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Yeah it would probably be more like $250 or so for us, I’m not sure because it’s been six years since we shifted over to solar and rates certainly have gone up since our last traditional bill. We are frugal with electricity like you but our neighbors, a single woman and a couple with one kid, albeit both with AC which we don’t have and the couple have a Tesla, were complaining of those very bill amounts with otherwise similar size houses before they went solar. Our ROI was for our annual usage calculated and the rate with predicted modest increases at the time when we signed up and it was a more generous net-metering program available then.
Yeah that seems more inline, high, but realistic. My bill went from never being over $100 to $150-$250 without any major usage changes. SDG&E has all sorts of tear pricing (and I do my best not to consume/abuse during 4-9pm), but all said and done it still comes out to over .30c a kWh.
Wow that's really interesting. I wonder why mine was different- they just clamped the solar output to the main feed line inside my breaker box; didn't even give the systems their own breakers. The amazing thing is that my systems are before the main breaker, so shutting off the main breaker still leaves the systems energized. The solar systems themselves have big red "on/off" boxes right next to the main panel.
Those clamps together have about ~17,000 watts running through them at certain times of the day. I can see the insulation slightly melted around them. Although, it was nice not to have to get a new main panel!
Totally agree on the permitting- lots of inspections, rewiring, and red tape. First system took nearly 8 months to get online due to permitting, but the second system was much faster (ironically because they never closed the first permit so the building department just added the second system to the first and closed both at once).
Our solar equipment is in the garage, nothing is outside other than the solar panels on the roof. We have a Sol-Ark hybrid inverter that uses optimizers on the panels, not micro inverters. It uses breakers in the main panel and the battery back up also.
Room was going to be needed in our panel for any future growth/additions. We went from a 30 to a 40 breaker panel and the emergency panel has 24. We were building a free standing small garage/large shed with electricity going to it and plan on a plug-in car in the future, so more space would be needed in the panel.
The company gave us three estimates. Solar panels only. Solar panels and battery back up ready. Solar panels with battery back up. Our top three companies had electricians doing the estimates.
OP, our local extension office offered a Zoom program on going solar. The first teaching point was to have an energy audit from your utility company and make your home more energy efficient before putting in a solar system. Money is better spent on energy efficient windows, doors, insulation, and appliances before thinking about a solar system. After that is done, then decide if solar will be a benefit or not.
Most people skip this basic step while wanting to lower electric bills. Making a home more energy efficient first may make the a solar system not worth the investment.
OP, our local extension office offered a Zoom program on going solar. The first teaching point was to have an energy audit from your utility company and make your home more energy efficient before putting in a solar system. Money is better spent on energy efficient windows, doors, insulation, and appliances before thinking about a solar system. After that is done, then decide if solar will be a benefit or not.
Most people skip this basic step while wanting to lower electric bills. Making a home more energy efficient first may make the a solar system not worth the investment.
How true!
In every house I have owned one of the first things I do is have an energy audit from the utilities (usually free or heavily discounted) and get a baseline. Then I go out and buy several tubes of plain old latex caulk and go through every room in the house sealing gaps in any penetrations in the ceilings and exterior walls.
This has consistently resulted in decreases in the energy consumption of the house immediately, some more than others depending on the age of the house and the local climate.
Where my primary home is (Florida), the legislature is in bed with the utilities and bends to their lobbying to discourage the use of solar at every turn. It’s so bad that they have even sponsored legislation to eliminate net metering (the requirement for a utility to have to purchase excess power from solar producers.) Without net metering your payout will go out decades. They passed legislation that effectively eliminated the ability to have a leased system, making even fewer people eligible to install solar.
Your return on your solar system is an anecdote, nothing more. Calling it a worthwhile investment is an opinion. There is no reason to benchmark any particular installation when so many variables exist.
You made the following general statement, and as a general statement, it’s wrong.
The poster you’re butting heads with explained HIS situation. I must have missed where he claimed that his situation was universal.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kokonutty
Neither a swimming pool nor solar panels are investments. See a financial planner.
On the other hand if you wish to improve the way you live either may be personally, but not financially, rewarding.
Our solar equipment is in the garage, nothing is outside other than the solar panels on the roof. We have a Sol-Ark hybrid inverter that uses optimizers on the panels, not micro inverters. It uses breakers in the main panel and the battery back up also.
