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Yes, I'm in the process of installing solar hot water AND solar electric (Photo Voltaic (PV)) at my home. Solar hot water is more economical in terms of length of payback so the experts (solar installation companies) advocate using both.
Hot water also has much fewer bureaucratic issues as the power company, Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) in spite of what they profess would rather sell me power than have me get it for free from the sun. So they have instituted a permitting process which can sometimes take months to navigate. Also some neighborhoods have community associations that insist that what you put on your roof can conceivably be any of their business. Thankfully mine does not.
I am currently at the stage of having the hot water installed and hopefully working, and am waiting for the permits for the PV. I have applied for a 10KW PV permit, but have only contracted for 6KW. Based on my current use that will be close to what I need, but adding additional panels will be relatively easy as I will already have the permits for more. The cost of my system is about $7K or hot water and $35K for PV, but incentives and tax breaks will cut that more than in half.
The climate and economy in Hawaii is the most advantageous for solar as we have the most year around sunshine and the highest electrical rates in the nation, but it may also be advantageous in other areas. I think it mostly depends on the local electrical rates.
You can drive through nearly any neighborhood and see solar panels on nearly every rooftop. There is a fairly recent state law requiring all new home construction have some amount of solar or other renewable energy installed but I’m not familiar with that.
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