[engineer_22]

Subtropical latitudes in continental US markets, you're looking at like $2/yr/sq ft of value for the power output.

I'd want solar panels for like $5/sq ft installed, expecting 10 years of life.

It's going to cost $1000 minimum to install, so the panels need to cost $2/sq ft x 300 sq ft to make this worth it. $1000 to install 300 sq ft + inverter and electrical panel upgrades seems light but might be reasonable we'll go with it.

Larger than a balcony, but maybe in the realm of possibility for a roof.

Right now solar panels cost what? $10 per square foot? Have they reached the physical limit of economic production/storage/transportation at $10 per sq ft or can it go lower?

(Let's not get into battery micro-storage economics).

[wing-_-nuts]

When you consider your other option is a whole house generator which sits idle 99.99% of the time, requires regular maintenance, vs the fact that a solar / battery setup is providing resiliency AND lowering your power bill every month, it seems like solar / bat is a no brainer.

Your money, your choices, but I know which one I'm doing when I get a single family home.

[engineer_22]

False dilemma. There are other options.

[wing-_-nuts]

Such as? I've looked into the options, you can either get a whole house generator, which suffers from all the issues I described, or get a solar setup. I suppose if you lived by a stream you might be able to hook up a microturbine for hydro but that's very situational.

Cost is not the highest deciding factor for me. The resiliency renewables grant you would be worth it even at a premium