Poland featured in WalletHub article on solar panels

Justin Poland, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Maine, was featured in the “Ask the Experts” section of the WalletHub report, “Are solar panels worth it? Experts pick sides.” According to Poland, solar panels used to heat domestic hot water will typically provide 50–75 percent per year of the domestic hot water for a family in the contiguous 48 states of the U.S., as well as Hawaii. Solar energy is only useful in late spring, summer and early fall in parts of Alaska, he added. “The amount varies depending on the climate and the time of year, as solar energy is less available in winter than in summer and collection is easier in warmer southern climates than in colder northern climates,” Poland said. With an expected system life of 30-plus years, these systems will typically recover their cost in 15–20 years, he said. “If one is going to own their property for 15–20 years, they will recover the cost of initial installation,” Poland said. “A system could even more than pay for itself, enabling to to be refurbished or totally reinstalled after its useful lifetime, with some money still saved.”