What is a fair price per kW in central PA?

[Maximapolak]

I bought a house in October and finally gave Tesla my January electric bill.

What should I expect in terms ok price per kW?

Anyone in PA care to share their experience?

 

[Lloyd]

Residential electricity rates in Pennsylvania
Residential8.3737.3412.75¢

• Residential electricity rates in PA [1]
• • Residential electricity rates in Pennsylvania average 12.75¢/kWh, which ranks the state 16th in the nation.
  • The average residential electricity rate of 12.75¢/kWh in PA is 7.32% greater than the national average residential rate of 11.88¢/kWh.
  • The approximate range of residential electricity rates in the U.S. is 8.37¢/kWh to 37.34¢/kWh.

 

[Maximapolak]

Residential electricity rates in Pennsylvania
Residential8.3737.3412.75¢

• Residential electricity rates in PA [1]
• • Residential electricity rates in Pennsylvania average 12.75¢/kWh, which ranks the state 16th in the nation.
  • The average residential electricity rate of 12.75¢/kWh in PA is 7.32% greater than the national average residential rate of 11.88¢/kWh.
  • The approximate range of residential electricity rates in the U.S. is 8.37¢/kWh to 37.34¢/kWh.

Price per kW for solar. Not my utility rates.

 

[Lloyd]

Never Mind........

 

[pkalhan]

I live in Pittsburgh and I got around $3.00/kWh. I just got my design which I was happy with and just signed the approval papers today. We will see how it goes. Everyone seems to be pretty friendly so no issues up to this point.

 

[Maximapolak]

Someone is coming to do a site survey tomorrow...what should I expect afterwards?

 

[pkalhan]

About a week after the site visit, someone from Nevada will contact you to discuss your design layout and see if you have any questions. The design layout will show a top view of your house with the placement of your panels. This layout will also tell you how big your system is in kW. You can choose to accept the layout or ask them to change some things. For me, I accepted the layout, but wanted some equipment swapped out. They were going to put in two Delta inverters but I stated that I wanted a Solaredge invert and wanted power optimizers. They made the change and I accepted. After that, they will put several documents in your tesla account which you will need to sign. Once you do, then you wait while they get in touch with your electric company, city, and county for permits. This is the stage where I am at right now. They got in touch with my electric company already and are now talking to my city to get a permit.

Hope that helps. Sorry if my grammar is bad, typing on my cell phone.

 

[TheTalkingMule]

In answer to the original question, $3/W is "fair" from a high quality nationwide operator like Tesla. $2.75/W is a good deal from a quality local installer. About $2.25/W is what you should be paying to either, but there's a lot of sales cost associated to the pricetag right now.

 

[Maximapolak]

About a week after the site visit, someone from Nevada will contact you to discuss your design layout and see if you have any questions. The design layout will show a top view of your house with the placement of your panels. This layout will also tell you how big your system is in kW. You can choose to accept the layout or ask them to change some things. For me, I accepted the layout, but wanted some equipment swapped out. They were going to put in two Delta inverters but I stated that I wanted a Solaredge invert and wanted power optimizers. They made the change and I accepted. After that, they will put several documents in your tesla account which you will need to sign. Once you do, then you wait while they get in touch with your electric company, city, and county for permits. This is the stage where I am at right now. They got in touch with my electric company already and are now talking to my city to get a permit.

Hope that helps. Sorry if my grammar is bad, typing on my cell phone.

Would you mind sharing a screenshot of your design layout? Of course without your personal information. I would like to see what I should expect ahead of time.

What is the difference in inverters? What are the power optimizers?

 

[JES2]

Would you mind sharing a screenshot of your design layout? Of course without your personal information. I would like to see what I should expect ahead of time.

What is the difference in inverters? What are the power optimizers?

I don't know if Tesla changed their designs from SolarCity, but here is my layout from 2013. I doubt much has changed. It is an 8.33 kw system.

 

[Maximapolak]

I don't know if Tesla changed their designs from SolarCity, but here is my layout from 2013. I doubt much has changed. It is an 8.33 kw system. View attachment 377177

What was your cost per watt?

 

[Fred42]

What was your cost per watt?

