cost per charge at home ??

[Ed Hart]

We are solar, too, and because of that Southern California Edison put us on Time of Use (TOU). They encourage (by request and pricing) that we charge at night. So while my daytime rate is $.43-.46 per kWh, my night time rate is $.11. So we charge at night, meaning on our 85 a typical 100 mile recharge require 30 kwh, or about $3.60 allowing for losses.

 

[SageBrush]

We are solar, too, and because of that Southern California Edison put us on Time of Use (TOU). They encourage (by request and pricing) that we charge at night. So while my daytime rate is $.43-.46 per kWh, my night time rate is $.11. So we charge at night, meaning on our 85 a typical 100 mile recharge require 30 kwh, or about $3.60 allowing for losses.

Seems fair to include the ~ 43 cents per kWh you received for agreeing to time shift, so your per kWh charge is 11 - 43 = -32 cents and a 100 miles recharge pads your pocket with $9.60

Not bad ;-)

 

[Rocky_H]

When I bought my panels my view was that "people buy less useful toys [than my panels], do they not?" For some reason, however, the installation of solar panels has to pencil out on a payback basis. Why? I have neighbors with very expensive hobbies such as golf or foreign travel yet those don't have to pay for themselves. I have solar panels and an absurdly expensive — even though purchased as CPO — Model S, so that I can "drive on sunshine" because I enjoy it! Simple as that. So long as I can afford them, that's enough justification for me.

Yeah, you tell 'em! I went through this discussion with several people about buying a hybrid back in 2002. People talked about how it would never pay back for the cost difference, or it would take 8 or 10 or more years. I had to bring up to them that I wasn't doing it for a money calculation. Even if after 10 years it's break even or I lose a little bit,....I will have WASTED LESS GAS for 10 years. That is an important benefit that means a lot to me. Don't waste things if you don't have to.

 

[oktane]

There is a definite satisfaction in not paying the electric company or oil companies. It's similar to the feeling of paying off your home mortgage. Real but hard to define.

 

[Vern Padgett]

DGPCO, I had the same thoughts. My neighbor on the one side added a new bedroom to his house (AFTER his children moved out), and his question about my panels was "when will they pay for themselves?"

Neighbor on other side had 4 or 5 giant pickup trucks, and wanted to know about my solar panels, "When will they pay for themselves?" That was a set of 12 Sharp 180 w panels with a Sunny Boy inverter about 2002.

I wanted to ask when the new room would "pay for itself," and when the dumbass pickup trucks would "pay for themselves."

 

[tga]

I wanted to ask when the new room would "pay for itself," and when the dumbass pickup trucks would "pay for themselves."

That logic doesn't really make sense. Few, if any, people buy "dumbass pickup trucks" or add a room for financial return. People install solar for lots of reasons, including financial and environmental. For many/most, part of installing solar is to save money on future electric costs, so asking when you've recouped your investment is a completely legitimate question.

 

[Vern Padgett]

That logic doesn't really make sense. Few, if any, people buy "dumbass pickup trucks" or add a room for financial return. People install solar for lots of reasons, including financial and environmental. For many/most, part of installing solar is to save money on future electric costs, so asking when you've recouped your investment is a completely legitimate question.

tga, you are right, for a lot of people, as you said. Not me. I wanted to buy a solar system in the same way my neighbors were buying those things that they valued.

 

[oktane]

We are solar, too, and because of that Southern California Edison put us on Time of Use (TOU). They encourage (by request and pricing) that we charge at night. So while my daytime rate is $.43-.46 per kWh, my night time rate is $.11. So we charge at night, meaning on our 85 a typical 100 mile recharge require 30 kwh, or about $3.60 allowing for losses.

Not sure why you're on TOU. If you are in SCE, you still are part of NEM 1.0. Therefore TOU is optional and you (and subsequent property tenants/owners) will be grandfathered into the same plan for 20 years.

Are You a SCE Customer and Considering Solar? Here’s Why You Need to Act Fast!

 

[Vern Padgett]

Hi Oktane,

I'm in Whittier and with SCE, and we pay different amounts of money depending on time of day. Peak, off peak, and "super off peak." I don't know what the name of the plan is, but "time of use" describes it. Maybe Ed Hart is on our same plan, whatever its name is?

Edit 1: I read your link to the SCE page, Oktane. Thank you for giving us that. Yes, anyone with solar and with SCE is now on Net Energy Metering v. 1.0. Got it. Thank you. Ed Hart is surely on that plan as well.

Maybe I should try to navigate their idiotic website and find out the name of the plan they have me on.

Edit 2: We are on the Rate: TOU-D-A plan. Oktane, Are we good?

