Ep. 65 – So You Want to Do Solar Energy? – Considerations

Making Solar Work for You – Considerations You May Not Have Thought Of.

This is Part 2 in a series on Solar energy. Steve of Regenerative Home Solutions.com gives an overview of solar energy, what questions you should be asking yourself, and considerations and pitfalls as you plan for your solar energy needs.

“I want to add solar to my home.” – Considerations:

On grid, off grid, hybrid, retrofit system options.
Does your house face the south enough to get sun exposure? For example, the outbuilding that Steve has his solar installed on faces the SE, so he doesn’t get a full day of sun exposure.
Install on the roof or on the ground?
- We discuss that perhaps it is better to install a free standing solar panel system on the ground, in a pasture.
- If you install in the pasture, consider installing it higher so that you could mow under it or livestock would graze under/around it.
Installing solar on your roof:
- How old is your roof? You may need to replace the roof first.
- Installing solar may void the warranty on your roof.
Check with your insurance company. Installing solar may affect your insurance coverage. The insurance company will be very interested in the process – who installs your system and how it is installed.
Will you need to remove trees?
How to navigate the bureaucracy.
Do they offer any grants, rebates?
Selling energy back to the grid – net metering vs. flat.
Sell/Buy ratio:
- In KS they sell energy to you at about 12 cents per kW. They buy at 4 cents per kW. But they are planning to lower the sell/buy ratio.
- in CA, the sell/buy ratio is they sell energy to you at 30 cents per kW but they only buy it at 3 cents per kW.
“How big of a system will I need?” See the link below to download a Free energy audit checklist PDF.

Steve’s solar setup
This is what Steve’s 8kw solar setup looks like on his garage roof.

For more information on Steve’s setup, see his website Regenerative Home Solutions.com – Cultivating a Sustainable Lifestyle.

This was an audio review of a Solar #GSD Workshop that we put on as part of our local community group.

This is what our Solar #GSD workshop looked like.

“How big of a system will I need?”

Download the Energy Audit Worksheet:

Remember: You too can put on local workshops to build community and learn new skills. We call them “No one is an expert but we are still going to Get Stuff Done #GSD” workshops

Join the Thriving The Future Community – Telegram Group

Sponsors:

Affiliate: The Smith-Homestead. They have handmade soap and candles, handcrafted items (Perpend and I like the alpaca wool caps – hand knitted by Homestead Padre himself, and lots more. If you use THRIVING as a coupon code at checkout you get 10% off.

GrowNutTrees.com

Chestnut seeds for planting, chestnut seedlings, elderberry cuttings, comfrey crowns and root cuttings. Adapted to the Midwest.

Seeds and trees have “memory”. They thrived and reproduced in a certain climate.

Often when you buy chestnut trees or seeds online, you have to buy from nurseries in the Northeast or Southeast US, or the Pacific Northwest.

Take it from us, trees grown in those climates do not do well in Kansas.

Buying from our Kansas homestead, with nut trees grown and adapted to the Midwest, will make them much more likely to be successful on your homestead or in your yard.

GrowNutTrees.com

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