Also, if you are thinking about making your own solar panels to cut the cost of your solar energy house, please be aware of the following:

- In the US, you will NOT be allowed to connect your home made solar panels to the grid. If you want your solar energy house to be connected to the grid, you must use solar panels with UL certification. Many countries have similar regulations.

- Commercially manufactured solar panels come with 25 year performance guarantees. DIY solar panels have no guarantees and will probably last just a few years at best.

- With any home made solar panel there is a risk of fire from poor quality soldering. If your DIY solar panel ignited and resulted in fire damage to your house, your insurance company might be a little reluctant to pay out for a fire caused by a solar panel that did not have UL certification.

- And the final nail in the coffin of a home made solar energy house: in the US, home made solar panels will NOT qualify for the significant rebates and tax credits that are available.

If you want solar panels for your solar energy house and want a system that is safe, reliable, qualifies for rebates and will really cut your electricity bills, forget DIY. DIY can be a great introduction to understanding what it means to have a solar energy house, but it is not a viable alternative to factory made solar panels.