Room was going to be needed in our panel for any future growth/additions. We went from a 30 to a 40 breaker panel and the emergency panel has 24. We were building a free standing small garage/large shed with electricity going to it and plan on a plug-in car in the future, so more space would be needed in the panel.
The company gave us three estimates. Solar panels only. Solar panels and battery back up ready. Solar panels with battery back up. Our top three companies had electricians doing the estimates.
That's a beautiful setup! I went without storage and now slightly kick myself for it- we have a standby generator but it's a pain in the rear to keep it running. Seems like every 4 or 5 months there is a maintenance issue on it. For our twice yearly power outages I'd much prefer to use my solar instead of the noisy generator.
I too have the centralized inverter and panel-level optimizers, that seems to be the most popular way to do it now as opposed to the microinverters. I have one SolarEdge system and one SMA system (the SMA has Tigo optimizers too like yours).
I am a fully electric house so my usage is very high- I use 25 MWH per year and I generate about 23 MWH. I have enough panels but about half of them are not facing in a great direction; one day I might take 12 of them off the west-facing roof and ground mount them to be south-facing to push my production over my usage. I have an unused section of property that gets perfect sunlight, it's just a good 150 feet from the house so haven't had the energy to undertake the project.
Our power costs 23.5c per KWH, so my usage is $5,875/yr and I generate $5,405/yr. The systems cost about $27k all-in out of pocket after all incentives, which is nearly exactly a 5 year break-even. I hate NY electric prices but at least the rates make solar a no brainer.
That's a beautiful setup! I went without storage and now slightly kick myself for it- we have a standby generator but it's a pain in the rear to keep it running. Seems like every 4 or 5 months there is a maintenance issue on it. For our twice yearly power outages I'd much prefer to use my solar instead of the noisy generator.
I too have the centralized inverter and panel-level optimizers, that seems to be the most popular way to do it now as opposed to the microinverters. I have one SolarEdge system and one SMA system (the SMA has Tigo optimizers too like yours).
I am a fully electric house so my usage is very high- I use 25 MWH per year and I generate about 23 MWH. I have enough panels but about half of them are not facing in a great direction; one day I might take 12 of them off the west-facing roof and ground mount them to be south-facing to push my production over my usage. I have an unused section of property that gets perfect sunlight, it's just a good 150 feet from the house so haven't had the energy to undertake the project.
Our power costs 23.5c per KWH, so my usage is $5,875/yr and I generate $5,405/yr. The systems cost about $27k all-in out of pocket after all incentives, which is nearly exactly a 5 year break-even. I hate NY electric prices but at least the rates make solar a no brainer.
For those that are simply looking to reduce energy costs, this is a non-issue. However, many don’t understand that without battery backup, a simple grid-tied solar system won’t work when the power goes out. No grid power, no electricity at all. “But I have solar!!” Too bad. No batteries, and you’re out of luck.
For anyone considering solar, this is an important consideration that shouldn’t be overlooked.
You made the following general statement, and as a general statement, it’s wrong.
The poster you’re butting heads with explained HIS situation. I must have missed where he claimed that his situation was universal.
Try to keep your rolling eyes in your head, it may prevent you from missing those things you comment on.
Quote:
Originally Posted by astrohip
Is it necessary for me to refute this every time someone new comes to this thread and says this? Or can I just point to my half dozen posts so far, every single explaining how solar panels are specifically an investment?
For those that are simply looking to reduce energy costs, this is a non-issue. However, many don’t understand that without battery backup, a simple grid-tied solar system won’t work when the power goes out. No grid power, no electricity at all. “But I have solar!!” Too bad. No batteries, and you’re out of luck.
For anyone considering solar, this is an important consideration that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Great point. Most people don't realize when they lose power, the solar panels are intentionally shut down. That's to prevent your solar juice from going upstream during a blackout, potentially harming line workers.
Either batteries, or in my case, I have a standby generator.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kokonutty
Try to keep your rolling eyes in your head, it may prevent you from missing those things you comment on.
How about we let this battle of the words end? I'm sure everyone else is tired of reading it. Let's call it a draw, and move on.
Try to keep your rolling eyes in your head, it may prevent you from missing those things you comment on.
I haven’t missed anything. Read astrohips posts. He’s talking about his situation.
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