• There were many reasons for the change of the site software, the biggest was security. The age of the old software also meant no server updates for certain programs. There are many benefits to the new software, one of the biggest is the mobile functionality. Ill fix up some stuff in the coming days, we'll also try to get some of the old addons back or the data imported back into the site like the garage. To create a thread or to reply with a post is basically the same as it was in the prior software. The default style of the site is light colored, but i temporarily added a darker colored style, to change you can find a link at the bottom of the site.

Going Solar

what i forgot to say was that i also included gas in that cost also, con edison bills me for gas and electric
 
What I've heard about here is in the country. People use propane and/or rural electric. It seems the propane cost vary widely with the market and it's hard to predict your cost of the winter. In town, we have natural gas for heat. But if I was setting up in a rural area here I'd go all-electric and look into solar.
 
cuznjohn said:
what i forgot to say was that i also included gas in that cost also, con edison bills me for gas and electric
Click to expand...

Now gas is cheap here.....My largest gas bill ever(other than 2 weeks after Hurricane Ike) was $45. Almost always pay my $26 minimum monthly charge for gas every month.
 
There are a lot of "hidden" costs to consider and it can get into some interesting accounting when trying to determine "true cost" of a solar system.

I was also under the impression that the power company also has to "buy back" any excess power that is generated by either wind or solar systems installed by a home owner.

It is good to see that there are some viable alternatives to the energy question.

Not feasible here, we do not get enough solar in the winter to make it work.
 
For southern states esp. Texas and AZ. have solar energy potential.

Tips for less power consumption
1. LED lites are better than other energy saving bulbs.
2. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Less cooking less power.
3. Try to lay a water hoses or any other pipe under the sun and route this hoses to the cold side of the water heater tank. This is the most power saving you can do because your water is preheated and your water heater will use less power.
Note: install a y water valve next to you water heater if you need to in case you need to switch during winter or cold freezing condition.

More power to all green power users.:yes:

So what it will time to get your money back by using green power.
Our grand kids will be proud of us by doing so for them
 
i hate the heat so with central AC in the house i keep the house set to cold and just leave it that way. i could never live w/o ac. if my power was out i would most likely go live in my car with the dogs, lol
 
Hi jockey,

Disclaimer: I am supporter of alternate sources of energy.

I found this earlier today on another forum:

New Study Shows Solar’s Value to Grid

Rhone Resch
July 09, 2014

If you listen to many utility executives, distributed solar energy has the potential to destabilize electrical grids and result in huge cost shifts for many American consumers. Well, as the Irish are fond of saying: blarney!

A new, independent study prepared for the Nevada Public Utilities Commission estimates that the grid benefits of rooftop solar systems installed in the state through 2016 will outweigh costs by more than $36 million, confirming that solar energy can provide real savings for both solar and non-solar customers alike.

According to San Francisco-based Energy + Environmental Economics (E3), the state’s net energy metering (NEM) program – which gives Nevada residents full credit on their energy bills for the clean electricity they deliver to the utility grid – has “no substantial cost shift to nonparticipants…given the current and proposed reforms to the program.” What’s more, accounting for the cost savings of avoided distribution upgrades, E3 estimates a net benefit of $166 million over the lifetime of solar systems installed through 2016.
==================

http://pucweb1.state.nv.us/...ENT/2013-7/39428.pdf

Jerry Baumchen
Ret'd. Mech. Engr.
 
akspyderman said:
I was also under the impression that the power company also has to "buy back" any excess power that is generated by either wind or solar systems installed by a home owner.


That is true, but only once a year. The rest of the time you just keep building your "bank" and draw from it as needed. At the end of the year if their is anything in your "bank" they have to buy it back, but at slightly lower rate.
Click to expand...
 
jcthorne said:
Sounds like a pretty sweet deal. If I could find a company willing to offer a package like that here in Houston, would be all over it. But the last quote we got for $45,000 up front cost and a 'written warranty' from a company that will be gone before the 20 yrs.....no thanks. Sounds like the terms are getting better and the long term lease contracts are getting more wide spread. Glad to hear it. Perhaps someday Houston too.
Click to expand...

Sorry to say you are right, Sungevity does not do business in Texas. Maybe in the future they will.
 
oz power price

10 or 11 cents !! Wow we are about 33 c here, and if you have solar (which we do) you pay more per kwh .. then they give you a tiny rebate. Plus a $1 a day "service charge" which we pay even if we disconnect from the grid - if it goes past the driveway, you pay...
We can only dream of $700 pa - with or without solar.
 
akspyderman said:
I got you beat by a little. May - August, my electric bill is usually less than $40.
Click to expand...


