This data also occurs in my Solar Project thread, but in truth, it's a totally separate issue from Solar hardware and production. This is about how our state bureaucracy (CPUC) is harming the adoption of 'green' energy programs for small businesses by changing the rules in July 2017. It will make many businesses avoid solar due to the cost of capital exceeding the savings.
Step 1 of any solar project is to first reduce your consumption. We dropped power use ~1,000 kWh
Then you install solar to assist. ~1,600 kWh for the first month.
So ~2,600 kWh reduction in power use from 2016 to 2017.
Orange is High $/kWh, Green is Low $/kWh. So far, far less 'higher cost' power was used in 2017. 2,750 kWh of High Cost power was used in 2016, but only 1,307 kWh was used in 2017 or more than a 50% drop in Peak TOU power.
So in 2016, non-solar, pre-optimized power use, it cost a small business $0.157 / kWh in winter.
After solar and optimization, in 2017, power was charged at $0.203 / kWh or a 29% INCREASE in price per kWh.
While this is caused by the new Demand Based Time Of Use, our Peak Demand was 19% LESS than 2016, however note that the actual Peak Demand was 12.40 kW since the 16 kW Dec17 peak was before the solar was actually active.
So even if you try to save electricity, even if you install solar, even if you reduce your Peak Demand, your power costs per kWh go up 29% for going 'green' with the new CPUC endorsed tariffs.
California's Public Utility Commission is apparently either trying to stop solar installation and energy saving technologies, or they feel Small Businesses need to be punished.
Step 1 of any solar project is to first reduce your consumption. We dropped power use ~1,000 kWh
Then you install solar to assist. ~1,600 kWh for the first month.
So ~2,600 kWh reduction in power use from 2016 to 2017.
Orange is High $/kWh, Green is Low $/kWh. So far, far less 'higher cost' power was used in 2017. 2,750 kWh of High Cost power was used in 2016, but only 1,307 kWh was used in 2017 or more than a 50% drop in Peak TOU power.
So in 2016, non-solar, pre-optimized power use, it cost a small business $0.157 / kWh in winter.
After solar and optimization, in 2017, power was charged at $0.203 / kWh or a 29% INCREASE in price per kWh.
While this is caused by the new Demand Based Time Of Use, our Peak Demand was 19% LESS than 2016, however note that the actual Peak Demand was 12.40 kW since the 16 kW Dec17 peak was before the solar was actually active.
So even if you try to save electricity, even if you install solar, even if you reduce your Peak Demand, your power costs per kWh go up 29% for going 'green' with the new CPUC endorsed tariffs.
California's Public Utility Commission is apparently either trying to stop solar installation and energy saving technologies, or they feel Small Businesses need to be punished.
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