OT: Solar Panels

[afx114]

A couple of week ago JtR posted a great video interview with one of his clients who had recently installed solar. Lots of informative anecdotes from the homeowners on their experience and the current state of solar. They discuss the options available and elaborate on why they chose one option over another.

http://www.bubbleinfo.com/2011/05/28/solar/

[ocrenter]

[quote=Aecetia]The rebates are pretty good and if you use a lot of electricity, it is probably worth it. Beats burning up in the summer. Definitely worth having someone give you an estimate and have a free energy audit done on your home. We have had solar for a year and it cut the bills in half. Last high bill during the summer was for over 600. due to running the air conditioner. Next improvement will be new insulation. I know that SDG&E will probably figure out a way to raise rates anyway, but this was a solution for now. Love that free sun energy.[/quote]

Ok, if you get bills up to $600 per month I think solar is a no brainer. We max out at roughly $200 per month. Which makes it a lot harder the pencil out. Especially with the concern that there might be significant leap forward in regard to the technology.

For us the real no brainer was the artificial grass. Figuring $200 in monthly saving from the water and gardener, the $8000 cost would take less than 3.5 years to break even. The drop in price compared to just five yrs ago was incredible as well. We are a lot better off waiting for the price drop and “miss” the rebates offered a few yrs ago. I
think solar will likely head down the same path.

[ocrenter]

[quote=Aecetia]The rebates are pretty good and if you use a lot of electricity, it is probably worth it. Beats burning up in the summer. Definitely worth having someone give you an estimate and have a free energy audit done on your home. We have had solar for a year and it cut the bills in half. Last high bill during the summer was for over 600. due to running the air conditioner. Next improvement will be new insulation. I know that SDG&E will probably figure out a way to raise rates anyway, but this was a solution for now. Love that free sun energy.[/quote]

Ok, if you get bills up to $600 per month I think solar is a no brainer. We max out at roughly $200 per month. Which makes it a lot harder the pencil out. Especially with the concern that there might be significant leap forward in regard to the technology.

For us the real no brainer was the artificial grass. Figuring $200 in monthly saving from the water and gardener, the $8000 cost would take less than 3.5 years to break even. The drop in price compared to just five yrs ago was incredible as well. We are a lot better off waiting for the price drop and “miss” the rebates offered a few yrs ago. I
think solar will likely head down the same path.

[ocrenter]

[quote=Aecetia]The rebates are pretty good and if you use a lot of electricity, it is probably worth it. Beats burning up in the summer. Definitely worth having someone give you an estimate and have a free energy audit done on your home. We have had solar for a year and it cut the bills in half. Last high bill during the summer was for over 600. due to running the air conditioner. Next improvement will be new insulation. I know that SDG&E will probably figure out a way to raise rates anyway, but this was a solution for now. Love that free sun energy.[/quote]

Ok, if you get bills up to $600 per month I think solar is a no brainer. We max out at roughly $200 per month. Which makes it a lot harder the pencil out. Especially with the concern that there might be significant leap forward in regard to the technology.

For us the real no brainer was the artificial grass. Figuring $200 in monthly saving from the water and gardener, the $8000 cost would take less than 3.5 years to break even. The drop in price compared to just five yrs ago was incredible as well. We are a lot better off waiting for the price drop and “miss” the rebates offered a few yrs ago. I
think solar will likely head down the same path.

[ocrenter]

[quote=Aecetia]The rebates are pretty good and if you use a lot of electricity, it is probably worth it. Beats burning up in the summer. Definitely worth having someone give you an estimate and have a free energy audit done on your home. We have had solar for a year and it cut the bills in half. Last high bill during the summer was for over 600. due to running the air conditioner. Next improvement will be new insulation. I know that SDG&E will probably figure out a way to raise rates anyway, but this was a solution for now. Love that free sun energy.[/quote]

Ok, if you get bills up to $600 per month I think solar is a no brainer. We max out at roughly $200 per month. Which makes it a lot harder the pencil out. Especially with the concern that there might be significant leap forward in regard to the technology.

For us the real no brainer was the artificial grass. Figuring $200 in monthly saving from the water and gardener, the $8000 cost would take less than 3.5 years to break even. The drop in price compared to just five yrs ago was incredible as well. We are a lot better off waiting for the price drop and “miss” the rebates offered a few yrs ago. I
think solar will likely head down the same path.

[ocrenter]

[quote=Aecetia]The rebates are pretty good and if you use a lot of electricity, it is probably worth it. Beats burning up in the summer. Definitely worth having someone give you an estimate and have a free energy audit done on your home. We have had solar for a year and it cut the bills in half. Last high bill during the summer was for over 600. due to running the air conditioner. Next improvement will be new insulation. I know that SDG&E will probably figure out a way to raise rates anyway, but this was a solution for now. Love that free sun energy.[/quote]

Ok, if you get bills up to $600 per month I think solar is a no brainer. We max out at roughly $200 per month. Which makes it a lot harder the pencil out. Especially with the concern that there might be significant leap forward in regard to the technology.

For us the real no brainer was the artificial grass. Figuring $200 in monthly saving from the water and gardener, the $8000 cost would take less than 3.5 years to break even. The drop in price compared to just five yrs ago was incredible as well. We are a lot better off waiting for the price drop and “miss” the rebates offered a few yrs ago. I
think solar will likely head down the same path.

[scaredyclassic]

the amount of your electric usage isnt really the determinative factor. you can buy as many panels as you want and any extra energy you produce goes back to the grid. the investment is relatively propertional to the amount of electricity you want to produce. in fact, you a rent generally using your own electricity, you sell it back to the grid whilst you’re away during the day, come and use what you rpoduced at night, though your night electricity is probably from coal or something.

you’re still connected to the grid and your meter.

