Now at Home Depot: solar roofs

For all you naysayers (like us) who doubted that solar energy would ever become a mainstream phenomenon, we offer two words: Home Depot.

The home-improvement empire has partnered with BP Solar to provide solar-power systems, according to Treehugger, with services that include free home consultation, installation and follow-up inspection. The Home Depot solar page also links to a national database of state incentives for renewable energy and a special calculator so you can estimate your potential savings. (We also had our doubts about this whole Internet thing.)

(Photo: Homer TLC)

[doubletfan]

What a deal...

According to Home Depots savings calculator, I'll reduce my energy cost by 1/3, for the $49,000 Solar Panel. Lets see, my average bill is $250, that's $3,000 a year. 1/3 of that is $1,000. Great! Except my yearly bill on the $49,000 for the next 30 years is $3,700. That's a yearly net COST of $2,700. But hey, after 30 years I'll actually save $1000 year! Oh, except by then I've paid $81,000 more by using solar energy, and, according to Al Gore, we'll all be under water any way. Has Solar power made it's way to mainstream? I think not. Where's the made in China version? Walmart, where are you?