Installing Solar at Your Home

[bollar]

My understanding is that the other major disadvantage to this approach is that it makes energy storage systems very difficult if you want to do that in the future... (and considering that the majority of my electric bill is NOT from power I've actually consumed, finding ways to eventually get off grid is very appealing.)

There certainly is inefficiency in converting DC-AC-DC, but both MagnaSine and Outback are capable of storing AC power coming from micro-inverters.

I'm in the group that thinks it's not economically feasible or environmentally palatable to have local storage. I really don't think there's any scenario where local storage is feasible so long as I'm paying $12 / month for net metering. Now, there are people around here who disagree, think the $12 is not acceptable and have gone off-grid in protest. I just don't see it working unless you're able to get consumption under maybe ~ 10 kWh / day and never need A/C... This will never be us.

Here's one of them: North Texans learning to live off the grid | Business | Dallas Business, Texas Business,...

 

[nwdiver]

There certainly is inefficiency in converting DC-AC-DC, but both MagnaSine and Outback are capable of storing AC power coming from micro-inverters.

I'm in the group that thinks it's not economically feasible or environmentally palatable to have local storage. I really don't think there's any scenario where local storage is feasible so long as I'm paying $12 / month for net metering. Now, there are people around here who disagree, think the $12 is not acceptable and have gone off-grid in protest. I just don't see it working unless you're able to get consumption under maybe ~ 10 kWh / day and never need A/C... This will never be us.

Here's one of them: North Texans learning to live off the grid | Business | Dallas Business, Texas Business,...

I think you guys might be talking about two different things...

Energy Storage can mean storing power instead of exporting it... until your batteries are charged... then exporting what you can't store. When the sun sets you use your batteries as much as possible. You increase your "self-consumption" and have a limited amount of battery power available when you need it if the grid fails. SunPower and Solarcity are experimenting with this in California. This will become a necessity if we have any desire to see the percentage of our electricity generated from solar PV exceed ~20% as a society.

-OR-

You can try to go "off-grid"; IMO this will NEVER be a better choice... we need to find ways to make the grid work... There is strength in numbers.

 

[green1]

It just seems ridiculous to design a system such that you are generating your own electricity, and yet have zero ability to weather a power outage. That and the fact that for some of us the cost to stay on grid is a lot more than $12/month. I don't think it makes sense right now to have enough storage ability to go completely off grid. But the system is supposed to last 30+ years, I'd hate to find out that I made the wrong choice because of today's battery limitations when a breakthrough in storage could change everything in a few years.

 

[bollar]

If power outages are a concern, I would advocate a CNG-powered generator. It's much less expensive and IMO environmentally more friendly than a storage system using today's technology.

I reserve the right to change my mind when I can get three used 85 kWh batteries for < $10K.

 

[Evbwcaer]

10.2kw for $39,000, 6.63kw for $28,000, Sound About Right??????

I have recently gotten two bids for a solar installation on my house and I wondering what you all think. I know there are tons of variables, I am wondering if, based on what I can provide here, the community here thinks the prices are right. The prices are before incentives and include everything (install, interconnection, engineering, permits....everything) My Model S arrives in Sept.

10.2kw, $39,000, 36 panels (USA made, don't have the brand), Enphase micro inverters. Estimated 11,000kwh annual production. 112% of my current annual use.

6.63kw, $28,000, 26 Canadian Solar panels 255W Ploy BoW, Fronius IG PLUS A 6.0 Inverter. Estimated 8,200kwh annual production.


Both companies have done work around where I live and I feel good about their professionalism and quality. The prices seem justified relative to each other.... you get what you pay for. Based on what I have provided, do these prices strike those in the know as fair? Thanks a lot.

 

[dhrivnak]

I think it is a little in the high side (15% ) at least compared to NE Tennessee but a steep roof or strange mounting could explain it.

 

[Zaxxon]

With the caveat that I don't know your local area, that seems high to me. I had my system installed last month--Enphase micros, 4.2 kW (15 x 280W), concrete tile roof (more labor than comp shingle) plus a NEMA 14-50 in the garage and some other minor work--for $3.70/W. Your quotes are $3.82 for the larger system and $4.22 for the smaller. Considering that both of your proposed systems are significantly larger than mine, your cost/W should be lower than mine. I would negotiate those down. Barring some aspect of your particular installation that complicates the labor considerably, I'd think your 10.2 kW system should be under $3/W. Labor scales more slowly than system production.

