We have a 11.5 kw solar system with 2 powerwalls , we charge 1 car a day( since we really only drive 1 a day) , we have allowed 11-21 kw/hr for the cars each day and so far so good. We have been off the grid for over 100 days in a row since getting the powerwalls.
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Does Atco (or alternate provider) bill you any fee at all for being connected to the grid, or does Alberta allow you to reduce that to $0 as well? What was the bill to install the powerwalls?
I have so many questions here.
Sorry. This seems like my obvious next step. Thanks for being patient with me as I ask.
int32_t
Tesla Spotter
Off the grid? In the city? What on Earth?! That is sooo cool!
Sounds like you have a grid connection if you want it though. How does that work? I bet you have to pay the usual service fees for that, which would ruin the payback time.
That is the dream though! House and car unplugged.
Oh and in other news, there's no need to go to a showroom to see the latest Tesla anymore haha! I saw three Model Ys on the way to/from Edmonton this weekend, and one of them was parked so I got a good look at it.
I'm just outside of Edmonton. My system is roof mounted. Seven (7) South facing 285W panels, twenty one (21) West facing 285W panels. I don't clean my panels in the winter - they stay snow-covered until the snow melts. Here's my average monthly production since Jan 2017:
Jan: 118 kWh
Feb: 88 kWh
Mar: 403 kWh
Apr: 880 kWh
May: 1,180 kWh
Jun: 1,073 kWh
Jul: 1,155 kWh
Aug: 1,047 kWh
Sep: 630 kWh
Oct: 550 kWh
Nov: 197 kWh
Dec: 143 kWh
We are a family of 4 with a Chevy Volt as our local runabout and a Tesla Model 3 since June 2018 as our primary vehicle and air conditioning used sparingly. Our average monthly usage since getting the second electric vehicle is 1,218 kWh (up from 932 kWh/mo when we only had the Volt).
Everyone works or goes to school during the day so we don't benefit much financially from our system. We've spent $5,500 on electrical bills and by my calculations we've saved $2,500 on our electrical bills because of the solar over that time. Then again, we haven't been spending much at the gas pump!
Powerwalls would help, but they're costly and we hope to retire and move in a few years so we're not willing to spend that on this house; hopefully will get them on our next house though.
Zapped
Model S - PURE EV
With some reluctance I have decided to sell my 2012 Model S Signature Red P85. I'm the original owner, have enjoyed the car immensely.
It would be nice to see the car stay in Alberta, so I thought I'd post a link to TMC Marketplace here in case anyone was interested.
2012 Model S P85 Signature Red - Edmonton, Alberta
It would be nice to see the car stay in Alberta, so I thought I'd post a link to TMC Marketplace here in case anyone was interested.
2012 Model S P85 Signature Red - Edmonton, Alberta
SMSMD
Active Member
Zapped
Model S - PURE EV
Yes you have to pay a fee to be connected to the grid 0.85/day and yes the offset pays for this. The 2 powerwalls cost approx $20000 but we upgraded our main panel to 200 amps so thats also included. Sorry for the the long wait for a reply was busy with other thingsDoes Atco (or alternate provider) bill you any fee at all for being connected to the grid, or does Alberta allow you to reduce that to $0 as well? What was the bill to install the powerwalls?
I have so many questions here.
Yes we are off the grid and when the solar/powerwalls can not surply enough power the grid will supply the balance of the power. This is done by the powerwalls and inverter so its all automatic . The only service charge we pay is th0.85 cents per day and the exported solar covers that , at the moment we are saving just over $320 per month sot the small service charges don't ruin the payback time.Off the grid? In the city? What on Earth?! That is sooo cool!
Sounds like you have a grid connection if you want it though. How does that work? I bet you have to pay the usual service fees for that, which would ruin the payback time.
That is the dream though! House and car unplugged.
Oh and in other news, there's no need to go to a showroom to see the latest Tesla anymore haha! I saw three Model Ys on the way to/from Edmonton this weekend, and one of them was parked so I got a good look at it.
