation, but had to get a grant to pay for it.

Answer 9

I agree but solar panels are very expensive and not very durable.  Do you also realize how much energy and waste it takes to make one of these panels?  I have a cabin in the woods that has a few solar panels but I couldnt depend on them full time.

Answer 10

Solar panels work at their best when facing Southwest to southeast therefore, it would not be possible for all properties to benefit from solar panels. A better option is air source heat pumps, these can run a central heating system. Yes I agree, they are expensive, but so is all new technology.The government do give grants, providing the system is installed by a registered company. If you want to save energy and contribute to a cleaner environment may I suggest we all stop dropping litter, imagine the resources this needs to collect and dispose

Answer 11

Solar panels are a good idea, but remember , they don't "do a lot of good for the environment", they are just a lot less damaging to the environment than coal fired / nuclear generated options.

As energy from your power company is very cheep, most people will not change until the prices have hugely increased.

For most people, it just about the cost.

Answer 12

They cost 10-15K US dollars per house, and take several years to pay for themselves.  But then again people think nothing of plopping down than kind of money for luxury appointments on their SUV or in their quarter million dollar house.  So I really don't know why they don't put them up and prefer to demand that someone else convert to solar.

Answer 13

I have three  panels that make very little power compared to my two homebuilt wind generator.

Three 5 watt panels at $45 each =15 watts

two home built wind generators 200watts at $50 each (i got most of the parts at the dump)

http://www.velacreations.com/powerwind.h...

Space needed for 200watts of solar panels about 25 sq ft

space for my wind generators stacked one above the other.

about 4 sq ft.

my house uses 11.8 kw per day that equals 4720 sq ft of panels if the sun shines 24 hours a day or at 12 hours a day=9440 sq ft.

my house is 8000 sq ft home and only half that is sun faceing=4000sq ft

9440sq ft of panels on a 4000 sq ft roof won't work.

When i can get 200 watts of solar panels for $100 i will put them on my roof.

Also when the insurance companies cover them under the regular home insurance. right now you have to buy a extra rider just to cover your panels.

Maybe Google will come through with there low cost solar panel project.

If you check the sq ft of a solar system to power your house plus charge your car you will find that the amount of sq footage is larger then most homes. (2.5 watts per sq ft )

this is what they do not tell you.

Answer 14

A solar panel that would power 3 small items would run about $1700. Lot's more then the average household hear spends on electricity for much less power..  For now, solar panel's still aren't cost effective...  They need just a bit more improvement before they become feasible for your average person..

Answer 15

There are a few problems with solar power at the moment. it is very expensive to install so it should be incorporated into the design of houses. The storage of the energy created by solar power is bad so it is sold to the electric companies etc and you buy it back cheaper, bit of a rip off. the amount of energy produced per panel size is not yet efficient enough to rely on on a regular basis. I would buy them for my house but for the above reasons then maybe in 10 years.

Some one mentioned lack of sun!? It doesnt have to be spain to get them going and work well even in bad light.

Answer 16

Solar is not for everyone, and that's OK. Wind, geothermal, hydro and tidal  have all been in parallel development for this reason. The biggest disadvantage that the alternatives have in any cost comparisons, is the tiny footprint left on the environment vs the huge footprint of fossil fuels. I mean come on people, that's why these technologies were developed in the first place, right?

Here in the US, Congress is about to take huge subsidies away from fossil fuels and give that advantage to the alternatives for the first time ever!!!

If this happens, it will be interesting to see some cost comparisons in a couple of years...

I would wager that people without access to alternative energy sources will be screaming bloody murder when they must pay more for the same old dirty source as the transition is made to the alternatives.

Answer 17

Solar panels only work properly when there is sunshine - I had a house in Greece with solar panels and never paid a penny for electricity to heat water.  In the UK the benefits v the installation costs are minimal and you'll still need your gas or electric heating to supply your needs, unless you go for underground heating from the earth.  Windmills are more suitable for the UK.  Solar panels don't work in Greece every day in Winter whenever its cloudy - you need to flick the electricity switch to get that to kick in.

Answer 18

have you have any idea how much decent solar panels cost?

is the first thing..

another, the British weather.. we aren't exactly the sunniest of countries.

there is a business park near me that has 3 wind turbines, which is pretty cool

most people who buy them sell the surplus energy off to the electric companies.

Answer 19

they're way expensive, and not everyone has a lot of sun.

Answer 20

Beause they are very expencive. And take many years to cover the inital cost.

My science teacher also said that, while making solar panals. Some chemcial is released that harms the enviroment.

Im sure theres not battreys that can stand that much abuse every day.

Answer 21

$$$$

simple as that I'm afraid.

Don't feel they have enough to spare that sort of thing, and it would put the power moguls in riot.

Just a quick two reasons.

Bad ones, but ..yeah. Government have more importent things to ..er..try to do..try....to do...

yeah.

so they do other things anyway -.-'

Reft~

Answer 22

Lots of people might not afford solar panels, so it might not be possible for everyone to get solar panels.

(-_-)

Answer 23

Not even Limo libtards, like Al Gor, Babs Bwaxa, Franken Feinstein, Nance Pelosi, or Carol Midgi, have solar panels, so why should I buy an intstallation at $35,000?  That is what they quoted for my home!  That is a lot of cake and gravy.  I'm sure you can afford it.

Answer 24

If, at some point in the future, the technology catches up with the desire to have them, it might be possible.  

As it is right now, most people are too addicted to their gadgets to be able to go off-grid.  People talking about their TVs and computers are just a start.  But you also have to think about the electric furnace, stoves, AC, hot water heaters, alarm clocks, coffee pots, microwaves, etc.  All of these things draw power, some of them, a lot of power.  If you can learn to live without them, you can get by on a couple of high output solar panels just for lights and such.

Answer 25

Who do you think pays for government programs?  We do.  Solar panels for the average house run over $50,000, not including installation or maintenance.  Are you going to chip in on that tab?

Answer 26

I live in Cumbria...

"The Lake District"...

We have a saying up here... "If you can see the fells, it's about to rain... If you CAN'T see the fells - it's already raining!!

Lakes are just big puddles and we don't get enough sunshine to generate enough solar power to...

... do anything!

(We're very beautiful for visitors though...)