It would be cool if there was a cost-efficient way to use your
vanagon's solar panel for powering your home appliances when you are
home.  E.g. when you are home, you unplug your solar panel and set it
up in the back yard.   Anyone figured this out?  I'd assume that grid-
tie systems don't make any sense with 50-120 watt panels.

Is there anything around the house that would be handy to power w/
solar?  Maybe your laptop?  What would be cool would be a inverter
that had two inputs:  solar panel (12-18v) and 120VAC and put out
120VAC.    Plug your home computers into it, and when you are home,
plug your solar panel into it.