On August 25th, I wrote an article on our solar system. A little update now that we have our fifth and largest solar panel up and running. All systems are ground mounted and built by harvest solar out of Michigan. So far, all our producing power at around the rate plan or 60-70% of our usage. The local electricity coop only pays between 3-4 cents per kilowatt produced by the solar system. You cannot afford to build a solar system for 100% on coop lines.
The system at my son’s house is on the public utility and was designed for 100% of his use. His electric bill has gone down to as low as $20 per month.
I still say the whole green power program has raised the overall cost of electrical power and the cost of food. You have windmills and solar farms covering up farmland, which will raise the cost of food.
Solar and windmills only produce part of the time so you still have to have big, conventional and nuclear power plants. I think solar is much better than windmills because they’re much lower maintenance. I also believe they have a longer, more productive life. Covering up farmland is only hurting the poor. Solar panels on roofs of new construction is the way to go. Solar systems over parking lots, warehouses, nonproductive land etc is the place to put solar. . Solar seems to be very low maintenance.
Windmills are very expensive to construct and maintain. Working over 100 ft. up in the air becomes very expensive. Putting large amounts of concrete in the ground makes it very expensive and difficult to move. The local co-op just took down a windmill about 3 miles from our farm. It had a productive life of about 20 years. The reports I have received and heard if they had not taken the governments money, the cost to produce the power was higher than conventionally produced power. I think government sometimes needs to help encourage change but money should only be used for educational and demonstrative purposes. The market place should decide what is best.