Solar Power-Zero Emissions

[Runner30005]

My electrical provider Sawnee EMC (Cumming, GA) offers a Community Solar Power program via a monthly subscription charge of $26.85. Last month my subscription produced 252 kWh giving me a credit of $25.52. During the month I used 204 kWh to travel 694 miles at a prorated cost of $1.23 and zero emissions. However, to be fair, my subscribed power was significantly less in the winter months. And since this is my first year in the program I am wondering what kind of power generation I can expect during the summer months. If the generated power continues at close to break even I will consider signing up for additional blocks of power to offset what the house uses.

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[AtomicInternet]

I'm in South Carolina, so close to your latitude. My rooftop system peaks @ 500 kWh in May -> August and I only get about half that in the winter months.

If you're making money in the winter, you'll be making about double in the summer.

 

[67 Stang Convertible]

I'm sure alot of us have considered Solar. For those of you who have done it. Can you go over the Cost, size and the savings benefit to Solar to help push some of us over the edge. Also if you had a good experience with your company/installer, a good referral is always welcome. Thx!!

 

[Runner30005]

I'm sure alot of us have considered Solar. For those of you who have done it. Can you go over the Cost, size and the savings benefit to Solar to help push some of us over the edge. Also if you had a good experience with your company/installer, a good referral is always welcome. Thx!!

You should check and see if your power company offers a Community Solar Program. Mine had no upfront costs and I can quit anytime I want. At the age of 78 I am not sure how much longer I will be in my current home to meet the payback period of a rooftop installation.

 

[AtomicInternet]

I'm sure alot of us have considered Solar. For those of you who have done it. Can you go over the Cost, size and the savings benefit to Solar to help push some of us over the edge. Also if you had a good experience with your company/installer, a good referral is always welcome. Thx!!

1. Go here to see if you have enough exposure for solar to make sense:
   https://sunroof.withgoogle.com/
2. Call around to get several quotes, or go here:
   https://www.energysage.com/shop/home-solar-v4/
3. Call your utility company and ask what they pay for customer generation. I'm lucky in SC it's wholesale (meaning whatever kWh I produce, I take back out of the grid for free, no charge. Like a free battery.)
4. Be aware of the financials offered. It's typically buy outright or get a loan. I'm not 100% sure if this is still the case, but the loans used to give you a preferential rate for the first year if you agree to pay them your tax refund when you get it (before the year of low rate is up).
5. DO NOT fall for the "We'll pay to use your roof" scams. Nothing good comes from "renting" a solar system from a company. You should outright own the hardware after the loan is completed.

My system is a 14 panel 4.06 kWh that cost $15k (minus $4,500 tax rebate, so $10,500 final) and provides about half of my power needs. It's designed to last at least 20 years, but you'll just get less and less output over time so likely longer.
Because I'm in the south, I typically get maximum output when I need it the most (power for my A/C on hot days).

My utility provides a good breakdown every month, so you can see it saves me about 1/3 of my use even though I'm not in full summer sun yet.

I pay 12¢ / kWh so for me it's not really a huge money maker, I did it primarily because I'm a techno addict

I'm also an API nerd, so of course you can monitor my output real-time:
http://atomicinternet.homeip.net/solar/

 

[chuckles]

1. Go here to see if you have enough exposure for solar to make sense:
   https://sunroof.withgoogle.com/
2. Call around to get several quotes, or go here:
   https://www.energysage.com/shop/home-solar-v4/
3. Call your utility company and ask what they pay for customer generation. I'm lucky in SC it's wholesale (meaning whatever kWh I produce, I take back out of the grid for free, no charge. Like a free battery.)
4. Be aware of the financials offered. It's typically buy outright or get a loan. I'm not 100% sure if this is still the case, but the loans used to give you a preferential rate for the first year if you agree to pay them your tax refund when you get it (before the year of low rate is up).
5. DO NOT fall for the "We'll pay to use your roof" scams. Nothing good comes from "renting" a solar system from a company. You should outright own the hardware after the loan is completed.

My system is a 14 panel 4.06 kWh that cost $15k (minus $4,500 tax rebate, so $10,500 final) and provides about half of my power needs. It's designed to last at least 20 years, but you'll just get less and less output over time so likely longer.
Because I'm in the south, I typically get maximum output when I need it the most (power for my A/C on hot days).

