phsoccer
Member
My numbers were similar in 2021. ~$75K for Solar Roof, PWs $17K, with ~$25K tax credit. I avoided $25K to replace my asphalt shingles (multiple bids at that price). If I neglect the PWs since I would have put in a back power system anyway, so my out of pocket cost was only ~$25K for the solar part. I'm saving ~$2500 per year on my power bill so far.Cost is indeed a factor for anyone considering a project like this, but of course it's a bit different depending on individual circumstances. I'll share a bit more detail about the relationship between cost and my own.
I did not borrow to do this, so no interest rate or cost of carrying capital was involved. I haven't figured my financial side of it with any of those influences, but I imagine they could be significant. Tax credits only help if you have or can create sufficient liability, and that took a little effort and planning for me. Fortunately they can be spread across more than just one year, but I'm sure that not everyone will have the flexibility in this area that I do.
So here is the list I've come up with, not a salesman list but my own, based on a combination of reality and estimated projections. All in today's dollars, so I've let performance degradation over time balance future cost increases. Should be a good enough trade. Performance estimates have only been validated by a short time of actual operation, but so far real data is showing they are more accurate than I had hoped. Payback years are based on today's kwh price (16 cents for me), nothing else:
Project full cost: $127,551
Tax credits/rebates: $48,015
Project net cost: $79,536
Payback years: 27
Avoided costs
Backup power sys. $20,000
New roof install. $18,000
New Calc cost: $41,536
New payback years. 14
Pretty hard for anyone considering such a project to credibly characterize the above as "crazy expensive" but without the tax credits/rebates it looks quite different, more than doubles the eventual cost figure. Not sure I would have pulled the trigger without them, didn't have to get into that. As always, each case is a bit different....
I was lucky since I was able to get the old, lower Tesla price before they raised it so high. They tried to double my price, but I waited Tesla out and they finally agreed to install the roof at the original agreed upon price.