Since we are experiencing economy crisis right now, we ought to find ways on how to lessen our daily expenses. We all prioritize expenses at home and it's really amazing to have this solar energy for our homes. It is great to save money from our electricity bills.

Is Solar panel useful? Or is it worth the price? And with regards to the weather, during Winter and rainy days, it can't charge energy, will it still worth the price? Thanks.

 

Whether photovoltaic power is economically feasible or not depends on where one is in the world.

In Germany and Japan, photovoltaic power is less expensive than coal power. California will soon be in the same boat. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have affordable hydroelectric power, so photovoltaic is not catching on so quickly. Near the coal mines, coal power is a small fraction of the cost of photovoltaic power.

Remember, it's not just the cost of generation - we must add the cost of financing over the expected life of generation.

Some people believe we should construct vast PV plants in the Sahara, the Australian Outback, and other deserts. But the heat in such places imposes a 9% to 12% reduction in rated power of the panels. And there will be huge losses in transporting that power.

PV plants nearer population centers in more temperate regions are promising, but still a bit pricey.

Photovoltaic is one small part of a bigger answer. Wind, geothermal, solar-thermal, micro-hydro, tidal, and other solutions must all be perused in those locales where each makes sense.

 

My neighbourhood got new electricity meters. Mine and my next door neighbour's meters were both changed within seconds. They started from zero.
I have noticed that her meter reads almost double the consumption as mine.

The houses are the same size and were built at the same time.
She lives alone and rarely has visitors. I live with my wife and our kids and friends frequently visit. My mother-in-law stays for a few months twice a year.

My neighbour wastes as much electricity as is possible.
I save as much electricity as is possible.

 

Perhaps you should offer to educate/assist the nice lady. I suspect she would appreciate such neighborly expert advice as you could provide.

 

Somebody (my neighbour) who leaves incandescent outside lights on all day for weeks (she sees them each time she goes shopping or walking) and the air conditioner running with the windows open has a few screws loose.