how to build your own solar panels. I would like to know how it is that these plans for building solar panels work. I find it implausable to believe that just anyone could build solar voltaic cells with two hundred dollars of parts from the hardware store........so most probably what the plans are for is how to apply for a subsity for government asistance or something like that. then the two hundred might cover some aparatis to hold it in place. you couldent even purchase the glass to cover it for two hundred dollars.