Re:Solar power baby (Score 1)

LinuxPyro's response is really excellent. I think, though, that -- if you have a grid connection -- cost/benefit engineering demands that your aux solar setup (or whatever alternative power source you select) run at 100% capacity in order to recoup the costs properly. So, unless you're actually off the grid, it's better to undersize your system. AFAIK, most utilities don't let you "run your meter backward" but rather buy your excess energy at wholesale market prices because the energy still needs to be transported. Take in to consideration that your electric bill will probably double over the life of the investment, and then re-spreadsheet from there. It seems to me that relatively small incremental alternative energy measures taken now have very large effects in the long run -- sorta like long-term investing in the market.