New Solar PV System

[ultrarunner]

$0.29/kwh....yeiks. that sucks. Makes my 6 cents seem nice :licking:. At $40,000 it would take me almost 20 years to pay for itself....hmmm, not looking good.

Meter Charge is about $5 per month.

Baseline usage is 12 1/4 cents

100 to 130% is 14 cents

131 to 200 is 30 cents

over is 34+ cents

The retired neighbor with the 40K three array pole mounted system has a 4200 square foot home that he built 18 years ago... fire sprinklers, irrigation well, etc...

At 30 cents a Kw the viability changes fast...

I admired the guy... rain or shine... he's in the workshop or outside at 7:30 every morning... has lunch at 12 sharp and a 30 minute nap and then back at it again Monday through Saturday... not bad for someone pushing 80...

He took an early out from the utility company at age 52 with credit for military service... he said it was the best decision he ever made because so many of his friends didn't last more than a few years in retirement...

 

[grsthegreat]

Meter Charge is about $5 per month.

Baseline usage is 12 1/4 cents

100 to 130% is 14 cents

131 to 200 is 30 cents

over is 34+ cents

The retired neighbor with the 40K three array pole mounted system has a 4200 square foot home that he built 18 years ago... fire sprinklers, irrigation well, etc...

At 30 cents a Kw the viability changes fast...

I admired the guy... rain or shine... he's in the workshop or outside at 7:30 every morning... has lunch at 12 sharp and a 30 minute nap and then back at it again Monday through Saturday... not bad for someone pushing 80...

He took an early out from the utility company at age 52 with credit for military service... he said it was the best decision he ever made because so many of his friends didn't last more than a few years in retirement...

ya, its all in the figures. if i had to pay 30-40 cents per kwh, id become amish

 

[ultrarunner]

ya, its all in the figures. if i had to pay 30-40 cents per kwh, id become amish

You would not be the only one...

I always thought I wanted an old mill with a working water wheel...

I have two cousins that are farmers and both farms had water wheels... one was his great grandfather's pride and joy... a tree came down in a storm and finished the job...

The other had so much trouble with vandals that they let it go...

One of the neighbors, an old blacksmith shop and home has one in continuous use with water rights... he now uses it to heat his entire home radiantly... the water wheel powers heating elements year round.

 

[houstonscott]

In any PV system you are buying your electricity at todays prices for the next 25 years. So the question is do you think prices will rise for electricity? If you think yes, and they do your ahead. For me what a PV system does beyond price and the so called green hoax stuff is give you control of your own electricity. No one can control how much you use on some so called smart grid in the future.

HS

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Have you had any sunny days since you first posted? I'm really interested in seeing what you end up with. I know they do better in cool, clear weather than when its 108 degrees outside.

Keep us posted!

 

[chucko]

solar system just need to become affordable. I saw something one time where they were working on a paint. Paint any surface and it is a solar panel. Think would could be done with that. Big power co. I think are whats holding back solar and keeping up the prices

 

[techman]

Have you had any sunny days since you first posted? I'm really interested in seeing what you end up with. I know they do better in cool, clear weather than when its 108 degrees outside.

Keep us posted!

Well today (Wednesday 10/5) is the first full sunny day we have had. Today's harvest was 54 KWH, and 275 KWH since it was turned on on 9/25. I am pleased considering the crappy weather. Forecast is for clear sunny days thru Monday, so I will see what we get.

paul

 

[MtHam]

Here in California, we have some of the highest electric rates in the country. I had a 6kw grid-tied system professionally installed 2 years ago. In the summer, it produces 40-45kw per day. Prior to the install, my average yearly electric bill was $3600. Since then, $0. Peak summer rate was $0.33/kwh, off peak (9pm-12 noon) $0.10. Winter, $0.12 peak, $0.08 off peak. This is time of use metering (TOU.) Thus I am selling power to the utility at the highest rate, and buying back after dark, and winter, at the lowest rate.

The rates have just gone up:

Peak Summer $0.44703 (R)
Part-Peak Summer $0.20182 (I)
Off-Peak Summer $0.12183 (I)
Part-Peak Winter $0.16794 (I)
Off-Peak Winter $0.12503 (I)

Thus, I will probably be getting a cash refund at the end of the year. I have no doubt this will not be the last rate increase.

 

[vsumoski]

Off topic - Steve Jobs RIP

 

[ultrarunner]

Off topic - Steve Jobs RIP

Just saw that... I spent a lot of time in Cupertino back in the day...

My God-sister was one of the first 150 Apple employees, started when she got a part time job while in High School.