We looked at solar options when we bought our house about a year an a half ago. Using photovoltaic for power is an option, and saskpower has an option to tie your system into the grid so you don't have to use a battery bank (although if you don't you are as susceptible to power outages as anyone else). Unfortunately from a cost effective postion at current power rates it would take something like 15+ years to break even. The break even is less for wind, something like 8 or 9.
What is cost effective on a relatively short time is using solar to heat your water. The more hot water you use, the faster the system pays for itself. We chose not to add the system to our house yet, more out of inertia than anything else.
We looked at these options when checking out the Vereco house. They had a demo house set up at the WDM in 2011.
- Ian