Home Solar System Finally Operational - Meter Running Backwards

[rnewste]

After waiting several weeks for the City to issue the building permit, my Solar system was finally installed on July 17:



Consists of 14 Sunworld SW285 panels and micro-inverters:



The 3.99 KW system is now tied into the PG&E power grid and the Smart meter is actually running backwards, "banking" the excess production for use in the evening, etc. In a 24 hour period (even with the air conditioning running during the day yesterday), we banked an excess of 4 KWh for future use:



Happy Camper today!!!

Raybo

[Salsacharley]

Congratulations! Too bad you can't do that with your water meter.

[Bipetual]

Raybo, that's fantastic! Saving the planet and a few bucks! Well done.

[Delerium]

We have been on solar for just over a year. I love seeing the meter going backwards. My wife just said that her co-workers were complaining that MID raised rates. Congrats on your new system.

[rnewste]

Yesterday, the Solar system generated 23.4 KWh and today 25.0 KWh. I sized the system to produce approx. 93% of our overall estimated annual power consumption, which will put us in the lowest PG&E tiered rate of $0.13 per KWh drawn from the Grid during the full year.

Raybo

[pauldavid]

Way to go Raybo! It will eventually pay for itself from the reduction in your electic bill.

[rnewste]

Originally Posted by pauldavid

Way to go Raybo! It will eventually pay for itself from the reduction in your electic bill.

I ran a calculation and the payback becomes cash positive after 6.5 years. Our Power rates are quite high in California, hence the quicker payback metrics.

Raybo

[Bipetual]

Originally Posted by rnewste

I ran a calculation and the payback becomes cash positive after 6.5 years. Our Power rates are quite high in California, hence the quicker payback metrics.

Raybo

Of course, having lots of sun doesn't hurt, either!

[RobinB]

Congratulations! Yay! We've been thinking about installing solar.

[rnewste]

Robin,

Costs have come way down over the past 3 years while Watts per PV panel have increased significantly (Moore's Law in action).

I would stay away from big companies (like Solar City) and instead work with a smaller, locally owned Company (YELP reviews are an excellent starting place to find the better ones).

The 30% Federal Tax Credit also really helps to defray the net cost of the Solar system.

Raybo

[Worth1]

Looks great Rabid, I posted on tbe thread and I see it must have hit the back button so here I am again.
Weeks to get a permit for something like this is ridiculous.
I wonder how many bureaucrats it had to waste tax payers money on before it was approved.
For a home owner where I live I bet Ted would sign for me in the blink of an eye.
Yes he does inspect and it better be right but he expects you to know what you are doing.
Worth

[pauldavid]

Originally Posted by rnewste

I ran a calculation and the payback becomes cash positive after 6.5 years. Our Power rates are quite high in California, hence the quicker payback metrics.

Raybo

Thats good to hear, not that long of a time period.

[Lee]

Originally Posted by rnewste

I ran a calculation and the payback becomes cash positive after 6.5 years. Our Power rates are quite high in California, hence the quicker payback metrics.

Raybo

Does that calculation account for the reduced daylight time and sun angle over the winter months?
Also, what is the energy storage/conversion method for your system? Or do you even need one since you are feeding back to the grid?

The biggest savings of these systems to the power companies comes from not having to install as much infrastructure to meet peak demands. The numerous localized "power stations" really help reduce the company's distribution costs.

Here in NC our rates are $0.112/KWH, so our payback would be much longer. I guess that's one benefit to living 10 miles from the nuclear power plant....

Lee

[rnewste]

Lee,

The PG&E tiered rate structure quickly increases up to $0.34 per KWh. There were 3 days in late June when we were whacked with the $0.34 rate those entire days.

Solar Companies can provide by zip code, estimated energy production per PV panel throughout the full solar year so you can scope out the appropriate size for covering most (90%) of your annual needs.

Out here with Net Metering the goal is to just stay within the lowest Tier 1 billing rate ($0.12) for the amounts you draw out of the power grid.

While you could put up a massive Solar array and sell power back to PG&E above what you actually use for the billing year, they only pay you $0.03 per KWh - so that's a pretty lousy deal.

As with anything in life, it is always a balancing act to "fine tune" the optimal solution.

Raybo

[Worth1]

I wonder if anyone has tried to claim ownership of the Sun?
Think about it, there it sits giving away all of that free energy for people to collect.
it doesn't sound so far fetched considering it is against the law in Colorado to collect rainwater.
Worth