 

[Reciprocity]

Ok people you forced me to get a real solar quote. Illinois is friendlier to solar than I thought they would be. With fed + srec and retail rates paid for supply sent to the grid, you can payoff a fairly large install in 4-5 years. Srec will go down over time, but it really is just icing on the cake if you have an EV. Still praying for hail and a solar roof, but time is running out.

 

[Vern Padgett]

How funny Reciprocity. We had hail yesterday! On my new 13 Sun Power 360 watt panels (Solar City wouldn't do it). Our Southern California hail was the size of salt crystals (in your salt shaker) and melted completely while I was looking at them trying to figure out if they were actually hail.

 

[Vern Padgett]

Oktane, I took the trouble to log in to my SCE account (not that bad really) and read this:

NEM 1.0 Will Be Closing to New Customers Soon
SCE is approaching its NEM 1.0 cap, which will be reached once SCE serves 2,240 MW on its NEM 1.0 tariffs or at 11:59 p.m. on June 30, 2017. Track daily progress at NEM 1.0 Cap Data Report.

Net Energy Metering
Customers with solar panels should enroll in our Net Energy Metering (NEM) rate option. We’ll deduct the energy you export to the grid at times when generation exceeds on-site demand from your bill, and you may even earn surplus credits.

 

[Reciprocity]

How funny Reciprocity. We had hail yesterday! On my new 13 Sun Power 360 watt panels (Solar City wouldn't do it). Our Southern California hail was the size of salt crystals (in your salt shaker) and melted completely while I was looking at them trying to figure out if they were actually hail.

I'm praying for baseball sized, asphalt shingle destroying hail. No salt shakers need apply.

 

[Vern Padgett]

So does anybody know if I should waste a lot of time calling Southern California Edison to find out if I'm on the right plan? Last time I called I got an illiterate idiot and wasted maybe 45 minutes of my life.

My "rate" is TOU-D-A." Much time wasted on their crappy web site and no clue as to what my PLAN is-- just my "rate." Am I on Net Energy Metering version 1.0?

 

[oktane]

So does anybody know if I should waste a lot of time calling Southern California Edison to find out if I'm on the right plan? Last time I called I got an illiterate idiot and wasted maybe 45 minutes of my life.

My "rate" is TOU-D-A." Much time wasted on their crappy web site and no clue as to what my PLAN is-- just my "rate." Am I on Net Energy Metering version 1.0?

Yes you are NEM 1.0.

 

[Vern Padgett]

Yes you are NEM 1.0.

Thank you Oktane. You have spared me from the agony of calling SCE and dealing with multitudinous unknown phone paths and brain-dead clerks.
Will you be at TMC 17? If so I shall buy you a beer.

 

[oktane]

Thank you Oktane. You have spared me from the agony of calling SCE and dealing with multitudinous unknown phone paths and brain-dead clerks.
Will you be at TMC 17? If so I shall buy you a beer.

You are very welcome. I appreciate your generous offer. I've never heard of TMC 17 so I assume it's an owner's meet. I'll look into it!

As for SCE, they will switch to NEM 2.0 on 6/30/2017. If you have received PTO prior to then you're on NEM 1.0. Please note that TOU is not required under NEM 1.0 rules and you could consider a tiered rate plan. There are pros and cons to each.

Net Energy Metering | Generating Your Own Power | Your Home | Home - SCE

 

[Reciprocity]

The reason solar has to pay for itself is that the panels will deteriorate over time and require replacement. So if they do not offset the cost of the panels, install and electricity then no one would do it. They also only add value to the home because they will pay back at some point. If they are old enough they won't add to the value, though they probably wouldn't start to detract from the until they are close to the end of life.

They other downside, and this is all but resolved with the solar tiles that Tesla just came out with, is the fact that you potentially have to have them reinstalled when you need to replace your roof. The panels do protect the roof underneath so I'm some cases you would need to remove them but in general it's something that need to be accounted for in the equation.

I'm not bagging on solar and I think it's a no brainer when you have an electric car becaus you are shifting the cost of gas to electricity. My house was super efficient and electricity is cheap where I'm at, but when I added an electric car, soon two, it made perfect sense to get solar. And the payoff is 5 years.

 

[Reciprocity]

A little off topic, but does anyone have an opinion on the best panels. My issue is that my south facing roof is not that big. So I am currently looking at Panasonic 325w or 330w panels. for that south side, then later if I need more, the new lower profile Tesla/Panasonic. Are Panasonic panels generally some of the best in terms of density because that is really what I need. You can also see my E/W facing sides of the house from the road so I want to avoid putting any panels there unless they are the ones that are coming out. My thought is I will go with the 25 or so 325/330s from Panasonic then add a few more if they are not enough. I am looking for 13mw/Y.

 

[Vern Padgett]

My panels from Sun Power are 360 w each and have integral inverters. So there's no inverter box as a separate installation.