Hi,
from og what I research on this forum, I could call So Cal Edison for a special EV plan where if I charge the Tesla off peak it is at a reduced rate.
For or those who went with Solar, specially Solar City leasing, during the day charging will be via Solar.
My questions are:
1. During the day with Solar City Lease, unused power does it go back to SCE grid and you get a credit or discount?
2. At night during off peak, I assume the charging will be through SCE special EV plan, even though you have solar panel?
anyone who have experienced this combo or have solar leasing can give insight?
thx
I have researched solar panel options in SCE area rather extensively and here is what I have found:
SCE EV rate is available only with a second meter dedicated to EV use. The off-peak EV rate (10pm to 8am I think) is presently $0.1175/kWh Peak rate is at least twice that. Cost to install a second meter and 50A wiring to my garage was quoted at $2700.
Solar panels on your roof are connected to SCE by their Net Metering program. SCE tracks usage over 12 months vs power put back onto the grid and they charge you for your net usage at tiered rates. During summer you might generate more from your panels than you consume; in winter less than you use. If your net annual usage is negative, you will see a credit for x number of kWh on your annual bill reconciliation. You may opt to receive a check from SCE for the balance at a rate of about $0.045/kWh or use it up during the next year.
Do not expect to make money selling power back to SCE. Besides the low rate they pay, they will not permit you to build a solar array that projects to produce more than you used in the previous 12 months. To build a system with enough excess to offset the increased usage of an EV, you have to either wait a year or appeal the permit limitation, after they disallow your larger system, with an explanation of the projected additional load for EV charging.
My usage is pretty low, so on tiered rates I pay about $60 per month. Even so, a solar panel array that exactly offset my bills would $720; about 13% tax-free return on a self-installed system, about 8% tax free on a commercially installed system. Since EV charging would push me into tier 3 and 4 rates, its 4,000 kWh per year would come at $0.29/kWh on average, so the rate of return on solar for the EV would be more like 24%. Since California is demanding that utilities increase the share of renewable energy to 50% by 2030 or whenever, we can assume that the cost of electricity will increase dramatically and rate payers will have to cover that, so your rate of return on investment will increase every year. Should you sell your home, you will be able to get at least as much premium over similar non-solar houses as your system cost; maybe more if Federal tax incentives are no longer available.
If you choose to lease a solar array, Solar City will own the system and the net metering power it generates. They will charge you a lower rate for your usage than SCE and pocket the difference for the life of the lease. As SCE rates increase, I don't know whether Solar City will hold their rate to you or raise it.
My conclusion: if you have the money available, buy a good system and look at it as a very good investment. If you can borrow on a home equity loan from your credit union, the rate will be low and tax deductible and the return much greater, so it probably would still end up something like 6% tax-free. If you can't afford to buy a system, then the Solar City lease would still save you a lot of money without much up-front outlay.
