Solar Panels: Are They Worth It?

That depends on your circumstances.
  
“It depends on what is motivating the household to make the decision to [install] solar,” Becca Jones-Albertus, director of the US Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office, told CNET.  

If you’re looking to be 100% energy independent or live off the grid, solar could be a good way to reach those goals. If your state has robust net metering or you have high energy costs, your solar panels could start saving you money in (relatively) short order. If you aren’t planning on moving for many years or have reason to believe the short-term energy savings and the boost to your home’s value will recoup your investment, solar could pay off.