Solar is a scam

[swampratt]

That is what my buddy told me yesterday.
He got panels put on his house and battery storage and finally got it all sorted out after nearly 11 months dealing with the company that installed it.

He got his second bill after it was all working like it should and sent more power back to OG&E than he used.
His bill was $60
WTF over.
I have had smaller bills than that and I do not have solar.

He said it was all fees and taxes and no money towards usage.

HORRIBLE deal if you ask me.

The electric company most of us use will stick it to you deep, it is best to go off grid if you plan on using solar if you must deal with OG&E.

This thing cost him around 30K. Not a bargain.

 

[DavidMcmillan]

That seems to be the experience of most folks that have tried solar. I haven't heard any positive reports.

 

[trekrok]

Yeah, it's hard to see the payoff here. And that ignores the added cost of roof replacements etc.

If that's what it costs to just connect to the grid then I don't see it being worth it.

 

[trekrok]

I'm all for renewable if it makes real sense. But usually the way it works is for tax credits and gov incentives. Plus, China manufactures 60% of wind, 75% of solar and 85% of Li batteries. So, we're jumping up and down pushing to adopt tech that China basically has a strangle-hold on. Stupid policy.

 

[Okie4570]

If folks were living to the ripe old age of 175-225 year old it would pay off. That's how the math worked out iirc, for a system that would produce what we needed and that was if the system lasted a crazy amount of years which I don't remember what that was. Hail storms would almost certainly prevent that longevity for the panels. Every real estate friend I have says don't do it, that it will actually prevent folks from looking at your home, in OK at least.

 

[Johnny]

Plus. You sell back the electric for roughly 1/5th of what you have or buy it at. So you have to make a lot of juice to see any real bennifit from it.

 

[golddigger14s]

I wouldn't call solar a scam it has its place. Great for RV's camping and some minor home use. But electric companies and other service providers charge you a base rate no matter how much you use or don't use. Some electric companies will buy back your excess, but my co-op won't so it's not worth it.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Even people in "sunny" areas say it isn't a great value. You get cheap chinese solar panels which will more than likely need replacement by the time your loan is over. You need inverters, those die regularly as well. You still will rely on OGE or your electric company, since if you got panels they for some reason cease to work at night, when your most likely to want electricity especially if you work outside the home. You can buy batteries, but do you want to double your cost and devote a well ventilated room and square footage for night time off the grid electricity? But hey, you get a lifetime warranty, assuming that the company is still in business when problems arise. Your simply swapping one bill for another...

 

[sherrick13]

Environmentalism is a financial luxury.

 

[sherrick13]

I wouldn't call solar a scam it has its place. Great for RV's camping and some minor home use. But electric companies and other service providers charge you a base rate no matter how much you use or don't use. Some electric companies will buy back your excess, but my co-op won't so it's not worth it.

Replacement solar is a scam.


Solar for limited niche use is very useful, just like limited niche use for EVs. Horses still have limited niche use as well.