I bought a house in October and finally gave Tesla my January electric bill.

What should I expect in terms ok price per kW?

Anyone in PA care to share their experience?

I recently concluded that residential PV for PA homeowners doesn't work out financially, at least in my area. PA has net metering, which is great, but state or utility incentives are needed to make this work out, and we don't have them. I looked through a statewide list of incentives and didn't see any from other utilities either, but I'm not certain that no electric utility in another part of the state offers something. If I spent $20,000 on a PV system this year, I would get the 30% tax credit bringing the cost down to $14,000, and I would save an average of $60/month on my electric bills. I went back to a solar site that said "payback in 7.5 years." Their numbers were similar to mine except they included an item larger than the electricity bill savings for clean energy certificates that the utility would buy from the homeowner. We don't have such a program. Of course there is reason other than financial to consider installation of PV.

 

[JES2]

What was your cost per watt?

You don't want to use what I was given as a contract from SolarCity. They sold me an 8.33 kw system for $9,800 back in 2013 through a 20 year PPA. It was a ridiculous price that I jumped at. I think it was based on the rebates that SolarCity was going to get through three entities (state, federal, and electricity distributor.) It might be one of the reasons that SolarCity was in so much trouble.

 

[mattack4000]

I just got quoted for $5.25 / from Sunpower. I know I live in a high price area, but WTF. It's like stuck in 2013 pricing

 

[pkalhan]

@mattack4000 I think it is because of Sunpower. Don't they use panels that are like 370kW? I am just guessing here.

 

[Vines]

$5.25 is quite high, and unless you have barrel tile and need a service upgrade I would get other quotes.

Not all Sunpower dealers are created equal, if you go with Sunpower direct there's a middle man that also needs to make profit.

 

[mattack4000]

@mattack4000 I think it is because of Sunpower. Don't they use panels that are like 370kW? I am just guessing here.

Yes but $5.25 is a lot. I am willing to pay up to 3.75 to 4 but I can’t do 5.25. It’s a straight forward install except my roof is very high up. $1k or 2k more fine, not $4k

 

[TheTalkingMule]

I recently concluded that residential PV for PA homeowners doesn't work out financially, at least in my area. PA has net metering, which is great, but state or utility incentives are needed to make this work out, and we don't have them.

Residential solar can provide savings to homeowners in York County if it's priced right. That's the Catch-22 with solar in general. If it's priced below $2.80/W and reasonable financing is available you save money in PA, but the existing sales model nearly everyone uses adds $.40-.80/W in cost and that throws the whole operation deep in the red.

If I spent $20,000 on a PV system this year, I would get the 30% tax credit bringing the cost down to $14,000, and I would save an average of $60/month on my electric bills. I went back to a solar site that said "payback in 7.5 years." Their numbers were similar to mine except they included an item larger than the electricity bill savings for clean energy certificates that the utility would buy from the homeowner. We don't have such a program.

Yes the company in that advertisement was essentially lying, as is the case with most nonsense you'll see on any internet ad. We do have SRECs(solar renewable energy credits) in Pennsylvania, but their price is still severely depressed due to sabotage by our state legislators and previous governor backed by the fracking industry. Recent legislation has "closed PA borders" to outside SRECs so the value will shoot up dramatically, but nowhere near any impactful amount in the near future.

Of course there is reason other than financial to consider installation of PV.

If you can find a reputable installer to throw quality panels on your roof at around $2.75/W then you're in business and should save money due to net metering. Problem is, that kind of product is hard to find in a market like PA that is just getting moving. We're making major major progress in Philadelphia on the residential solar front, but not on price quite yet. Shocking!

I'm working on the pricing problem in the beta phase of my startup. We're working primarily inside Philadelphia, but will stretch out to at least West Chester in the summer. York ain't so far from there, so I bet we'll have an option for you within 6 months. Feel free to PM me your email and I'll be sure to let you know, or just keep an eye out here and you'll likely see something soon. Best of luck.

 

[gilscales]

Wow, I'm surprised here in CA we are only at number 7, HI being number 1 by a long shot!

https://www.chooseenergy.com/electricity-rates-by-state/