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Comment by denimnerd42 | Hacker News Reader

Ft Worth is fed by a massive supply of cheap wind energy from West Texas as well as natural gas and coal plants. Roof top solar isn't that viable here. Not many people want a $20-30k installation on top of a $200-400k house and the energy prices just aren't high enough to substantiate it.

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I've been a Fort Worth resident for nearly 4 years.

Anecdotal, but my old neighborhood (far south - near Crowley) had tons of residential solar (relatively speaking - probably 1/6 of the homes). It was a new development with no mature trees. TXU actually has a pretty attractive [residential solar program](https://www.txu.com/savings-solutions/renewable-energy/solar...) that lots of my neighbors took advantage of.

I've since bought a house built in the 60s. My new neighborhood (Ridglea) has lots of mature trees. There is no way solar would work here. My roof only gets sunlight for a couple of hours a day.

A big problem is solar installations aren't seen as equity items in homes through Texas and indeed the southeast US the same way they are on the west coast. I'm not sure why this paradigm exists though, considering these homes come with essentially free energy utility for the lifetime of the panels. You'd think that would be a major selling point, but it isn't.

Mostly right. Thought installation is more like $10-20K these days.

What's the insurance cost in Ft. Worth?

https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/community/fort-wort...

My relatives have had to replace their roof twice in the last 15 years. What's the hail-proof solar cost?

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