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The Shop
I've been looking into these systems for a while and I could already tell that someone is making tons of money off of it.
Firstly, most companies that sell solar aren't really selling you the equipment; they are selling you a lease to use it. It gets paid off in about 20 years. How long does the equipment last, you may ask? About 20 years.
Next, you cannot disconnect from the grid. Gotta pay SDG&E, you know.
Thirdly, the electricity you don't use gets sold back to the grid but you don't reap what you pay for electricity yourself - oh no, you get hosed in value.
I'm going to buy my own equipment and get my electrician friend to unplug most of my house from the grid but leave one small light bulb connected. I'll turn it on every week for one hour and use 0.2 KwH each month, just to F with the utility.
and to force a new home to have them is not my idea of "good for them"
my friend just put them on his house, 20 year loan on the setup but he saves a fraction on his electric bill every month. fuck off with that shit. he probably won't even live there in 10 years anyway.
-That's what I'm talking about. It's better than nothing, but the net result is the homeowner ended up providing electricity to the power company cheaper than he purchased it from them. I guess it's like selling a used motocross bike... you'll never get equal value back out of it.
As stated in this thread, over the long-haul, purchasing the system is the most cost effective. Tax rebates and return on investment numbers are the best.
For those that can't secure a loan, or write a check for a system, the lease or power purchase agreements can make sense too. I've had friends that went this route and an argument can be made that you're locking in at 'today's' rates. A friend of mine was averaging $180/mo., put Solar on the house via PPA, and is now locked in at $120/mo(with minute up-ticks yearly..at a fixed 2%) with no out of pocket to the solar contractor (for the installation) offering the PPA. I'd verify with an attorney, however, that the agreement is transferable with no lien issues if/when you sell the house.
Last, but not least, historically utility rates have gone up and up over the years Just in the last 11 years that we moved up here (from the Bay Area) the increases have been the most dramatic too. Not plugging this contractor, have no idea who they are or if they are still in business, but this chart most accurately represents that time period and our utility rates per kilowatt hour.
I think that any house with a roof that has enough space and is facing the right direction should have them.
Still probably not cost effective here, but being paid 3X for the energy you produce compared with what you use is pretty decent!
That's quarterly usage btw
I guess once a techie, always a techie...just a new language. It's a grid-tied 12.7kW system using (36)355watt panels and an inverter that's battery ready.
We're RMA'ing (Return Merchandise Authorization) one of the panels. Last one (bottom of box) they pulled out had some damage. Still works (and is in the finished array pic), but we're sending him out a new one. Shipping/forklift operators can be hard on the bottom panels sometimes.
Pit Row
Gawd I can't wait....
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