Ease of Use / Ease of Installation
One of my loyal readers, Sarah, posted the following comment in reference to my scheduling update:
You know, the more I read and understand how complicated it is to install solar panels, the less likely it is that I will even consider it for my own home. I firmly believe that we need to develop and use alternate sources of energy, but it ought to be easy to do for non-specialists.
I’m not sure that I agree completely, but here are my thoughts.
First – Ease of Use. Solar electric systems are extremely easy to use. Once they are installed and turned on, they need almost zero maintenance. You should probably check the inverter meters periodically to make sure that they are working and at approximately the right power level, but that’s about it. If something breaks (say, a panel), the part needs to be replaced. Panels have a warranty of 25 years these days and the installation is warrantied (by state requirement in NJ) for 5 years.
Systems that include a battery backup have some extra maintenance for the batteries, and those batteries need to be replaced every few years (I seem to remember 5, but I could be wrong). Sealed batteries don’t need much else – older lead-acid batteries may need to be checked more often.
Second – Ease of Installation. Solar power systems are a bit more complicated than a standard electrical upgrade. In addition to good old 120V AC, you have to contend with DC wiring at higher voltage. There are additional disconnect switches to be installed because you are feeding power into the utility’s network – you could theoretically fry your neighbor’s appliances if something goes horribly wrong.
However, the system itself is no more complicated than, say, satellite TV or a home computer network. Both of those are installed by homeowners everyday, and by pros for people who don’t want to or can’t install them.
I think the problem is that this is new. One of the stories on the New Jersey Clean Energy Program website talks about how there were 18 utility technicians on-site when they started up the system. They all wanted to see the meter turn backwards and know what this system was like (a good thing – they have to work with it). I wouldn’t be surprised if I see a crowd when my system is installed. Another story on that site talks about a self-installation – by a retired history teacher.
Once upon a time, only trained technicians from the phone company (that’s THE phone company) installed phones and phone jacks in your house. Now, almost anybody can do it and you’re expected to buy your own phone and plug it in. Once upon a time, only degreed specialists sitting in air-conditioned rooms with glass windows all the way around used computers – now anybody can boot up and connect to just about anybody else with a computer (and create blogs!).
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Magic – when something is very new, it is so incomprehensible to all but the experts that it might as well be magic or miracles. Think about the first time that man walked on the moon. Think about the first TV broadcast, or the introduction of color TV. “How do they do that?” is the question that marks this phase.
Specialization – when something is beginning to be introduced to the world, it is only understood by a small group. Imagine when cell phones first started being used (the brick or bag phones). The technology is so expensive and difficult to install/configure/use that it is limited to a small group. Computers were in this phase in the 50’s and 60’s. “How smart do they have to be to do this?” is the question for this phase.
Common Use – eventually, technology is put into use by “most” people. Cell phones and computers fit into this category now. You can live without it, but you’d rather not. “How do I use this?” is the question for this phase.
Dependency – when common use of technology reaches the point where nearly everybody uses the technology, and when the older alternatives are all but abandoned, we reach the point of dependency. Electricity, indoor plumbing, and even the internal combustion engine have reached this point. Airplanes are probably here, too. The key to recognizing dependency is when you need to fix the technology when it’s broken as opposed to using the older alternative. “How did we ever live without it?” is the question for this phase of technology.
Solar energy (especially in home use) is now on the cusp between Specialization and Common Use. It will become cheaper, easier to use, and more standardized as time goes by. You’ll be able to buy panels, inverters and “wiring kits” off the shelf. New main electrical panels may include one or two plug-type outlets for you to plug your inverters into – as opposed to having to re-wire. The hurdles that you have to cross to install and use solar energy in your home will become standardized, so that the utility inspection will be merged with the local electrical inspector, and the wiring will be so standardized that you can do it yourself.
Thirty years ago, would you have dared to plug a printer into your computer’s CPU? Would you even have those two things?
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