I just want to invest a part of my salary periodically and feel that when the day comes, I can retire and live a simple life comfortably. I, frankly, no longer believe my private retirement plan is going to be anymore than a poor investment that will be able to carry me financially for more than just a few years at best. Enter solar…Now, let’s compare this to investing in a solar energy system instead. With the various renewable energy state rebates and federal taxes incentives in the US, you can reasonably expect to get an effective ROI of 8 to 14% for the next two to three decades, if not more. And, unlike the stock market retirement fund racket, this is a sure investment.
How? Well, the common grid-tie solar panel (solar electric) system pays for itself after rebates in 6 to 12 years and then it just continues to pay down your electric bill for the decades to come. Most solar panels can be expected to continue producing power beyond 25 years. After all, most solar panel manufacturers warranty their power output to 80% for up to 25 years. And, if solar panels in 1970’s serve as a predictor of the reliability of ones produced today, you should be able to expect at least another one to two decades of serious power production out of them.
So, if your plans are to live in the home you have for the next few decades, it seems far smarter to invest first in a sure thing for your retirement (your need for electricity and the bills that would otherwise come with it) than the casino game that is the stock market. The only downside is you can’t keep investing more in a solar electric system and get more out of it – once you’ve bought one that meets your needs, that’s it. Investment nugget secured. Fortunately, there’s something even smarter than a solar electric system for your retirement, but that’s for next time…
My apologies to Chris – my comments were directed to Sascha (the author of the original post)
Chris – your point is clear but you seem a bit elitist. Anyone who puts their money into a retiremnet fund of any kind and expects that it can go unattended until retirement with a 20% return is either naive or just plain stupid. Any apparatus (solar systems/retirement plans) require attention, maintenance and upgrades periodically. to simply expect that something will work in perpetuity is inviting failure. And, even if you’re not proficient with a particular system you should invest in an experienced mechanic, money fund manager, or electrician to ensure your system has a reliable life expectancy.
As for the analogy to backgammon well your snobbery is clear. As a champion player who has made thousands of dollars playing backgammon I can honestly say that my earnings to layout far out strip anything I’ve invested in either solar or a retirement funds.
I could not agree more. PV modules have dropped radically in price over the last few years and technologies like micro inverters make it simpler to install smaller sized systems.
While it is hard for me personally to drop $20k-$30k at the moment on a PV system to run my whole home (as you had to do a few years ago), now I can invest a thousand or two a year and build my PV system over time, based on my own budget and investment strategy. If I had more to invest in solar power I would, but it’s the most I can contribute right now.
Thermal systems continue to be an obvious investment too with one of the most incredible ROI’s for RE technology. It’s a shame that we don’t have a solar water heater on every roof!
Bookmarked, I love your site! 🙂