There is a reason no one is suggesting solar panels.
The CEC suggests that in real energy out put terms, a solar panel is about 67% of optimal power production. Let's take a look at a basic system. AEESolar has a home setup that starts out at 1360 Watt 8 panel setup. At 67% power, that means I'll get 915 Watts an hour. Now add in fixed angle, weather conditions, changing day light time and average it out. The number comes out to be about 1322 kWh a year. That averages out to about 3.621 kilowatt Hours a day.
Now according to the EPA, the Rav4 EV required 34 kWh to go 100 miles. Let's say you commute 50 miles to work a day. That is 17 kWh you need every day from your solar panel that is making 3.6 kWh... hmmm you can go 10.5 miles on 3.6 kWh.
Now wait, forget the EV, let's just look at the cost-benefit of the PV system alone. It's making a good 1322 kWh a year. That's good right? Let's check it. In my area the average is 8.5 Cents a kWh. That's saving me $112 a year from my yearly power bill. Great. What's the cost? $10,800 plus tax. Uh... hmmm... So saving $112 a year, it will pay for itself in... 96 and a half years. Maybe if I had bought before I left my mothers womb I would see the day when it paid for itself. I'd being a complete fool to do this.
Oh wait, that's the base model. Let's get the super deluxe package. At 7,140 watts, 67% base rate, 4.783 kWh, add in angle, weather and all the other factors, you get 19 kWh a day. That ends up being 6940 kWh yearly.
So cost-benefit again. 6940 kWh is roughly $589.90 a year. The cost? $49,300 not including tax. Way better! Now I only need to keep it for 84 years! If I live to be 113 years old, I will see the day it pays itself off..... or will I?
There is one last factor not in this calculation. Solar panels lose 1% of their efficiency yearly. I found that out just today. So every year, you will get less energy than the year before. Only 1%, but I wager it will require more than 100 years before one pays for itself.
Now different location have different weather and sun light angles. It is possible that someone could find solar panel to be cost-effective. For example San Diego CA has one of the highest energy cost, and highest sun light density. Let's check it out.
Again, 7,140 watt system at 67% is 4,783 Watt hours. So what's our daily power output? 25.4 kWh a day, which is 9274 kWh yearly! ooo! Not bad. That's a savings of $1159 a year at $0.12 per kWh. Again, at $49,300 not including tax, it would take 42.5 years to pay it off.
So what have we learned? We learned that in specific areas of the country, a home solar panel kit, can be cost effective over a very long period of time. But in other areas of the country, you'd have to be a complete and total brain dead idiot to invest in one. Sadly, most places in the US do not get enough sun light to make solar panels economical.
One thing I am totally against, is subsidizing from government. I know someone will chime in that it is very well worth while when government foots 85% of the bill. This is wrong, it's immoral, it's totalitarian. You are going to tax everyone else into poverty, so that rich people who have money can buy a $50,000 dollar solar kit that cost more than some peoples homes. This is wrong. I just read where a rich guy bought a $60,000 dollar solar panel kit with a government subsidy. He paid only $12,000 of the kit. Who paid the rest? Us minimum wage workers. Further, he gets $3,000 yearly in "renewable energy credits". Where do you think that money comes from? You and me pal. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer, and everyone praises government for supporting renewable energy! You want to save money on electricity by getting solar panels? Great, I'm all for it, but... YOU PAY FOR YOUR OWN ****** PANELS! You blasted liberal government supporting fluff tards, I have a hard enough time as it is making only $20K a year just have you idiots take my money in taxes and give it to some yuppy rich guy so he doesn't have to pay full price on a solar panel so he can get "renewable energy credits" and pay even less on the power he uses. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr....