This is a article about subdivisions of Net Zero Energy homes being built in California. Such homes combine an energy efficient structure with efficient lighting and appliances and then install (currently expensive) solar panels to generate power and also sell excess power back to the grid when the home is producing more than it needs itself.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8852127/site/newsweek/
The concept is economically workable now with subsidies such as CA has. The rest of us may have to wait. :-/
However, it does make economic sense to built a house that has the efficiency built into the structure and the wiring in place to take advantage of solar electric power when panel prices come down a notch or two.
Further Reading:
Habitat for Humanity project - http://tinyurl.com/a6kyd
Demonstration project in FL (PDF) - http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy01osti/29915.pdf
John, I read in the paper this morning that the President signed the new energy bill yesterday. Included is a $2000 tax credit for solar!!!! That should be a huge incentive to go solar.
Okie Bob
It kind of depends on what they mean by solar.
There've been a lot of state and federal rebates and incentives already for being on the grid and selling your excess back to your friendly local utility. A lot of people make money that way. Even lawyers. There have been lawsuits about how much the local utility is paying for the electricity. As little as possible and less than they promised is what is alleged in one case.
Maybe even enough in the way of rebates and incentives to raise the price of PV panels. I understand that demand worldwide is way way up.
Which may mean that a 2 grand rebate doesn't go nearly as far as it did five years ago. And if your idea of solar is to be off-grid you get to wade through shortages and still don't get the incentives. That's the way the incentives have been structured anyway.
Also Net Zero counts only operating costs, not capital costs or environmental costs. You could leave a 7000 SF mansions' windows and doors and try to cool it to 68 degrees in Houston and still be Net Zero if only you had enough panels stuck up somewhere.