My utility provides a good breakdown every month, so you can see it saves me about 1/3 of my use even though I'm not in full summer sun yet.

I pay 12¢ / kWh so for me it's not really a huge money maker, I did it primarily because I'm a techno addict

I'm also an API nerd, so of course you can monitor my output real-time:
http://atomicinternet.homeip.net/solar/

Energysage is a great service, but it is definitely a case of lowest-cost-bid may be highest-headache due to how many things need to go right for a project to get finished. You definitely want a competent installer, but you may get better bang for your buck with slightly costlier components (especially if they come with a longer/better warranty and you know you'll be in that home for a while).

Read through the reviews for any installer you are considering.

Only pick an installer that has done work recently in your same local area and successfully navigated whatever crazy local, county, and utility shenanigans that your project will also have to weave through.

Responsiveness is important: if you ask a question to an installer, they should get back to you reasonably promptly.

I'd call a roofer that you trust ASAP and get their opinion on the state your roof: you'll be installing something that is a royal PITA and expensive to pull off and remount if it turns out your shingles only have 5 years left in them. Good quality solar panels have a 25 year warranty—that's a long time. We had our roof replaced right before our solar install, but we weren't really thinking about that cost initially.

There's a ton of good advice on old.reddit.com/r/solar amidst at least a half-ton of iffy advice.

 

[Rick65]

I would say to also check if your utility company gives you credit for your over production that is pushed back on to the system so you can use them later when you needed them - so in essence they serve as your battery. My utility company does and I build credits over the months of low power usage (Spring/Fall) that I can draw on those credits in Winter/Summer)

 

[dtbaker61]

I'm sure alot of us have considered Solar. For those of you who have done it. Can you go over the Cost, size and the savings benefit to Solar to help push some of us over the edge. Also if you had a good experience with your company/installer, a good referral is always welcome. Thx!!

Customer-owned Solar is almost always better financially than Leased or community owned because YOU get the Federal and State tax credits, and 'future value' of the Energy the system will produce over it's warranty life life (and beyond) adds to the value of your home. If you don't have suitable area to install your own on ground or roof, then look for local 'Community Solar' opportunities.

Federal tax credit is 30% of gross cost back on your Federal tax liability (2024). Next step is to find out what your state tax credit may be, and what your local Utility allows for Solar Grid-tied Interconnection/backfeed. NM for instance has a 10% of gross cost credit toward state tax liability, but capped at $6000 per taxpayer per year. This will give you an accurate idea what your net cost will be given a gross cost proposal.

That being said, there are a few things to be very careful of when selecting an installer and equipment:
- insist on 'premium' modules having 25/25 year (degradation/workmanship) warranty from mfg.
- select an installer that has LOCAL Install crew, Project manager, Designer, and warehouse. Avoid Salespeople that hand the job off toa sub-contractor to install.
- ask about financing with a local credit union, and avoid installers offering in-house financing or very low rates because those originatin fees are buried in the up front cost. Then, take a close look at your savings, CDs, portfolio... and if you have funds available that are earning you less than the credit union solar loan rate; pay 'cash'.
- understand that it doesn't matter how old you are, or when you sell you home, if the solar equipment has a 25/25 warranty, the 'future value' of energy the system will produce is appraisable value, and hedging your against utility rate increases.

The size and cost of Solar for 100% offset can be estimated by:
- review your last 12mo of electric bills, total the kWhr consumed = USE_kWhr
- if you have not had your BEV for the 12 mo,
add EstimatedMoMiles*0.3*Months = BEV_kWhr
- if you have other 'future plans' like switching to hybrid heat pump for how water, switching from NG, propane, oil heat to Heat-pumps... then add that too.

Then, calculate Total_Annual_kwhr = USE_kWhr + BEV_kWhr + FUTURE_kwhr

Then, for estimating.... PV(DCkw needed) = Total_Annual_kwhr / 1700

Then, Gross_cost = PV(DCkw needed) * Local_Cost_per_kW
and Net_Cost = 0.70*Gross_cost - StateTC*Gross_cost

when all is said and done, you can calculate a conservative ROI by:
SolarEnergy$/kWhr = Net_Cost / (25yr*annual production)
...and compare that to your current cost/kWhr from the Utility; if its lower, its a win regardless how long the 'payback' period is since it is based on warrantied production value.

