Solar PV - Save Money & Shrink Carbon Footprint

[oil pan 4]

I lived in maine and used a clothes line in the winter.
The clothes freeze then the ice sublimates, wind helps.
It takes a day or 2 for them to dry when below freezing.

[California98Civic]

Neil, do you have an updated estimate of the pay-off period for the panels? Seems you could make a pretty realistic estimate with the data you now have.

[NeilBlanchard]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

Neil, do you have an updated estimate of the pay-off period for the panels? Seems you could make a pretty realistic estimate with the data you now have.

We are on track to meet or exceed the original estimate of 5.1 years to payback for this system. And that doesn't take into account the savings on gasoline, and much lower maintenance costs of EV's.

We will be able to take our federal tax rebate next year, and pay down our solar loan. So, that will save us a lot more.

SREC's (solar renewable energy credits) are paying about $206 / MWh, and the first payment will be at about 9 months, and then every quarter after that, until 10 years from now. At this rate of production, and if that bid price holds, we will get about $2200 on that first check, and then $725 or so every three months.

Please note, that we are buying electricity from the grid from a company that is buying wind power REC's - and we are saving 3.19¢ / kWh from what we were paying.

[NeilBlanchard]

For my electric billing period ending in July 2018, we used a bit more than 87% LESS electricity than one year ago.

I think the net electricity we got from the grid was just 187kWh. (I'll double check tonight.) For the whole month, for a family of four - including a lot of use of our mini split heat pump cooling the house, AND driving 2 electric cars.

[oil pan 4]

Electric cars don't use that much power.
Not nearly as much as a heat pump running all month during your peak heating or cooling season.
I'm punishing my leaf with around 1,000 miles per month and it raises the power bill by $20 at most.

[sendler]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

We are on track to meet or exceed the original estimate of 5.1 years to payback for this system. And that doesn't take into account the savings on gasoline, and much lower maintenance costs of EV's.

I'm curious as to how you calculated this on a very expensive roof top install. I think you said that you paid circa $40,000 right? So do you feel that you are producing $8,000 worth of electricity per year? And of course we must wait and see what your production really is for a complete year after you get a Winter under your belt.

[NeilBlanchard]

We have two electric cars, and we drive a total of about 2,500 miles a month. When we charge both cars, it takes about 80kWh. Which around here would costs $17.50.

The system was about $38,500. The payback is calculated by their spreadsheet, and it includes the 30% federal tax rebate, the $1,000 Mass state rebate, electricity savings, and SREC's. The SREC's will pay us about $2,000-2500 a year.

[oil pan 4]

15 to 20 year pay back is way too long for me.
I'm looking at more like 9 or less when I do mine.

[Xist]

You didn't hear Turnip is getting rid of SRECs?

[oil pan 4]

Getting rid of or letting expire?
I wasn't going to use any government money.
When I said 9 years or less that means not using any government handouts.