Need your advice..

[stonefocus]

Hello all,

1. I am debating between small size vs medium size. Approximate electricity yearly consumption is 6300 kWh, and small size yearly approximate energy production is 6,347kWh. (However, I have not been Winter at this home and might increase) I am right at the edge of small and medium size. Which one do you recommend?

2. If I go small size and add more panels later, would it be more expensive than going to medium size all at the same time?

3. I am planning to install skylight later. Would it be expensive to move the panel later if necessary?

4. Does Tesla help me get a solar loan? Or do I have to look into myself?

Much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[SaveOurPlanet]

Are you buying or renting? If you are buying then you can customize to whatever size fitting your consumption. But you need to do some homework yourself, download your PG&E usage and find out how much you use in kWh the last year (I would go back 3 years and take the highest). Also check Google Project Sunroof and PVWatts to see how much is recommended. I would upsize it now to accommodate future needs, also keep in mind that NEM would work against you in the future so size matters. If you are buying then definitely add at least 1 Powerwall so it would keep your lights on during outage and keep you out of peak rate. If you cannot pay cash upfront, you should check HELOC and try to pay it off as soon as possible unless you really cannot afford it. I take it you will still come out ahead with a 10 or 20 years loan but you are not really saving a lot of money but at least you are saving the environment. Not sure about skylight, but personally I would pass.

 

[chrstna4]

Another possible upside of the medium is being able to sell electricity/get credits for what you produce beyond what you use/store that day. Some areas pay less than they charge but some areas (like Seattle) pay the same as the charge for electricity.

 

[LadyLion]

You are not locked in to small or medium exact package size. Small can have a few panels added or medium can have a few subtracted. There is a credit or charge per panel depending on which you choose to do. Also PWs can be added within your use/needs range or removed from your order.

 

[Zorg]

One install is definitely cheaper than 2 (one permit, one set of plans). So, size to what you will need. Furthermore, after 20 years, your production will be at roughly 80% of what you will produce in year 1. Adding 1000W (3 panels) should cost less than $2k, which is not much over the life of your installation.

Moving panels is expensive, speaking from experience. So, to the extent that you can do your skylight now, you won't have to move panels later and will be much better off.

 

[pdx_m3s]

1. I am debating between small size vs medium size. Approximate electricity yearly consumption is 6300 kWh, and small size yearly approximate energy production is 6,347kWh. (However, I have not been Winter at this home and might increase) I am right at the edge of small and medium size. Which one do you recommend? Medium

2. If I go small size and add more panels later, would it be more expensive than going to medium size all at the same time? Yes

3. I am planning to install skylight later. Would it be expensive to move the panel later if necessary? Unless you know the exact dimensions of the skylight and flashing, as well as the exact location, you will be spending money down the road to move panels in order to install a skylight... This would be quite unusual. I would reconsider your skylight decision, or place it on a roof plane without solar panels.

4. Does Tesla help me get a solar loan? Or do I have to look into myself? Yes, you can finance through Tesla.

 

[SoCal Dave]

2. If I go small size and add more panels later, would it be more expensive than going to medium size all at the same time? Yes

Actually, with Tesla's flat pricing / watt, if you did a small and the another small later it would cost the same as a medium system. Assuming they kept the same pricing by the time the second small system is ordered.

 

[LadyLion]

The financing is through Sunlight Financial or another lender that work with Tesla. When you choose your system size , you can elect financing and you will see the payment amount options. It is a very unique loan plan with reduced payments for the first 18 months. At eighteen months you can apply your tax credit refund amount to the loan, and the payments stay at the reduced amount. If not, the payment increases. The original payment amount is close to your electric monthly bill. There is no prepayment penalty if you decide to pay off all or a part of the loan.

 

[arnolddeleon]

First question I always ask is "What are your goals?" Save money, save the planet, produce enough power to offset your own use, have cool technology, etc. Multiple answers are possible with different weights.

What are your plans for heating? Do you imagine using a heat pump in the not distant future (I do and I'm in Cupertino)? Are you thinking of going all electric (Silicon Valley Clean Energy is pushing in that direction).

What kind of roof space do you have? Solar will be cheaper in the future if you're talking about years. I acquired solar in 2003, 2008, 2016, it was cheaper watt each time. Will you have enough roof space to easily add another system?

You're in PG&E land, the tariffs are heading in a direction this minimizing the value of your solar production. A Powerwall might be in order. Paging @miimura for the details.