Re: “Can overcast Seattle be a solar-powered city? Is it even worth trying?” [May 13, Climate Lab]:
Local weather reporter Conrad Swanson provides brief shrift to the viability of residential photo voltaic within the Pacific Northwest. This January, I put in a photo voltaic system on my home in Hansville. With the federal 30% tax credit score plus exemption from state gross sales tax plus the web metering program that provides me full retail credit score for each kilowatt that my system produces, I calculate it’ll present a few 5% return on my funding by zeroing out my Puget Sound Power invoice.
If charges proceed rising at 4% yearly as they’ve traditionally, the return on funding will enhance to 10% in 10 years. On the similar time, it insulates me from those self same fee will increase.
Our “wet aesthetic” is probably not superb for photo voltaic conversion, however the know-how has superior sufficient and electrical energy charges listed here are excessive sufficient to make photo voltaic an affordable funding. So, my reply to the query “Is it even value attempting?” is a particular sure.
David F. Salisbury, Hansville
Source link