Home improvement retail giant Lowe's announced that it's started stocking easy-to-install solar panels at its stores in California. Spokesman Steven Salazar told the Associated Press that the DIY solar market is growing and that the company has plans to put the panels in stores nationwide next year. Each Andalay solar panel at Lowe's costs $893, weighs 40 pounds, and generates 175 watts.
To be fair, Home Depot sells solar panels online, including kits aimed more at contractors than handy homeowners. The store offers professional solar installation through a program that started in California and has since expanded.
Retail solar panels come with some caveats, though. They're not entirely DIY because local utilities need to give the green light, which is where a professional installer can help by taking care of the paperwork. Plus, professionals can determine which subsidies and rebates apply. And there is the whole part involving hauling the 40-pound panel up a ladder. I love accessible tech, but some things I'd rather avoid doing entirely by myself.
Photo: DIY solar panels. Credit: Robert Tadlock.
Tags: Alternative Power Sources, Electricity, Green Building, Green Tech, Solar Power
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