that stinks. I figure if it takes that long, I'll be ready for the addition of the extra panels on mine.Quote:
Originally Posted by tmleadr03
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that stinks. I figure if it takes that long, I'll be ready for the addition of the extra panels on mine.Quote:
Originally Posted by tmleadr03
i got a $400 referral bonus! I don't even have solar on my house! Anyone else want solar? :)
I've signed the documents for my smaller 3.4kw system, hopefully we can get it installed and start the wait for Xcel to do their part.
I'll start working on the re-structure of my old section of the house and hopefully get the additional panels installed.
I'm going to look into this for sure. If it looks like a good way to go for my place I'll hook one of you guys up with the referral.
Gnihcraes, tell your wife thanks for the spreadsheets very nicely done! Looks like it could be a substantial savings.
You only get 400 for referrals? Huh.Quote:
Originally Posted by gnihcraes
That was a promotion for July only I believe. It's now only 200 or 250 $. Then they immediately send a W9, so the government will take half.Quote:
Originally Posted by tmleadr03
Then my friend wants Lunch out of it, so I'm down to about $20. :)
Still havent turned on my solar system. Waiting on Xcel. They are dragging their feet to get as much money from me as possible. On the bright side I am not paying REC for it yet. They won't bill me till I actually use it.
Permits approved, waiting on internal financing or something with solar city. Hope to get install started soon so I can start my Xcel wait.
http://www.wnyc.org/npr_articles/201...ar-incentives/
Quote:
The General Electric company has announced plans to scrap a $300 million solar panel factory in Aurora, Colorado. The facility would have been the largest of its kind in the country.GE had earlier suspended work on the project, amid falling prices and a rising inventory of solar panels.
Hadn't heard that, but found it looking for an article I read a few days ago about utility companies pushing back on residential solar. The bottom line was that the residential solar customers were paying for very little utility power, but had a reliance on the utility providing service while the costs of maintaining the infrastructure were being pushed off to other customers. I'll see if I can find it.
ETA: Found it - http://www.pressherald.com/news/verm...013-08-19.html
I wonder how long before new fees will be assessed to residential solar customers to make up the difference. It's likely one of those unintended consequences. Drive a Prius and save on fuel, only to have the government looking to find other ways to make you pay for roads since gas taxes are often used for highway maintenance.
So what will they do when many of the large government facilities are using solar? Example is the Denver Federal Center over here in Lakewood.
They have a couple large solar farms there.
That's different. We can just raise taxes to pay for those.Quote:
Originally Posted by gnihcraes
...or the government will write themselves a nice little exemption.
Just got an e-mail from REC saying that if I refer someone this month I can get 1k in referral bonus!
So, if you want a set of solar panels attached to your goddamn roof that you can't fucking turn on for three damn months all you have to do is let me know I can put you in contact with someone quickly!
Just let me know! Solar, it would be fucking wonderful if I could fucking use it.
It's subtle, but I may be detecting a teensy bit of frustration in your comment...Quote:
Originally Posted by tmleadr03
Maybe a little.Quote:
Originally Posted by TFOGGER
Solar City Update: I'm scheduled for 18/19 of september.
I went yesterday and saw my Referrals solar city install. Looks great! They were out of 200watt panels so he got a free upgrade to 250watt panels. Jumped his system up to 9kw I believe.
Waiting on Xcel to approve it all.
They are using it anyway by throwing the lever in the meter box to connect the system. Pretty cool to watch the excel meter run backwards and the wattage at the inverter go up and down with the clouds moving overhead. A/C system kicks in and the meter comes to a near dead stop, then flies again when the A/C is done doing it's thing.
Can't wait for my smaller system, hoping to get a panel upgrade too!
I'm not condoning the use of the system without xcel's approval.
A little frustrating that my Referral has his system up and running before me, and before my $400 bonus check! haha
Quote:
Originally Posted by gnihcraes
And I am still waiting on my damn xcel meter. Fuck Xcell. Fuck them with a solar powered curling iron. But not my solar, cuz it's not fucking on.
Wow, you guys seem to have picked some pretty poor examples of solar vendors.
We just got done with my brothers 6K watt panel install and battery bank (enough to cover all of his energy needs). I won't tell you the total cost, but since we did the work ourselves, he will have it paid off in savings not paid to Xcel within 2 years. Took us about 2 weeks to build all the racks and then put them all on the roof.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gman
I have to ask. Have you done any real research into solar? Recently? Your mostly incorrect responses through this thread would lead me to think that you have not.
Wind power, I will agree, is a total sham that is not sustainable.
Solar however, is viable. Especially now that you can buy solar panels routinely for less than $1.00/watt. Now, I will concede that solar is more viable at the individual level, but there are instances where it works with levels much higher than homes.
The systems we are doing at my brothers house and my parents house will not be grid tie systems. We have mounted separate breaker panels next to their grid panels, and brought the solar power into those new boxes. This way we can move the circuits we choose onto solar, and leave others on grid if we want/need to.
Yes, the tax breaks and incentives are making it easier for people to get into solar, but solar can still be viable even without them.
Despite your apparent hatred of solar, it is a good option.
I have looked into it quite a bit. Cheap Chinese panels have driven panel costs down.
