Solar panels in second home: when it pays and when it doesn't

Second homes have a unique pattern: empty 9-10 months, full in August and long weekends. If you list it on Airbnb everything changes. Solar strategy depends on how you use it.

Case 1: personal occasional use only

You visit 30-50 days/year. Consumption when present: 50-80 kWh/day (AC, pool, kitchen). Rest of year: only fridge and standby (5-10 kWh/day). With net metering, solar earns money year-round selling exports.

Case 2: vacation rental

Occupied 60-90% of summer + winter holidays. Heavy consumption similar to rural cottage. Solar covers 70-80% of annual bill. Payback 5-8 years. Bonus: 'eco-friendly' listing raises rate 10-20%.

Case 3: off-grid remote home

Pure off-grid with 10-15 kWh battery. Used only in summer, batteries must be designed for 'calendar life' (time aging, not cycles). LiFePO4 is the only chemistry that holds up sitting 9 months.

Specific risks

1) Nobody around 9 months, invisible failure (battery drains, BMS dies). 2) Panel theft in remote areas. 3) Vandalism in tourist areas. 4) Storms with no one to mitigate. Fixes: phone monitoring, anti-theft frames, dedicated home insurance.

When it DOESN'T pay

Empty 11 months without pool or AC, no rental, grid-tied: payback 15+ years because you consume so little. Better a small install for just refrigeration or surplus diversion to water heater.

If renting, read panels in rural cottage.