[scaredyclassic]

the amount of your electric usage isnt really the determinative factor. you can buy as many panels as you want and any extra energy you produce goes back to the grid. the investment is relatively propertional to the amount of electricity you want to produce. in fact, you a rent generally using your own electricity, you sell it back to the grid whilst you’re away during the day, come and use what you rpoduced at night, though your night electricity is probably from coal or something.

you’re still connected to the grid and your meter.

[scaredyclassic]

the amount of your electric usage isnt really the determinative factor. you can buy as many panels as you want and any extra energy you produce goes back to the grid. the investment is relatively propertional to the amount of electricity you want to produce. in fact, you a rent generally using your own electricity, you sell it back to the grid whilst you’re away during the day, come and use what you rpoduced at night, though your night electricity is probably from coal or something.

you’re still connected to the grid and your meter.

[scaredyclassic]

the amount of your electric usage isnt really the determinative factor. you can buy as many panels as you want and any extra energy you produce goes back to the grid. the investment is relatively propertional to the amount of electricity you want to produce. in fact, you a rent generally using your own electricity, you sell it back to the grid whilst you’re away during the day, come and use what you rpoduced at night, though your night electricity is probably from coal or something.

you’re still connected to the grid and your meter.

[scaredyclassic]

the amount of your electric usage isnt really the determinative factor. you can buy as many panels as you want and any extra energy you produce goes back to the grid. the investment is relatively propertional to the amount of electricity you want to produce. in fact, you a rent generally using your own electricity, you sell it back to the grid whilst you’re away during the day, come and use what you rpoduced at night, though your night electricity is probably from coal or something.

you’re still connected to the grid and your meter.

[sdduuuude]

One thing to keep in mind that electricity is priced in tiers.

Your first bundle of electricity per month is priced at x per kwH. The next bundle is x+a per kwH, next bundle is x+b, then x+c, etc.

Because of this tiered pricing, it isn’t necessarily cost-effective to install enough panels to eliminate all of your electric bill but it can be cost-effective to install enough panels to ensure that you don’t leave the baseline tier.

The cost of adding panels is tiered as well. In addition to the panels, you need some equipment to manage the power. This equipment can only handle so many panels. After 30 panels or so, you may need some new equipment and it is expensive so stopping at 30 may be best because panel number 31 costs alot more than panel number 29.

Best to pull up a couple years of monthly usage and pricing data and make make a spreadsheet to see how these capital cost and exprense reuduction tiers overlap. It will help you find the optimal installation.

Everyone gets all excited about running the meter backwards and selling power, but really a smart installation shouldn’t get you to that point.

[sdduuuude]

One thing to keep in mind that electricity is priced in tiers.

Your first bundle of electricity per month is priced at x per kwH. The next bundle is x+a per kwH, next bundle is x+b, then x+c, etc.

Because of this tiered pricing, it isn’t necessarily cost-effective to install enough panels to eliminate all of your electric bill but it can be cost-effective to install enough panels to ensure that you don’t leave the baseline tier.

The cost of adding panels is tiered as well. In addition to the panels, you need some equipment to manage the power. This equipment can only handle so many panels. After 30 panels or so, you may need some new equipment and it is expensive so stopping at 30 may be best because panel number 31 costs alot more than panel number 29.

Best to pull up a couple years of monthly usage and pricing data and make make a spreadsheet to see how these capital cost and exprense reuduction tiers overlap. It will help you find the optimal installation.

Everyone gets all excited about running the meter backwards and selling power, but really a smart installation shouldn’t get you to that point.

[sdduuuude]

One thing to keep in mind that electricity is priced in tiers.

Your first bundle of electricity per month is priced at x per kwH. The next bundle is x+a per kwH, next bundle is x+b, then x+c, etc.

Because of this tiered pricing, it isn’t necessarily cost-effective to install enough panels to eliminate all of your electric bill but it can be cost-effective to install enough panels to ensure that you don’t leave the baseline tier.

The cost of adding panels is tiered as well. In addition to the panels, you need some equipment to manage the power. This equipment can only handle so many panels. After 30 panels or so, you may need some new equipment and it is expensive so stopping at 30 may be best because panel number 31 costs alot more than panel number 29.

Best to pull up a couple years of monthly usage and pricing data and make make a spreadsheet to see how these capital cost and exprense reuduction tiers overlap. It will help you find the optimal installation.

Everyone gets all excited about running the meter backwards and selling power, but really a smart installation shouldn’t get you to that point.

[sdduuuude]

One thing to keep in mind that electricity is priced in tiers.

Your first bundle of electricity per month is priced at x per kwH. The next bundle is x+a per kwH, next bundle is x+b, then x+c, etc.

Because of this tiered pricing, it isn’t necessarily cost-effective to install enough panels to eliminate all of your electric bill but it can be cost-effective to install enough panels to ensure that you don’t leave the baseline tier.

The cost of adding panels is tiered as well. In addition to the panels, you need some equipment to manage the power. This equipment can only handle so many panels. After 30 panels or so, you may need some new equipment and it is expensive so stopping at 30 may be best because panel number 31 costs alot more than panel number 29.

Best to pull up a couple years of monthly usage and pricing data and make make a spreadsheet to see how these capital cost and exprense reuduction tiers overlap. It will help you find the optimal installation.

Everyone gets all excited about running the meter backwards and selling power, but really a smart installation shouldn’t get you to that point.

[Author]

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