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Comment by enraged_camel | Hacker News Reader

>> Of that $15k, $4.3k was for the panels themselves, $2k for the inverter, $1k for mounting hardware, and $8k for installation.

What about on-site battery?

In any case, $15k is still a bit too steep for me, not because I can't afford it but because I want something that'll pay for itself in less than 5 years. My electricity bill is about $150/mo. so a solar roof doesn't make sense financially, even if I'm able to sell the excess to the grid.

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> What about on-site battery?

Typical systems don’t have a battery, nor do they need one.

The grid is used as the battery.

An off-grid solar installation is significantly more expensive.

Well, I live in Texas, and as we recently saw, our grid isn't very reliable. So it would be great to have the ability to not rely on the grid.

If you view it as an improvement to your home, which increases your home's value, then it can make more financial sense than if you only look at the pure electricity savings.

Heat water with it during the day, if you live in colder climate you can use it for heating as well, but that would mean of course having proper radiator system installed.

Why is the 5 year payback critical, as opposed to 7 or 8? You're still coming out ahead.

Time value of money, opportunity cost, etc. An investment that merely pays for itself in a large number of years is a bad investment. An RoI of 5 years is a decent rule of thumb to use.

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