The truth about mining and clean energy…-- The hidden costs of rare earth minerals needed for solar energy. [Updated to added on 3/9/21]
Is Solar Worth It? Not without rebates and SREC. Taxpayers pay a huge amount towards each installation.
The Real Cost of Wind and Solar
The Hidden Costs of Maintenance
After your initial investment, there are additional costs and time involved that few ever mention. This includes:
Unless automated, you will have to tilt the panels twice a year to account for the change in the location of the sun
Panels must be kept clean to maintain efficiency: bird droppings, dust, dirt, leaves, and pollen can lower efficiency
If it snows, the panels must be cleared to work at all. This is every time it snows.
If you are off the grid, you will need a generator to cover those time you haven't generated enough power. At the minimum, the generator will need an oil change and new filter each year. This will likely take 30 to 45 minutes, and cost $50-60 for synthetic oil. You may also need distilled water and coolant depending on your system.
If you are the grid you will also need power storage via batteries. Batteries must be checked seven to eight times (every 45 days) a year to ensure they are 80% full. If low, you will have to add distilled water which costs about $1.50/gallon. Each battery is roughly $400 and generally last about 10 years if kept adequately filled. Most batteries in use at this time are lead acid based.