Costco To Sell Home Solar Panel Kits

From EarthTechling's Caleb Denison:

Costco members will soon be able to add solar power systems for clean energy solutions at home alongside power tools and pancake mix on their shopping lists.

Eugene, Oregon-based Grape Solar has recently announced that several of its solar kits will soon be available through Costco’s website in the ”Hardware” section under the "Generators & Backup Power" subcategory. Costco members will have a choice of 880W, 2300W, 3680W or 5060W ready-to-install kits, with prices ranging from around $3,600 upwards to around $18,000.

The solar kits are “grid-tied” systems that include Grape Solar panels, inverters, and racking systems that are ready to install onto the roofs of homes and other structures. Grape Solar says the kits are designed to be expandable, so customers can start small and grow their system over time if they wish. In order to facilitate installation, Grape Solar has developed a network of over 5,000 installers who will be available to provide locally based customer support.

According to Grape Solar, it launched a test program in several markets starting in July of 2010. Customer response was apparently positive, so the program was expanded to include other warehouses in high-demand solar markets. Once the products are available on-line, they can be ordered and delivered to a buyer’s home in just a few days.

Grape Solar’s panels come with a 25-year warranty on power output and a 10-year warranty on materials and workmanship. All of the home solar kits should be eligible for federal, state and local utility rebate and incentive programs, but it would be wise to ask first if unsure.

Comments

[Kenz300]

11:06 AM on 05/28/2011

Wind, solar, wave energy, geothermal and second generation biofuels made from algae, cellulose and waste are the future. The cost for oil, coal and nuclear power keep going up. Wind and solar prices keep dropping every year. The transition to safe, clean alternative energy has begun.

[Xclamationguy]

05:42 PM on 04/26/2011

Costco's known for selling the best available items to its members across categories and green energy is the best alternative for Costco members.

[edjumacator]

11:50 AM on 04/22/2011

El Paso, Tx has continous wind and 300+ days of sun, so it seems like the perfect place for both wind and solar energy. The fact that it isn't shows how backwards thinking most of the country is when it comes to new energy solutions.

[jeanlucbastille]

12:30 AM on 05/17/2011

Texas...

[timbeaux]

07:00 PM on 04/19/2011

As people make the leap to solar, they should be aware that virtually ALL solar panels are built in China and that a national move to solar will only drive up the trade deficit with China. And people are also generally unaware that the production of solar panels is an environmentally unfriendly industry with a LOT of bad kinds of waste.

Wind is the best idea -- either that or somehow get America competitive in the solar industry.

[fozzi58]

03:35 PM on 04/21/2011

All your points are true. But there will never be any new industrial manufacturing in the US when a US worker will need $15+ per hour to live and China is paying 85¢ an hour.

I'm reading up on Grape because I had a solar assessment done some time ago (5 years?) and my initial costs were $25000+ and 10 year ROI. Needless to say I wouldn't spend that kind of money. However, building a system a little bit at a time is more eco2 friendly (economic + Ecological = eco2).

Something better than nothing...

[rodjard]

08:53 AM on 04/28/2011

Our military has no problem spending billions of dollars on things like cruise missiles
that we just launch and explode to kill someone where we would not be if that money
were spent on producing clean energy right here.
We don't depend on China to build those cheaper for us, therefor the idea that we ought
not builld wind, solar and water energy systems right here is a bugus one.
Our national defense is just as dependant on our being free from dependance on
foreign manufacturing as it is on foreign oil.

[DismayedRepub]

03:47 PM on 04/19/2011

I would like to set one of these up as I pay way too much for electricity. I just wish that the federal, state and local utility rebates and tax incentive programs would include storage batteries as part of the system. Most state programs I’ve seen only cover the solar cells and inverters and exclude the batteries.

[raymondcohen]

11:19 AM on 05/24/2011

I actually know a great company for solar energy, my cousin used samba energy to help install solar on his building and he was extremely happy with the results. I'll reply again with their phone number

[jsgaetano]

07:35 PM on 04/18/2011

Conservatards whine that "we can't afford it", while liberals ignore them and continue building the future.

[Soul American]

10:16 AM on 04/18/2011

Thankyou all for answering my concern about Hailstorms here in Texas.

Now, I need to approach my HOA to see if they would have objections to putting these on my roof?

Any other experience you'll had abo8ut HOA association and their objecting and what are our rights? Remember the initial days of Satellite TV, HOA objected to the dish on top and then the congress had to intervene to legislate that they cannot do that?

Do we have any protection from the HOA for this?

[one tequila two tequila]

03:45 PM on 04/17/2011

it will work, its about time

[proggirl]

01:25 PM on 04/17/2011

Why is it that every time there's an idea that actually supports ending our dependence on decades of bad energy policy, we are besieged by cries of "that won't work"?
1. I think it will work.
2. What we're doing now isn't working. What do you have against trying?

