Saving up money with windmails and solar panels

[Leto85]

I was wondering how much money my sims could save by placing 5 windmails and 10 solar panels on their lot, upgraded. I'm saving for those atributes because having a car in the garage really increases taxes. Can anybody tell me? than I know for sure it's worth it.

[Juxtaposition]

It's totally way worth it! When I put them down my bills dropped from 14K to 9K, then as I upgrade them, my bills stayed that low, even though I was busily adding lots of art to my lots. I think once they're all upgraded it's nearly half off.

[sydney511]

Where do you get the solar panels?

[Juxtaposition]

It's part of the Prius Eco Pack : Here they've  been really handy since I don't have WA installed, so I don't have access to the no bills ever reward.

[Hosfac]

It's totally way worth it! When I put them down my bills dropped from 14K to 9K, then as I upgrade them, my bills stayed that low, even though I was busily adding lots of art to my lots. I think once they're all upgraded it's nearly half off.

It's not half off, even when fully upgraded.  It's only .8% per panel/windmill you place, so with 10 solar panels and windmills (which as I remember is the maximum for both) it's only 16%.  I'm not exactly sure what upgrading them does, but it seems to double their effectiveness.  But 1/3 off your bills isn't bad.

[VampirePlasma]

I have one outside my house, only a solar panel, it's working. My bills went down from 1,000 and something to 400. I really saving money. Now with 8 people in the household and only 3 working. LOL.

[Pam]

But how much does it cost to install the solar panels and windmills?

[Leto85]

But how much does it cost to install the solar panels and windmills?

The two available solar panels (Day Star 3000 and the Heliosolaris III) both cost $300,- and the windmails (The Legendary Wind Raker and Wind Reaper) both cost $3000,-.

[jen2912]

What level of the handiness skill is needed to upgrade them?

[VampirePlasma]

You don't upgrade them, my Sim is in level 4 and he only get's the "View" option.

[Juxtaposition]

You can upgrade them, I have upgraded a full set of them, but I'm pretty sure it's at least minimum level five.

[VampirePlasma]

Oh thanks, level five. Didn't know that.

[Hosfac]

I thought it was level 5 that you get the option to upgrade them.  I didn't really know for sure because my Handiness sim is usually level 10 by the time I get around to the solar panels lol.

[Leto85]

Yes, level 5 is also something that I would think of immediatly true. But just like Hosfac: my sims was already uber maxed in handiness so confirming I really can't for sure.
And personally: I don't even know what benefit upgrading has on both the windmails or solar panels. I asume it will save you more money weekly. I've heard some of you saying placing 10 solar panels and 5 windmails can save you up 1/3 of the total bills every week, so maybe it will save you up 2/3 or at least 2/2 when upgraded. Who knows.

[TheChronicR]

I'm sorry for the off topic, but does the upgrade count towards the Handiness Skill Journal's "unique upgrades completed" percentage?