Building my own solar power system

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

DIY vs. Installer Economics

  • Many readers are struck by the large gap between DIY cost and installer quotes; DIY looks tempting if you can handle design, sourcing, and physical work.
  • Others argue that professional quotes aren’t as outrageous if you factor in labor, permitting, warranties, and roof work; some think the author slightly overpaid on hardware at retail.
  • A recurring “middle path” is: hire electricians/roofers for dangerous parts, DIY design and panel/battery choices, or buy from the same wholesalers installers use.
  • Some note that subsidy structures and tax credits can distort quoted prices upward.

Permitting, Regulation, and Utilities

  • Permitting and PG&E/PUC rules are seen as the biggest barriers: complex interconnect rules, inspections, placards, and in some cases bans on sizable off‑grid systems.
  • Several posts frame the spread of home solar as a symptom of a “broken” or rent‑seeking utility regime, especially in California.
  • Others counter that distributed solar does reduce transmission/distribution strain, which partly explains why utilities resist it.

Load Size, Homelabs, and Efficiency

  • The author’s ~1 kW continuous rack triggers a long side discussion:
    • 1 kW 24/7 is ~8,760 kWh/year, more than total house usage for some people.
    • Detailed homelab breakdowns (drives, NICs, fans, PoE, RAM) show how easily racks hit 1–4 kW.
    • Several argue for “rightsizing”: newer CPUs, fewer spinning disks, more virtualization, and hot/cold storage tiers could cut power by ~10×.
  • Others are relaxed: as long as solar/batteries cover it and the owner is happy, it’s just another lifestyle choice.

Batteries, Storage, and Grid-Level Issues

  • Multiple DIYers report large LFP banks (10–160 kWh) and off‑grid systems with near‑zero ongoing costs once built.
  • Cost of batteries per kWh is falling fast; some commenters claim lifetime costs of a few cents per kWh cycled.
  • Grid-level storage ideas appear: molten salt/sand heat storage, gravity storage, neighborhood batteries, EVs as mobile storage, hot‑water‑tank buffering.
  • Net metering changes (e.g., NEM3, Dutch feed‑in charges) push people toward local batteries and self‑consumption rather than exporting at poor rates.

Distributed Generation and Off‑Grid Microgrids

  • Several describe sophisticated private microgrids (farms, coffee estates, rural compounds) with tens of kW of PV, multi‑house distribution, hydro/biogas backup, and automation.
  • These systems often grew “organically” over years and now beat local grid economics, especially where grid power is expensive or unreliable (Caribbean, Nigeria, some US rural areas).
  • Commenters working on policy see distributed generation as likely mainstream within 10–20 years, especially where transmission is saturated.

International Prices, Subsidies, and Policy Distortions

  • Readers from Europe, Canada, Australia, and elsewhere report dramatically cheaper installs: 10–13 kW PV plus batteries often for €7–15k equivalent, post‑subsidy.
  • This leads to speculation that US costs are inflated by soft costs (permitting, licensing, liability, sales overhead), tariffs, and subsidy‑driven price capture.
  • Debate ensues over whether subsidies inherently raise prices versus whether insufficient competition and heavy regulation are the core problem.

Complexity, Safety, and Who Should DIY

  • Several people say the article scared them off full DIY; electrical and regulatory complexity feel too high compared with plumbing/woodwork.
  • Others insist it’s “more straightforward than people think” if you’re comfortable with heavy lifting, basic electrical knowledge, and slow, careful planning.
  • Safety concerns arise around large battery banks in homes (fire, insurance), high‑voltage DC, and roof work; many advise at least contracting critical pieces to licensed pros.