[imtruthmonger]

01:49 PM on 04/17/2011

You go girl!

Pro growth
Pro DIY
Pro severing ties to foreign oil
Pro environment
Pro supporting US businesses
Pro USA
Anti Nay Sayers

I wish I could fan you again!

[Joe The Nerd Ferraro]

09:11 PM on 04/17/2011

AMEN!

[givemlharry]

01:02 PM on 04/17/2011

There is a simpler, less expensive way to save on your energy bill without causing additional pollution, if you own a car and drive as little as an hour a day. It is called the AAES PowerStation. Simply put, it uses your cars generating capability to generate & store electricity for later use as you drive. It causes the car to use no additional fuel that we have been able to measure. The website is www.powerstatioafrica.com.

When I came to Africa 5 years ago, I didn't like the load shedding problem and so came up with the solution. We have installed it in hundreds of cars (small compacts to large SUVs). it works well in all of them. The cost is a fraction of a comparable solar system. Why not get double utilization out of the fuel your car is consuming?

We are concentrating on Africa where only 10% of people have access to electricity, I am looking for others to take the technology to other parts of the world. With over a billion cars on the roads of the world, this is an important untapped source of power. It isn't a total source of electricity, but it will still make a major dent in electric bill. Payback can be as little as 2 years.

We are looking for angel investors and partners to expand our markets and further develop the technology. Anyone interested in the technology or investing, I can be contacted through the website.

[becky bradshaw]

01:16 PM on 04/17/2011

Is this a type of "perpetual motion machine"?

Reference: http://www.nathancoppedge.com/Perpetual_Motion.html

[givemlharry]

01:26 PM on 04/17/2011

LOL, No it is just using the normal capability of any car to generate electricity, most of which is wasted once your car's battery is full.

[Joe The Nerd Ferraro]

09:12 PM on 04/17/2011

link isn't coming up.

[Brett y]

06:06 PM on 05/18/2011

and an "n" to powerstatio[n]africa

[becky bradshaw]

12:33 PM on 04/17/2011

Installation and permit expenses usually accounts for about 40% of the total cost of a residential solar system. Historically, Costco products cost more than industry averages for installation.

Reference: http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/semi-diy-solar-systems-at-costco-amazon/

[ItsGettingWeird]

12:23 PM on 04/17/2011

Damned good idea. I'd like to have a small setup on the roof of my carport, just to power a few strategically-located LED lights around the house. Power outage? As a bare minimum I just need to see my way around (like using the bathroom).

In other words, I don't personally see the need to spend a lot so that I can power everything in my home. On the other hand, I could install additional modules later when they come down in price and the cost/benefit justifies my decision.

Case in point: Remember those $10,000 plasma flat screen TV's around the year 2000? I just saw a new 52-inch LCD TV advertised for less than $600. Yes, "libs" do understand the benefits of a market economy.

[mjt218]

06:42 AM on 04/18/2011

These won't work in a power outage . . . . The inverter matches the voltage from the utility and stops converting the solar panel power to AC electricity if the utility power goes away (outage).

[StopThePlanet]

06:52 PM on 04/18/2011

You can buy a battery storage system.  They are ubiqitous but not as efficient as the non-storage systems.

[Ex Marine]

12:16 PM on 04/17/2011

One other thing. I wrote a letter to Home Depot a couple of years ago and suggested they do exactly the same thing.
I told them to be the ones to get the jump on everyone else. Of course my letter was ignored.
I wonder if they will get on board now.

[mjt218]

06:44 AM on 04/18/2011

They have ads for BP panels around the store, although I'm not sure they're setting up the contractor network like Costco

[Ex Marine]

12:14 PM on 04/17/2011

I took a class last year on how to install solar PV systems. I paid $1200 for it. I came away with just about all I need to know to do it. The only part I'll need to hire out is having the electrician come in and do the grid tie.
The pay back for this along with tax credits is around 5 years. If the house is sold, the solar array will up the value as well.
To the nay sayers. I think I'll go make some free toast now.

[Dragontech]

03:52 PM on 04/18/2011

It's only free if you are growing the wheat. LOL

Good job on the install, and a rationally reasoned argument, none-the-less. I am working on getting the same information from sources online, as well as how to build my own solar panels. The cost saving should cut the payback time in half. Since I am in Washington state, I'll have to include wind turbines too, to ensure constant power but to make a 10 foot diameter turbine is not that much more than a single 18-volt PV panel. It makes AC power, not DC, but with the wind around here, that's a lot of power.

[StopThePlanet]

06:54 PM on 04/18/2011

I had a system installed about 5 years ago.  I am more than half way through paying for the system.  It is great.

[GeeuaReux2]

11:59 AM on 04/17/2011

Wonderful they are made in America!!!