Cheap or Free Solar Panels

While the solar panel cost of today are at a much better rate than when it was a decade ago, and it has relatively become a cheaper commodity, solar panels are still expensive. Sure on one hand you would love to reduce your energy consumption and generally lower your bills, on top of making your own efforts in helping reduce the carbon emissions from nonrenewable energy sources, and live a greener life in general. But on the other hand, the solar panel cost an arm and a leg in most - if not all - cases and types and could hardly power your entire home unless you cover your residence with so many solar panels - which then equates to more expense.

On average, a $10,000 price tag on solar panels will be matched by your savings on your electric bill by more or less ten to fifteen years. And that is just about the time that a regular, well used solar panel reaches its maximum lifespan.

Is there a way to get cheap or free solar panels? Can you possibly get access to using this currently expensive source of supposed cheaper energy?

Cheap or Free Panels - Where are they?

In the strictest sense of the word, ‘cheap’  is not one to describe solar panels today. Less expensive, yes, but never cheap. So where do some people say they get their cheap panels?

The cheapest way to get your hands on your own solar-powered home is through solar leasing. Solar leasing, as its name implies, allows you to have your solar panels installed at home on 10-20 year leases with only a fraction of a cost of buying and installing your own. The downside, however, of solar leasing is that you are missing out on tax incentives accorded to homeowners who made the big investment of shifting to solar power simply because the panels are not yours. The incentive, which could be up to 30%, goes to the leaser instead.

Free panels, in some cases especially across the UK, are a different story however. Solar power companies give the panels out for free in exchange of getting to sell the excess/surplus energy of one home to the government for a fee through the Feed-in Tariff.

For now, cheap or free panels are nothing but a dream. Hopefully however, solar panel cost will reduce as the technology for it continues to develop.