Does anyone use Solar Panels/ Energy Cost Reduction Program?

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

To be honest, I'm not sure if there are any similar pay off options, although none were mentioned. I only spoke briefly to a representative because I didn't want to set up a meeting, just yet. We are seriously considering solar panels, tho. Just a matter of finding more info, looking into various companies, and then deciding if its for us.

The leasers that I knew were given the option to pay off the lease up front. They paid about 5K for the 15 yr lease. If they sell, the new owners would have to honor the lease OR the leasing company would remove the panels and install them on their new home as long as it was within a reasonable distance from the original house. Since they paid the lease up front, In the case where they might move too far away, there is nothing for the new owner to do except continue to have lower electric bills with no lease payments.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

So, to clarify, are there no batteries involved?

Batteries were never mentioned to me, but not really sure.


Do you have electricity from it only when it is generating enough, then use grid other times?

Yes, you buy back the electricity that the panels produce at a much lower price than what you pay for electricity from your electric company. If you generate more electricity from the panels then you actually use, you get a check for the difference. If you use more electricity then the panels generate, you purchase the remainder from your electric company.

[Pstreet1 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pstreet1]

When we talked to a representative about the same kind of program, he stressed that we didn't want to generate more electricity (computed on a yearly basis) than we used because the utility buys the excess electricity you generate at a very, very low rate, and you're better off to estimate as nearly as possible what you'll actually use. The program we were looking at required us to pay money up front for the panels, and for doing that, we were to then purchase our electricity at the current rate from the solar company for 20 years. Because electricity rates are rising so quickly, the savings comes in how fast the rates go up. In our case, they estimated 8 years of rate increases would pay us back our up front costs; after 8 years, the electricity would be, more or less, free.

Our neighbors have installed the system, and they think they will be paid back in 7 years, not 8, and possibly a little sooner.

[philsfan Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close philsfan]

When we talked to a representative about the same kind of program, he stressed that we didn't want to generate more electricity (computed on a yearly basis) than we used because the utility buys the excess electricity you generate at a very, very low rate, and you're better off to estimate as nearly as possible what you'll actually use. The program we were looking at required us to pay money up front for the panels, and for doing that, we were to then purchase our electricity at the current rate from the solar company for 20 years. Because electricity rates are rising so quickly, the savings comes in how fast the rates go up. In our case, they estimated 8 years of rate increases would pay us back our up front costs; after 8 years, the electricity would be, more or less, free.

Our neighbors have installed the system, and they think they will be paid back in 7 years, not 8, and possibly a little sooner.

The lousy rate that we get paid for our extra peak time generation matches what you said. For example, during the summer when we are generating the most power for them we would pay .35kwh for any excess peak time power. When we generate more (peak or non-peak), they pay us only 50 percent of the non-peak rate of around .07kwh so we get about .035kwh or 90 percent less than we would pay for the same peak time power we are giving back. Each utility handles it differently. The other utility in the Phoenix area gives a 1 to 1 rate but they recently added charges for grid maintenance to all of their solar customers. They're all gonna get your money one way or the other.

If my generation levels remain the same we will reduce the 8 yrs ROI that was estimated to around 6 yrs. Over time the generating abilities of the panels will degrade so it depends on when that starts to happen. I suspect that they will be around the same for the first 6 to 10 years but I really have no idea.

[philsfan Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close philsfan]

So, to clarify, are there no batteries involved?

Do you have electricity from it only when it is generating enough, then use grid other times?

If you are on the grid at all, you don't need batteries. The extra meter they give you manages and tracks whether you are taking power or giving power back or breaking even.

[philsfan Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close philsfan]

Each month I get a statistics page with my bill showing the breakdown of generated power and used power. It runs from May to April so this month's has 10 months worth of data. It's too big to attach. If anyone wants to see it, pm your email address to me and I will send it.

[1950bing Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close 1950bing]

UH, any tax breaks ?

[Pstreet1 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pstreet1]

Yes, but in our case, the solar company takes the breaks and figures that into the price they quote you for installation.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Each month I get a statistics page with my bill showing the breakdown of generated power and used power. It runs from May to April so this month's has 10 months worth of data. It's too big to attach. If anyone wants to see it, pm your email address to me and I will send it.

If you like change the attachment size in the admin panel so you can post it. Once posted you might be able to place it vack and the post will stay. If not just keep it the new value.

[BWolf Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BWolf]

We have a Solar City 20 year lease, paid up front. We have reduced our electric bill. We have one electric meter, installed by the electric company, that measures output and input, as Philsfan has mentioned. All tax breaks went to Solar City. We have complete maintenance by Solar City for the 20 year lease.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Our rural co-op is lightyears behind. They don't know anything but damming dams and burning coal.

Their only R&D $$$ for alternate energy comes from voluntary contributions. Their monthly magazine is a poorly disguised method of delivering their monthly editorial for all things having to do with burning coal.

Other than that, they do a good job.

[philsfan Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close philsfan]

I attached the stats page.

[philsfan Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close philsfan]

We don't get many days like below and I have never seen two in a row like this but as you can see, on Monday and Tuesday this week we generated as much power during non-peak as we used and sold back 15kw hrs of peak time power. That includes running the pool filter for 6 hours. Can you tell I'm happy with my solar?!

Meter Read Date Usage Date Off-peak kWh On-peak kWh
3/11/2014 12:16 AM 3/10/2014 0 -8
3/12/2014 12:16 AM 3/11/2014. 0 -7
0 -15

[philsfan Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close philsfan]

Can't figure out the formatting problem, sorry.

[timeslipkimbrough Banned Find all posts View Profile Close timeslipkimbrough]

Yeah, GErmany is full of wind and solar