‰ NOW 25 WPM ‰ TEXT IS FROM AUGUST 2012 QST PAGE 42‰ THE LAST FEW YEARS, THE DOUBLING OF ELECTRICITY COST, THE HALVING OF SOLAR PANEL COST, THE 35 EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT OF GRID TIE COMPARED TO BATTERIES AND THE 50 SUM OF COUNTY, STATE AND FEDERAL CASH OR TAX INCENTIVES MAKE SOLAR NOT ONLY CHEAPER THAN THE UTILITY, BUT MORE THAN A GUARANTEED 10 RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT. YOU CANNOT MATCH THAT IN ANY BANK. MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY OF SUCH A SYSTEM REQUIRES THE USE OF HIGH VOLTAGE DC INVERTERS. CHECK WITH YOUR ELECTRICIAN AND YOUR LOCAL BUILDING CODES TO FIND OUT WHAT CAN BE LEGALLY USED IN YOUR AREA AND HOW YOU CAN MAKE THE BEST USE OF IT. IN ADDITION SOME UTILITIES PAY YOU OVER 200 PER YEAR PER KW OF CAPACITY, JUST TO COUNT YOUR SYSTEM AS PART OF THEIR MANDATED RENEWABLE ENERGY. ADD THIS ALL UP, AND THE INCENTIVE TO GO SOLAR WITHOUT BATTERIES IS MORE THAN 20 TIMES WHAT IT WAS JUST A FEW YEARS AGO. IF YOU HAVE GOOD SUN EXPOSURE, AND WONT BE MOVING AGAIN, IT MAKES NO SENSE NOT TO INVEST IN SOLAR POWER ‰ END OF 25 WPM TEXT ‰ QST DE W1AW ƒ