Now that we’re all burning up coal trying to watch pictures of people standing in line for iPhones, it’s important to remember that there are better ways of generating electricy but not all of them are created equal.

Bay Area orgo-aniacs will enjoy this article by Bruce Karney who tells us all you’ll need to know about installing solar panels on your split-level out in Atherton.

Interesting:

Solar panels last about 30 years, losing approximate 0.5% of their efficiency each year. The only required maintenance is to hose them off a couple of times each summer. Do this from the ground, with a nozzle on your hose. The inverter, which converts direct current from the panels to alternating current used in your home, will need to be replaced after about 15 years. Expect to pay $2000 for the part and $400 for the labor sometime around 2022.

Double interesting:

# It is very difficult to know how much a solar system will add to the value of your home at resale. People who install solar systems generally plan to stay in their homes a long time, so re-sales are rare. I think it is fair to say that 5 or 10 years from now potential buyers will be much better able to assess the value of a low electric bill.

Check out the rest of his tips.

10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE BUYING A SOLAR ELECTRIC SYSTEM [OrganicPicks]