One homeowner is showing just how much going solar can save you on your electric bill. One year after installing their panels, they're tracking to recoup their investment in under five years while potentially saving tens of thousands long-term.
The scoop
YouTuber Shelby Church (@ShelbyChurch) did a postmortem one year after finally taking "the plunge" in response to seeing a monthly electric bill north of $800 on her Palm Springs Airbnb property.
Church paid $20,000 all-in for the eight-kilowatt system of 20 panels, as well as all the necessary electrical installation and the solar inverter. She opted not to pair her solar with batteries, as the timing of her install allowed her to tap into a more favorable rate to sell excess power to the grid than is currently available.
The system generated 12,000 kilowatt-hours in 2023, which was slightly below the maximum it could have due to a rainy year. Church expected to still pay for electricity, given it was a smaller system than they needed, and there were also fixed fees to pay.
The house also has a pool and hot tub and needs to run air conditioning to keep temperatures around 80 degrees to preserve the wood and drywall.
With all that in mind, in her caption Church posed: "Are they worth it?"
Watch now: How bad is a gas stove for your home's indoor air quality?
How it's helping
Long story short, the solar panels have majorly paid off for Church. Overall, her monthly electric bills went down around 60% from $723 to $253, which exceeded her aspirations of 50%.
That meant a projected yearly decrease of over $4,500 and a payback period of a mere 4.4 years, per her calculations. Without inflation, she projects that could save her $133,974 over a potential 30-year lifespan of the panels. With it, that could skyrocket to $212,462. More on that type of math with solar here.
Church's massive savings demonstrate just how effective solar can be in reducing the cost of electricity. While it does require some upfront investment and patience, it is a winning proposition for many homeowners.
It also benefits the planet by tapping into a renewable, clean energy source and lowering our reliance on dirty energy like oil and gas that heats the planet. The planet's record-setting heat contributes to the proliferation and increased intensity of extreme weather events like wildfires, droughts, and hurricanes.
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The cost of installation 💵 If you're considering solar panels for your home, EnergySage's free tools are a great place to start to connect with local installers, get free installation quotes, and decide if solar is right for you.
What everyone's saying
Numerous commenters on YouTube chimed in with similar, successful forays with solar panels.
A viewer shared, "Without solar, our bill would be $700 a month. With solar, it's closer to $150-$250. So yes, for Hawaii definitely worth it."
"I haven't spent a dime for electricity since 2017, it's the best investment I ever made," a user from Texas revealed.
"I always wanted to know the answer to this so thank you," an appreciative commenter remarked.
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