Tax Refund for home-made panels?

[ignisuti]

Seems like a lot of people are buying cells off eBay to make their own Solar Panels.

I'm just curious if that purchase qualifies for the 30% government tax refund?

 

[Torben]

Seems like a lot of people are buying cells off eBay to make their own Solar Panels.

I'm just curious if that purchase qualifies for the 30% government tax refund?

What government? We have no way to know what country you're in since you haven't filled in that information in your User CP.


Torben

 

[ignisuti]

What government? We have no way to know what country you're in since you haven't filled in that information in your User CP.
Torben

Fair enough...
I've updated my data to indicate that I live in the U.S.A.

We have a incentive program that gives us money back on our annual taxes for renewable energy expenses. If I was to go out and buy a complete commercial system, I could receive 30% of that money back. I just want to know if building my own system qualifies for the tax refund in the U.S.

 

[Dom]

I'm not 100% sure on this one but I think the panels have to be UL certed.
Could be wrong tho..

 

[smanches]

All the states I've looked at require them to have 20yr+ warranties and be installed by a certified "installer". The warranty requirement is what kills it for DIY people, but I can see their point.

 

[ignisuti]

All the states I've looked at require them to have 20yr+ warranties and be installed by a certified "installer". The warranty requirement is what kills it for DIY people, but I can see their point.

Darn! Still, building the panels at 1/4 the cost is much more enticing than a 30% refund.

I'm considering building a 3000W panel system. That'd be approx. $3,000 from ebay. Or, if I bought manufactured panels, I'd expect to spend $12,000 for the same thing and end up costing me $8,400 after the refund. I'd say a difference of $5,400 is still worth my time to build the panels myself.

Why isn't someone buying these cheap cells and making panels just for the purpose of re-selling them? I'd think someone could streamline the process and pump out 3-4 panels a day and charge just enough to make it worth their time while not being greedy at the same time.

 

[be80be]

What government? We have no way to know what country you're in since you haven't filled in that information in your User CP.


Torben

Torben
I thought everyone new where Kansas is and he is from Gardner at that
I'm from Wyandotte, ks but I moved to Morristown ,Tn

 

[giftiger_wunsch]

Torben
I thought everyone new where Kansas is

Kansas? That's that big blob next to that littler blob right?

 

[Mr RB]

Kansas? It's the closest point to the land of Oz.

 

[be80be]

And the tinman

 

[Torben]

Torben
I thought everyone new where Kansas is and he is from Gardner at that
I'm from Wyandotte, ks but I moved to Morristown ,Tn

I guess I should note that at the time I replied, the OP had no information in his User CP as to location, so there was no indication that he was in Kansas.

For the record I've been to both Kansas and Tennessee. I found Tennessee way more interesting.


Torben

 

[be80be]

For the record I've been to both Kansas and Tennessee. I found Tennessee way more interesting.

Me to lots of lakes in Tennessee and Mountains where i live But not tax brakes for home made any thing LOL

 

[AllVol]

I guess I should note that at the time I replied, the OP had no information in his User CP as to location, so there was no indication that he was in Kansas.

For the record I've been to both Kansas and Tennessee. I found Tennessee way more interesting.


Torben

Thanks, Torben. We think its pretty interesting, too.

 

[rohto]

What are the near-future possibilities for solar, I remember reading somewhere a while ago about solar cells that you could literally paint onto a roof, wire up and go. Not that they were around yet, but that they were coming. Sorry if I'm asking dumb questions, just really interested in renewable energy, and everyone here seems really knowledgable.

 

[tcmtech]

What are the near-future possibilities for solar, I remember reading somewhere a while ago about solar cells that you could literally paint onto a roof, wire up and go. Not that they were around yet, but that they were coming.

Dont know myself.
But I hear that and similar story's on the news and read about it about every month on line and have been for about 10 years now.
Every company that says they have the technology and proof of design and have the process for manufacturing ready seems to just disappear shortly after that.

I would start playing with solar power big time if they ever did really get higher efficiency solar panels out on the market for 10 -15% above the price of the pane of glass they put them on as they so claim to be able to do.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Well this solar panel from hair made the news.
**broken link removed**

 

[tcmtech]

So how come these people from barely literate third world villages can make solar panels out of pretty much anything for next to nothing and those of us in the top nations have scientists with billion dollar research facilities that cant break the $1 a watt production mark?

Do we need to start importing the villagers and start sending a few research scientists back to those peoples homes for a better education on how stuff really works?

 

[mneary]

If I read the article correctly, the new technology is economically feasible if human hair can be obtained in mass quantity at $0.60 per kilo. That's a lot of cheap hair.

 

[ignisuti]

If I read the article correctly, the new technology is economically feasible if human hair can be obtained in mass quantity at $0.60 per kilo. That's a lot of cheap hair.

Ya, but just imagine how many tons make it's way to our dumps every day from barber shops and salons! I love the idea of using anything that we're currently paying people to take to a landfill for us.

 

[Mr RB]

So how come these people from barely literate third world villages can make solar panels out of pretty much anything for next to nothing and those of us in the top nations have scientists with billion dollar research facilities that cant break the $1 a watt production mark?
...

Because solar cell price fixing is one of those "energy conspiracies" that really IS true.

Ever wondered why Shell Oil and BP Petroleum are 2 of the biggest solar cell manufacturers?