What kind of batteries are you using for storage? Being familiar with battery UPS systems, there is quite a bit of mitigation, maintenance, and replacement costs involved.
FYI, according to this article, both SunRun and SolarCity donated to the pro-Morse defense campaign. I was zooming in to see who the big out-of-state anti-recall donations came from and both of those came up. Not that I'm surprised, given the California background (unless I'm wrong, it appears REC Solar uses SunRun for their leasing program, not sure how else they are connected).
http://gazette.com/interactive-map-w...rticle/1505839
Interesting interactive map at that site.
Can win them all I guess.
Still haven't made a payment yet because it ISNT FUCKING TURNED ON so it isn't like my money contributed to it...
Well, here is my take. I was considering solar for my home, live on a few acres and planned on a small solar field detached from the home.
I'm a contractor and do a little work for the solar companies in town so, I asked one of the PM's about the program and he said that he would not do it at his home because the panels will never make it to the end of the lease and that they are to expensive to replace. The only advantage, he said, was to have power in a power outage, in the long run no money saved
Just bought 3000 watts of panels at $.33 per watt.
Solar charge controller and inverters are on the way.
Now I just have to figure out which batteries I am going to order for my system.
With thin film monocrystalline panels being as low as ~$.60/watt (lower when you find a smoking deal and buy it all), and more spatially efficient polycrystalline panels being in the ~$.80-.99/watt range, I don't see the advantage to the lease systems anymore. When panels were $5/watt and such, it makes more sense, but that's not the case anymore.
What types of batteries are being used for storage in this application?
I was able to Google this solution that SolarCity has; http://www.solarcity.com/residential...y-storage.aspx
...and this article; http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment...ider-batteries
Quote:
The technology exists, but it comes at a price. Depending on a house's size, location, and consumption, storage adds about 30 percent to the cost of a solar installation, which averages $26,000. Also, batteries need to be replaced every six to 12 years, depending on whether they're used to provide energy at night or strictly as backup systems.
No batteries or storage of energy with these systems. If power is out so is the solar systems ac input.
I will either be using Deep Cycle conventional batteries or AGM.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gman
I would love to see their research, because thats a lot of BS.
I will be adding 3000 watts of solar (405kwh per month at the lowest amount of sun per day in this area - So more like 500+kwh per month) with battery backup and 120VAC inverters for less than $10K. The beauty of my system is that I will be able to take it with me when we sell this house and move.
While batteries are the largest portion of my $10k, I see a financial benefit, as well as a preparedness benefit to doing this.
If you buy your components, and deal shop for them, then there is certainly money saved over time.Quote:
Originally Posted by c5fourj
In addition to power when the grid is down.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gnihcraes
Acid/Lead batteries don't live forever. Matter of fact, no battery technology lasts forever. There are mitigation and maintenance costs involved with batteries. If you're doing the math on how much money solar is saving you, don't forget to factor that in.Quote:
SolarCity's new battery system can help you keep the lights on and fridge cold in a power outage or natural disaster while potentially saving you even more on your monthly utility bills.Our battery systems are currently offered in selected California markets. We hope to offer the service nationwide by the end of the year.
I'm not.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gman
Solar is not a "quick ROI" game.
Nor is it a massive ROI game, usually, unless you have overkill on solar panels and a grid tie. The guy I bought my panels from has 32Kw of panels installed on his house, and grid ties back to the power company. He will have his paid off very quickly.
The Tesla battery packs intrigue me. I called one of the guys I have worked for who is good friends with Elon Musk, and asked what he knows about them. He is into tech stuff as well and is apparently supposed to be getting a couple of them for his house. He is going to check and see what can be done to get some more. So who knows...
Interesting they are going to have some battery options. (sorry was reading from my phone earlier, didn't see all of the thread/links)
1 week til my install. I'll post up photos/info as I have it.
I finally got my appointment scheduled with Solar City. I'm still not sure if we are going to lease or buy the panels. It looks like we may be using our house as an investment property when we move so we may just look at leasing the panels.
On the bright side even though I haven't turned it on yet I did get the 500 dollar gift card for signing with them...
Is that lease or buy? Are you with Solar City?Quote:
Originally Posted by tmleadr03
My solar install has been postponed, weather is setting Solar City back a few days on installs apparently.
I'm going through a refinance on the house, and will let you all know if the solar panels will increase the value of the house or not.
REC. Got an iPad Mini and 500 dollar visa card to sign a lease with them.Quote:
Originally Posted by T-Giv
Now if it could just be turned on, xcel dragging their feet like crazy.
I can't imagine why they'd be as slow as possible in helping you to ween yourself off of them.Quote:
Originally Posted by tmleadr03
I have my appointment with Solar City tomorrow. I am also going to look into REC solar and see how they compare...especially if they are throwing in the iPad and $500.
Don't know what the current offers are. Keep in mind I met got solar installed when I started this thread. Months ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by T-Giv
I get a referral if you use REC. Shoot me a PM so I can have the guy that came to see me come see you.
did you get to run the spreadsheet I posted a while back? Compares solar city and rec solar.Quote:
Originally Posted by T-Giv
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...omparison.xlsx