[kimjo5150]

We started researching residential solar before we moved from WI. Now that we are here in Las Vegas solar is a much better option with the 6.3 hours of sun/day average. The next stage is the process is to find a company to do the complete installation or purchase the system and do a DIY install. (DIY with electrician for the final connection to the grid.)

Currently we are looking for a system that will generate approximately 1000 kwh/month to offset our NV Energy usage. From what I have found this would be at least a 6.00 kw system.

Questions for the forum:

1. Do you have whole house solar on your LV home?
2. Do you have a recommendation for installer/electrician?
3. Do you have a recommendation on who not to work with?
4. What is the price per watt, before incentives, for your system?
5. What recommendations can you share?

Thanks in advance for your assistance and advice.

Kim

[WestieJeff]

I'd be curious how this makes sense financially? The incentives in this state are poor compared to many others. There is or was an incentive program through NV Energy, but my understanding is it "sells out" within seconds of being released every year and it's basically a luck of the draw if you do get it.

Seems like when I had looked at it in the past, it was a 20-30 year or longer payback period, depending on how you inflated energy costs.

[ScoopLV]

A solar salesman broke it down for me. He recommended that I make the house unusually energy efficient. "If you do that," he said, "you won't need solar."

Odd sales pitch. But it turned out to be true. We spend so little money on electricity that it makes no sense whatsoever to install a solar system. (And we would need the smallest of systems to run the house.)

Solar panels are enjoying leaps in efficiency and drops in price. You'll know it's time to install when companies start offering to install solar systems for free in exchange for a cut of the savings.

[Packrat1]

ScoopLV what did you do to make your home so energy efficient?

[Jessey126]

Originally Posted by Packrat1

ScoopLV what did you do to make your home so energy efficient?

Not necessarily. Our house is appx. 3,700 sqft, and we pay around $100/mo in the summer, and roughly $40/mo the rest of the year. Insulation, ventilation, solar screens and swamp coolers are totally worthwhile investments. All of that savings translates to an extra week vacation for us every year. (We can afford to take more time off from work because we're not slaving away to pay NVenergy.)

Hi Packrat

The above is from a post of ScoopLV several months' ago to a reply of mine. I'm sure he posted other stuff - I'll try and find it and then link it (not sure how to do that but I'll figure it out) Anyway, he seems to be a bit of an energy saving buff so I guess we newbies can learn from him (and save more pennies)

[lvoc]

Heard an ad a couple of times recently suggesting that you can break even. Have not seen the details but basically that you can carry the system for the same or less than the power bills. They claim to guarantee that or pay it back to you.

The devil is undoubtedly in the details. I would also think that with a reasonable solar array one could opt for one of the time of day plans basically cutting your electric costs in half.

I have also seen some indications that without subsidy it is now getting down to about 15 years.

[kimjo5150]

So far in the research we have done you can get a 1000kwh/month (6.24 kw system) installed by the big names companies for about $25,000 - $35,000. We got a quote from a wholesaler for $14,500 for a 6.24 kw system. They estimate that the installation would run about $6,000. We could put the panels on our single story house ourselves and would just need an electrician to do the final connection bringing the install costs way down.

After the 30% Federal Tax Credit and the NVEnergy 2013 rebate of .50/watt the system payoff would be about 9 years. I have heard that a solar system would increase the home value by about $20,000. The increase in property value is not included for property tax calculations. (As if the property taxes are high to begin with here. About 1/4 of what we paid in WI.)

Not sure what NVEnergy will offer in 2014. Below is a link to the current incentives for renewable and efficiency.

DSIRE: Incentives/Policies by State: Nevada : Incentives/Policies for Renewables & Efficiency

Prior to considering going with solar power we worked on decreasing our energy usage. We have replaced the appliances that came with the house. (New energy efficient fridge, stove, dishwasher, washer, dryer, multiphase pool pump, pool heater) For us this was in the budget when we brought the house. We have also replaced all of our light bulbs with LCD bulbs. We are more aware of our electric use and continue to make improvements. Next on the list is insulation over the garage and a attic vent fan. We both work from home so we probably have higher energy consumption than those who work outside of the house but I will take that over the long car commute I had before we moved.

For us the solar system is move of an investment.

[lvoc]

You might also consider the impact of a time of day system. Even if have to buy a little expensive power now and then I think you might find that the half price of peak cost saves you a good bit more money.

Now I don't know they will let you do that...but I don't see off hand how they can prevent it.

[kimjo5150]

Having a grid tied system with Net Metering will still require a close eye on the time of day for sure.

With Net Metering any energy your solar system produces over your usage creates a credit to use when your solar system does not produce enough energy to meet your needs. Example is your system produces 1,000 kwh/month but you only use 500 kwh/month. This would give you a "credit" of 500 kwh. Next month you use 1,500 kwh but your system only produces 1,000 kwh. In this scenario you would not have to pay the base rate for the energy you have to draw from NVEnergy. The thing to remember is that you would still have to pay the premium time of day fees.

Another benefit of solar is that it is a fixed price to produce your energy. The rates NVEnergy charges has been increasing about 5% each year. All of the panels we have looked at have a 25 year warranty.

[ScoopLV]

That's all well and good.

But I'm sticking with the "be unusually efficient" approach. Our highest power bill over the past three years was $120. Most of our summer bills hover around $100 and the rest of the year it's always less than $40.

Point blank -- we spend roughly $700 per YEAR on electricity. Why on earth would we want to "invest" $30K to generate "free" electricity? Granted, we spent a few thousand to get our house this efficient. But much of it was sweat equity -- fabricating and installing solar screens, a pergola, roll down solar shades for the patio, and similar projects.