 

[charliec]

I'm sure alot of us have considered Solar. For those of you who have done it. Can you go over the Cost, size and the savings benefit to Solar to help push some of us over the edge. Also if you had a good experience with your company/installer, a good referral is always welcome. Thx!!

Gainesville, Florida here. I have a 10.7 KW solar array on a single south facing roof with no obstructions. The array cost about $34K before the 30% Federal tax credit. There are no annual maintenance costs as the installer (Affordable Solar of Clearwater, FL) provides a free solar panel cleaning once a year for the first 10 years. I climb up on the roof and give the array a light cleaning 2 or 3 more times per year.

The array generated 1.5 kWh this April despite that month being more cloudy than normal. December was the lowest month of the past year at 812 KWh. Unfortunately, we get clouds and rain almost daily during the summer, so my summer production is not as high as in April.

Since the wife and I are retired, we seldom charge our Mach-E more than once a week, usually from about 30% to 80%, which I loosely approximate as using 50 KWh per charge, leaving plenty left over to cover my household electric consumption. Gainesville has the highest utility prices in Florida, and I figure the solar array saves me around $3500 per year. At the end of December Gainesville Regional Utilities reimburses me for any excess electricity I sent them during that year at the rate of 5.56 cents per KWH, so I use that figure as the basis for the cost of the electricity my Mach-E uses, i.e., less than 2 cents per mile of driving! (In contrast, my F-150 costs almost 19 cents per mile to drive just for the gasoline.)

 

[Chuck]

May is the biggest producer of solar energy at my home in SoCal. This is ironic since May is known as "May Grey" here because the days almost always start out with a marine layer overhead.

 

[ridgebackpilot]

In North America, most of us who have solar arrays usually see about four times more production in the summer months than in the winter.

With 36 panels in NorCal, I’m usually off the grid for about half the year. Using the Emporia charger and energy monitor, I can even charge my EVs using excess solar energy rather than sending it all back to my utility.

I also have three Tesla Powerwall batteries, which allow me to “load shed” and draw from the grid to charge the vehicles only during off-peak pricing hours at night.

 

[milepost1]

I'm sure alot of us have considered Solar. For those of you who have done it. Can you go over the Cost, size and the savings benefit to Solar to help push some of us over the edge. Also if you had a good experience with your company/installer, a good referral is always welcome. Thx!!

Also be aware, if you sell your house, solar is not usually a good selling point. After qualifying for home loan, buyer also must qualify for remaining solar loan or lease. Bank may not qualify buyer with this additional loan. Even if paid for, seldom or ever do you get any additional in selling price of house. Just another thing to be aware of.

 

[ridgebackpilot]

Also be aware, if you sell your house, solar is not usually a good selling point. After qualifying for home loan, buyer also must qualify for remaining solar loan or lease. Bank may not qualify buyer with this additional loan. Even if paid for, seldom or ever do you get any additional in selling price of house. Just another thing to be aware of.

That has not been my experience. My solar energy system and EV charger serves to "future-proof" my home. When I sell it, I expect this will be a significant advantage in the market, especially as the EV revolution (or evolution) moves forward. With any luck, my home will command a higher price because it comes with a turn-key solar power system.

In California, at the time of sale I'll likely be expected to pay off any remaining loans I used to install my solar array. So the solar power system would go with the house unencumbered by any loan or lease payments.

 

[AZMMESTAR]

I live in Phoenix, so my solar system produces many more months than other areas of the US.
Our regional provider, APS, is not generous with the rebate for excess production, but it great to have a monthly credit bill, even with 2 EV's (MME & Ionic-6).

I have been quite pleased with my TESLA System, and they were quite competitive in cost.

 

[ridgebackpilot]

I live in Phoenix, so my solar system produces many more months than other areas of the US.
Our regional provider, APS, is not generous with the rebate for excess production, but it great to have a monthly credit bill, even with 2 EV's (MME & Ionic-6).

I have been quite pleased with my TESLA System, and they were quite competitive in cost.

In an ideal world, our utilities would buy our excess solar energy back at the exact same rate that they sell power to us!

But sadly, most utilities aren't willing (or required) to do that. My utility (PGE) pays me only a fraction of what they charge me for power when I send solar energy back to the grid.

That's why I have an Emporia charger that automatically senses excess solar production and activates the EV charger. Solar energy is worth more to me when used to fuel my EVs rather than selling it back to the utility at very low prices...

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