Grid-tied solar

[KiwiBro]

No net 10Kw metering according to Hydro One on the 4800V three phase line running past my place to the 2.1MW transformer station 2-1/2 miles away. As it will overload the system.
I can however update my utity service to three phase , 600V and 200amp , 207 KW no problem.
I smell a rat.
The utility courtesy of the rate payer spent over 1 billion last year to subsidize electrical rates for green power . Then turn around and have to pay New York and Michigan to take surplus power on nights and weekends.

I hear you.
We had to pay for a new, larger transformer before they would connect our house. Not because the existing one wasn't adequate but connecting would have eaten into their fairy dust 'reserve capacity'.
They may as well try and grab everything they can because as far as I am concerned they are not getting another cent out of me in the future. Even if that means delaying the next build until we can afford to go completely off grid. I just hope we can earn/save enough between now and then or at least before the over-leveraged ponzi world economies disintegrate.

 

[buickanddeere]

If there was natural gas to my property.the power bill would look different .
A while back looking at a power bill. We used 79% of our power at the lowest rate during evenings and weekends. Average price per Kw hr was 17 cents.
Before Ontario Hydro was looted in the mid to late 90's . Power was 5-6 cents iirc. Competition was supposed to be cheaper than power at cost.
Now the green weenies have made the power distribution system even worse. Gerrald Butts who was president of the Canadian branch of the World Wild Life Fund/Foundation. He slid through the green energy act in Ontario while he was secretary to the Ontario Liberal Party.
In effect it will shut down nuclear as was his end game . By cutting nuclear revenue too low to maintain the units. By pushing the wholesale price of power on nights and week ends to zero with surplus green power. Clever SOB. Too bad those smarts were not used for something constructive.

 

[RalphVa]

We're participating now in the Solarize Cville project by a local proponent called LEAP (local energy alliance, etc). The vendor they selected for us came in with a cost of $9,858 for a 3.18 kw system of 12 solar Q cells. They estimate that our starting savings will be $54/mo. There's about a 9 year payout, taking into account the 30% federal rebate.

This is in central Virginia. We're just west of Charlottesville. The location is on a SSW roof of our carriage house (where my tractor stuff is parked inside).

Looks pretty attractive. Price of the actual panels is ridiculously low now, about $600.

This is a turn key project.

Ralph

 

[deezler]

We're participating now in the Solarize Cville project by a local proponent called LEAP (local energy alliance, etc). The vendor they selected for us came in with a cost of $9,858 for a 3.18 kw system of 12 solar Q cells. They estimate that our starting savings will be $54/mo. There's about a 9 year payout, taking into account the 30% federal rebate.

This is in central Virginia. We're just west of Charlottesville. The location is on a SSW roof of our carriage house (where my tractor stuff is parked inside).

Looks pretty attractive. Price of the actual panels is ridiculously low now, about $600.

This is a turn key project.

Ralph

Badass. If you can afford that now, how can or why would you say no? I can't wait until I clear my debt to do the same.

 

[RalphVa]

Our power company, Dominion, doesn't pay for excess power but banks it. You don't want to generate so much that you cannot use it up during low solar generation months.

Might be a time to get a few more panels, since they're so cheap relative to the rest of the job. Just have to not bank too much. Our overall usage averages between 2 and 3 kwh. Full generation on the 3.18 kw array would put us into excess in full sun.

Ralph

 

[buickanddeere]

Our power company, Dominion, doesn't pay for excess power but banks it. You don't want to generate so much that you cannot use it up during low solar generation months.

Might be a time to get a few more panels, since they're so cheap relative to the rest of the job. Just have to not bank too much. Our overall usage averages between 2 and 3 kwh. Full generation on the 3.18 kw array would put us into excess in full sun.

Ralph

You must have LP appliances and more sun than we do. It would take 15kw of panels to net my house and shed to zero.

 

[ultrarunner]

Several of my solar friends have more power than predicted that they put in electric hot water and one bought a Leaf and still has power left at the end of the year...

I need a 3kW system... use 360 kWh each month year round... those CREE LED bulbs made a big difference.

 

[RalphVa]

No propane or natural gas. We're all electric. Usage near 30,000 kwh/yr.

We live like Europeans: thermostat up in summer and down in winter.

Ralph

 

[dave1949]

No propane or natural gas. We're all electric. Usage near 30,000 kwh/yr.

We live like Europeans: thermostat up in summer and down in winter.

Ralph

According to the PVWatts calculator (using Lynchburg,VA weather data) you would need a 20 DC kW system to produce 29,250 AC kWh per year. At 300 DC watts per panel that would require 67 panels. That is using 180 degree due south orientation at a tilt angle of 37 degrees (your latitude).

You can try out the generation and $ value calculations here:
PVWatts Calculator

If your weather is significantly different from Lynchburg's, you can change the location too.

 

[buickanddeere]

No propane or natural gas. We're all electric. Usage near 30,000 kwh/yr.

We live like Europeans: thermostat up in summer and down in winter.

Ralph

Three teenagers that drain a 60 gallon electric water heater at least once daily. Electric stove, two fridges , freezer, electric clothes dryer used in winter or while raining, electric heat in garage , water pipe heat trace, block beaters for vehicles and tractors . Eight yard lights , well pump, every light left on unless we shut them off . Three TV's etc. electric forced air heating backup when the wood stove burns low.1HP pool pump. Hot tub when we finish the new deck.