So far March (thats when we got our powerwalls), April, May, June, and july we have made alot more power than we need need , if this winter is like last winter we will need the grid November, December, January, and February to help supplement our power needs. We have had our solar for over a year and only December and January is the snow on the panels thick enough to keep them from making power. Damn northern Climate
Lon12
Member
I have 23 West facing panels that I was able to sweep the snow off of last winter. Just really bugs me when we have such nice sunny days but the snow blocks 100% and it is not warm enough to melt off. I know they say the snow only costs you about 3% of your annual production. But I still hate to waste it.
Edmonton study shows snow only mildly affects solar panel productivity
SolarEdge
Dec 267 kWh
Jan 349 kWh
Feb 557 kWh
Edmonton study shows snow only mildly affects solar panel productivity
SolarEdge
Dec 267 kWh
Jan 349 kWh
Feb 557 kWh
int32_t
Tesla Spotter
This is the car that started it all! (No offence to Roadster peeps, but it wasn't really mass-produced.) Which Sig number did you have, if you don't mind my asking?
According to my electricity bill this month, the fixed distribution charges made up $50 of my $75 bill. How do you get away with $0.85/day (that would be roughly half mine)?
I have one 250W module and I too sweep it off in the winter! Haha. Great info about the Edmonton study, 3% is a great number to cite when people are like, "Coal is the only thing that works in Alberta because snow."
Zapped
Model S - PURE EV
Thanks. I believe there was actually was another one before mine here in Alberta that I remember seeing. Not sure if it’s still on the road. I’m ....2093. I really enjoy the car. You can still have a little “fun” with the 2 wheel drive. Hopefully someone who has never owned a Tesla or likes to collect cars can enjoy the opportunity I had driving a performance Model S
For our electrical retailer all other charges are based on consumption ( remember we don't use power from the grid only export it, for now) and they only have a admin charge of $0.85/day, we have been with the same retailer for awhile now and each time our 4 yr contract is up we squeeze them as much as possiable. The problem now is with the solar panels and powerwalls we no longer pay them as much so I have a feeling they wont be so accommodating when this current contract is up.
Anyone else suffering on the wrong end of road rage? Specifically from people driving Trucks? This is Calgary.
In the last 2 weeks, I have had 3 different trucks do some plain ol' BS. One guy deliberately speed up at an intersection doing a left turn while I was also turning left - I slammed the brakes, that is how fast he was going. Ass-**** rolls down his window and starts yelling at me asking me where my stop sign is and to drive the car, not let the car drive me and flips me off. Um, okay.
A few days later, got coal rolled, oddly enough, there were actually two Tesla's at the stop lights so I guess we stood out. Truck was an absolute junker and guy was wearing a safety vest and to be honest, the coal roll was really weak.
Today, some jerk in a truck speed up to cut me off with no turn signal then aggressively sped up anytime I even got close to him to make the truck sound loud including at a stop light.
I get the economy sucks right now, and if you work in the Oil and Gas market, it must be tough, but damn, the road rage is really getting to me.
In the last 2 weeks, I have had 3 different trucks do some plain ol' BS. One guy deliberately speed up at an intersection doing a left turn while I was also turning left - I slammed the brakes, that is how fast he was going. Ass-**** rolls down his window and starts yelling at me asking me where my stop sign is and to drive the car, not let the car drive me and flips me off. Um, okay.
A few days later, got coal rolled, oddly enough, there were actually two Tesla's at the stop lights so I guess we stood out. Truck was an absolute junker and guy was wearing a safety vest and to be honest, the coal roll was really weak.
Today, some jerk in a truck speed up to cut me off with no turn signal then aggressively sped up anytime I even got close to him to make the truck sound loud including at a stop light.
I get the economy sucks right now, and if you work in the Oil and Gas market, it must be tough, but damn, the road rage is really getting to me.
Lon12
Member
Happens all the time.
Mostly trucks.
Last year had a bicyclist as well. You can watch the dash cam:
$320 per month is significant savings, but what's your payback period?
I was quoted over $35K to install the solar panels. Add $20K for 2x powerwalls and we're at over $55K. Our average monthly electricity bill is less than $300 per month so quick math suggests that our payback period would be 15+ years assuming electricity costs stay roughly the same.
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