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DirtysMan t1_iu5yasn wrote

Reply to comment by zebtacular in Low-cost 'transparent' solar cells reach new efficiency record, electricity-generating windows incoming? by VeterinarianProper42

Solar panels are cheaper than any form of energy besides geothermal, with or without subsidies.

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zebtacular t1_iu5yxht wrote

That’s not the discussion. If a home builder is pricing windows and these “solar panel” windows are 4x the cost of a transitional window, they will opt to install the standard window. Coming from someone who built their home, I couldn’t afford to install something at a 4x markup vs traditional items that late in the building process when budgets are running thin and overages are piling up.

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DirtysMan t1_iu782om wrote

So you don’t understand how financing works? Here, let me explain how money works with actual adults instead of straw men.

You see, when you finance solar panels while building a house you make a small monthly payment for it. You don’t actually pay all of the money up front.

Even better, you can make more power than you use and sell it back to the utilities. So instead of an electric bill of $150 a month, you get paid $30 a month for a net saving of $180 a month.

That $180 a month is more than the cost of financing, and therefore you save money every month.

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