If my electric bill was any where near yours I would not even consider solar panels. If my bill was around $100, I would not go solar. My bill as I said is $200 a month and they are showing that we are still behind or owe the power company over $300 after this month's budget payment.

The other thing is we have an outdoor woodstove that we use year round. In the summer we use it for our domestic hot water only. Our water heater has only been used as a "storage" tank for the hot water coming in from the stove. So we have no electric water heater, no large freezer (only freezer in the fridge unit), of course no swimming pool, no A/C, we eat out a lot so very little cooking on electric stove, my wife hangs clothes out to dry, and I am anal about lights being left on.

I have had National Grid, our power company, come up a lot over the years to try to determine why our bill is so very high, to no avail. Several years ago they changed our meter from analog to digital and I was hopeful that doing that would change things, but no such luck. Even the many techs that we have had come to our house to try and figure out what was going on, admit that the bill is very high. They even had an electronic usage graph on at the meter to see if there were any unusual spikes......like our well pump cycling on and off.....but nothing showed up.

Anyway that is the reason we have gone to Solar. As a side note my neighbor across the road from us has very unusually high electric bills also. Up until last month he told me his bills were running from $350 to $450 a month, but last month his bill went up to just under $700, because he had changed suppliers that was supposed to save him money. Needless to say he went back to National Grid as his supplier. Also needless to say he is talking to Sungevity about going solar.
 
Last edited:
JerryB said:
Hi jockey,

Disclaimer: I am supporter of alternate sources of energy.

I found this earlier today on another forum:

New Study Shows Solar’s Value to Grid

Rhone Resch
July 09, 2014

If you listen to many utility executives, distributed solar energy has the potential to destabilize electrical grids and result in huge cost shifts for many American consumers. Well, as the Irish are fond of saying: blarney!

A new, independent study prepared for the Nevada Public Utilities Commission estimates that the grid benefits of rooftop solar systems installed in the state through 2016 will outweigh costs by more than $36 million, confirming that solar energy can provide real savings for both solar and non-solar customers alike.

According to San Francisco-based Energy + Environmental Economics (E3), the state’s net energy metering (NEM) program – which gives Nevada residents full credit on their energy bills for the clean electricity they deliver to the utility grid – has “no substantial cost shift to nonparticipants…given the current and proposed reforms to the program.” What’s more, accounting for the cost savings of avoided distribution upgrades, E3 estimates a net benefit of $166 million over the lifetime of solar systems installed through 2016.
==================

http://pucweb1.state.nv.us/...ENT/2013-7/39428.pdf

Jerry Baumchen
Ret'd. Mech. Engr.
Click to expand...

That is very interesting and something I had no knowledge of.
 
quote_icon.png
Originally Posted by Bob Denman Our last bill for two Months, was just about $85.
Apparently; we stumble around in the dark a lot! :D


I got you beat by a little. May - August, my electric bill is usually less than $40.

UPDATE: Just got my electric bill for June. $21.35. Will enjoy it while it lasts. :roflblack::roflblack:
 
Have any of these solar suppliers told you the panels lose efficiency every year and have to be kept clean regularly? I have seen some off the grid homes done but they are pretty fugly and panels are everywhere. In 20yrs they will need to be replaced. Panels are getting more efficient but not there yet. Just the opinion of an electrical engineer who teaches about these at our local Tech College.:dontknow: The solar industry (home type) needs more regulation and disclosure. Be sure to ask about what I just told you before you shell out some big $$$ for a system that will gradually degrade. Make sure you know what type you are getting some are better (and more $$$) than others. Remember most states also have rebates or tax credits to get it done and the feds used to also not sure if it is going away. Just over the horizon are solar shingles that is when I am going to get serious if I live that long and prices come down.
http://energyinformative.org/lifespan-solar-panels/

http://www.dowpowerhouse.com/

http://www.hgtv.com/video/solar-energy-shingles-video/index.html

https://www.google.com/search?q=sol...dOMq2yASqm4DQAQ&ved=0CCwQsAQ&biw=1577&bih=813
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Spyderjockey
How my Solar Panels are doing.
Replies
15
Views
2K
otter28169
otter28169
Back
Top