Clean Energy on Aisle 9! Solar Panels Now Available at Lowe’s
As of last Thursday, solar panels come in a Big Box. National do-it-yourself department store leader Lowe’s now stocks its shelves with solar power kits. The single-panel kits come with Andalay Solar panels manufactured by Akeena Solar. They are currently being sold for $893 a pop at 21 Lowe’s locations in California.
The move by Lowe’s and Akeena is a breakthrough for DIY solar enthusiasts, and while it’s not the first time solar kits have been sold in stores (Home Depot did it for a while and now sells them online), it currently represents the only available avenue for folks thinking about going solar to actually walk into a store and put their hands on a solar panel.
DIY solar is still not for everyone. It requires a good amount of skill and experience, which will help prevent common problems with installation, namely leaky roofs. However, Andalay panels are uniquely suited to DIY’ers because they contain fewer components and wiring than other solar panels, including integrated panel-to-panel connectors, and are therefore easier and faster to install.
However, an electrician will be needed to hook the panels up to the electric grid. Potential buyers should also bear in mind that any and all paperwork regarding solar rebates, which is usually filled out by professional installers, would need to be filled out by you, the homeowner. DIY systems may not be eligible for rebates, either.
Nevertheless, there are plenty of DIY’ers out there fully capable of installing a solar panel or two and they now have easy access to them. If you’re anything like me, where a run to the hardware store for a $5 part easily turns into a $100 shopping spree, this could be a dangerous opportunity. Another good thing about Andalay Solar systems is they are easy to add on to later, so Lowe’s shoppers can easily build their solar array one panel at a time.
Lowe’s will also sell smaller solar kits made by SunForce to power RVs or provide backup power.
Source: CNBC
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Posted on December 18th in Solar Products by Dan.
December 20th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Your comment about this being the only store a consumer can walk into and buy solar is a bit off base. There is The Energy Savings Store in The Kansas City area owned by Bob Solger and company where you can buy/see/touch wind, solar and thermal energy items.
January 16th, 2010 at 9:26 am
Yes, It looks easier that we can find solar power kit in the convenient store in your local area. But when you need to build a solar panel, you still need some technical skills or decent instruction.