Getting solar at the house

[HoneyBadger]

I can post on the forum, a lot of folks looking and discussing it on this thread.

We would greatly appreciate this.

[gnihcraes]

Ok, met with REC Solar on Saturday Morning. Received their quote.

Thanks to my wife, the Excel Spreadsheet master:


We compared each solar quote to Xcel, not solar to solar.

Each quote was a Lease type system, with some options to buy it during the term or end of the term. (20 years)

REC items I had issue with compared to Solar City.

1. Inverter inside house. Not required, but they prefer to install inside. Not sure I want the inverter box hanging on the basement wall, cables inside and back out.
2. Upfront down payment - $1500, this isn't recovered until about 14 years into the contract/system.
3. Contract and quote are not easily read/follow compared with the items received from Solar City.
4. REC is not completely one company, Solar City is the finance company, they are the installers, they insure everything, including my house. 20 Years, if the system breaks or causes a leak etc, they will fix it. Not really sure how REC covers, they claim 5 years, but then say 10, but then claim to cover the inverter when it's due for replacement. Not clear on all this.

Solar City starts with a kW rate, and it increases 2.9% each year for 20 years. = 13.6 cents after 20 years.
REC starts with a flat rate of 12.8 and never increases = 12.8 after 20 years.

The two are comparable kW $

Basically after 20 years the costs are:

Here is the spreadsheet if anyone wants to see the numbers and play with them.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...omparison.xlsx

I'll pull the trigger on Solar City here in a few moments and update this thread with progress. (each company is offering $250-500 discounts if signed in June)

[gnihcraes]

Finalized my starting contract with Solar City, 7.63 cents per kW on the contract. (changed slightly lower based on current market I believe)

[gnihcraes]

Solar City called today to setup an appointment for Engineering. They will be on site for Wednesday.

Other vendor was talking like they could start in September?? Woof.

[tmleadr03]

Solar City called today to setup an appointment for Engineering. They will be on site for Wednesday.

Other vendor was talking like they could start in September?? Woof.

Took about a month total for me from signing to installation. Still waiting on xcell to come out and replace the meter. Slackers.

[meatman]

Took about a month total for me from signing to installation. Still waiting on xcell to come out and replace the meter. Slackers.

Took us a little over a month after the finished installation before Xcel came out to put the meters in. It sucks waiting on them when all the sunshine is hitting your panels!!!

[tmleadr03]

Took us a little over a month after the finished installation before Xcel came out to put the meters in. It sucks waiting on them when all the sunshine is hitting your panels!!!

It is pissing me off. REC had the system installed in less then three days. Then when they needed to get inspected by xcel for approval Xcel doesn't even give a bracket of when they will show up. Just gives a half hour call ahead to let the REC guy know he is on the way. So the REC guy had to sit doing nothing and wait for the Xcel guy for a little over half the day. Obnoxious.

[gnihcraes]

Update: Site Engineer was here for a couple hours, went over every part of the house. Likes everything he sees, except for some structure additions needed in the attic. 1922 House needs a couple more supports. He claims they will cover this cost and have a couple guys come do the upgrades when the building engineer checks out the photos and such.

[T-Giv]

Sweet! I just got done with the claims process for my new roof. USAA is sending me a check for $10,700 for a full new roof. Then I'll complete the process with Solar City in September after I have raised my usage over the summer.

[Gman]

I thought you guys might find this interesting;

Solar panel installer SolarCity criticizing Xcel solar program

SolarCity identified four areas where the Xcel program is burdensome:
• Forms cannot be filed electronically, so all documents must be mailed;
• Xcel requires three different forms — each signed at different stage of the process;
• Every system, even very small ones, need a detailed engineering review;
• and when all is done, there is a 90-day waiting period.

SolarCity leases solar arrays, requiring little or no upfront charge to its customers, who number about 4,000 in Colorado, the company said.

"When it is finally turned on, Xcel doesn't tell the homeowner or the installer," Nutting said. "We have to ask the customer to go out and check the meter."