Original Message

If you're a handy type person you can easily and cheaply install solar yourself.

solar retails for about a dollar per watt uninstalled. So, five kilo watts is $5,000. 
a grid tie inverter is about $2,800. 
materials for installation are about $2,000.

and 3 days of labor. = less than $10,000 for a fully installed five kilowatt system.

after 12 years it's fully paid off, minor maintenance (depending on location).  

a bad hailstorm might completely destroy the panels.  Golf ball size or larger woutdoor be bad.

if you're not able to install the system yourself then its probably not cost effective.