On a side note, I love my Enphase micros--much easier to tell whether a single panel has an issue, and more efficient than a single inverter, as well.

 

[FlasherZ]

Near me, that's about right for the 10 kW system. I paid right at $3.90 for my 9 kW system and this year, price quoted is the same (after coming in higher). Nat'l average is $4/W, I read somewhere.

 

[AlMc]

You also may want to check with forum member, 'The Shadows', who actually sells and installs solar systems in the PA/NJ/MD area. I realize this is not where you live but he could probably give you a good idea on your deal.

 

[Brit4864]

I've just had a 10.2 Kw system installed. Excluding the permit and city application/inspection fees it came to $3.23/w, 37x 275w panels (SolarWorld next generation Monocrystalline panels), 2x SMA inverters with emergency power outlets. Your quotes seem a bit high but maybe that's the going rate in MN and maybe the permit costs etc are higher there? It was $1725 here.

 

[FlasherZ]

For me, it was a matter of limited supply... there are only 2-3 solar installers I found who serve my area. Unless I feel like getting on my second-story roof and trying to manage the panel mounts myself, I'm going to pay that higher amount. Incentives in my state just haven't been stellar (payback is ~10 years with $0.09 electricity, which is the high end of pricing - $0.06ish if you have Ameren), so there aren't that many installs.

I suspect other areas in the midwest with cheap power will have that problem, too.

 

[Solarguy]

I'm looking for some help finding a PV Solar installer in or around Milledgeville Ga. (about 90 miles SE of Atlanta). My brother is building a new home there (foundation pour next week) and I have convinced him to integrate a 10Kw system expandable to 15Kw by using oversized inverters on the initial install just as I have done on my home. Any recommendations or help in finding a reputable PV Solar contractor would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Evbwcaer]

I got $2,000 off the 10.2kw system and signed the deal! Thanks for the advice. September is going to be a big month, solar and the S85 arrives.

 

[Zaxxon]

I got $2,000 off the 10.2kw system and signed the deal! Thanks for the advice. September is going to be a big month, solar and the S85 arrives.

Congrats!

 

[Chipper]

I'm looking for some help finding a PV Solar installer in or around Milledgeville Ga. (about 90 miles SE of Atlanta). My brother is building a new home there (foundation pour next week) and I have convinced him to integrate a 10Kw system expandable to 15Kw by using oversized inverters on the initial install just as I have done on my home. Any recommendations or help in finding a reputable PV Solar contractor would be greatly appreciated.

Get ahold of Brandon Carter of SolarTech in Chattanooga. https://www.facebook.com/solartechllc they will work in your area. They installed mine and I think they did a wonderful job.

 

[Solarguy]

Thanks Chipper, I'll have my brother Ted give them a call.

 

[AnOutsider]

So, apparently my utility can't really pin down how much energy we REALLY use, so until then, I've got a quote for a smaller system with an option to expand. Does this look right to folks? (I'm in PA if it matters)

My actual rate right now is 7.49 cents, so that part is inaccurate, but is this a decent price for a system like this? Going with these panels it's about 3.10 per watt (sunpower panels obviously more)

 

[TexasEV]

Outsider, that system looks huge for a house. Do you have last month's electric bill to see your energy consumption? We have a 3000 square foot house in Texas and use less than 1/3 of what your quote estimates for annual usage, and that's with needing LOTS of air conditioning. Even in the peak of summer we don't use more than 1500 kWh/month, and have used under 1000 kWh in some winter months (with gas heat). If you really use anywhere near that amount of electricity shown in the quote, you should have an energy audit to find improvements in insulation, etc. that will be much more worthwhile than buying that large of a solar installation.

 

[bollar]

So, apparently my utility can't really pin down how much energy we REALLY use, so until then, I've got a quote for a smaller system with an option to expand. Does this look right to folks? (I'm in PA if it matters)

View attachment 53808

My actual rate right now is 7.49 cents, so that part is inaccurate, but is this a decent price for a system like this? Going with these panels it's about 3.10 per watt (sunpower panels obviously more)

Is your house all electric (including heat)? Like TexasEV says, it's a large system, but the annual output from the panes seems low. My 17 kW system generates ~ 38 Mwh/ year and yours is only expected to do 50. I can't see the panel placement clearly, but it looks like you have a fair number of panels pointing to the east?

I actually kind of like the price.

 

[AnOutsider]

Thanks guys. Actual usage is still unclear. Usage was estimated over the winter, but it was a significant amount. The home is electric heat, and fairly large, though we will be reporting our own usage from now on.

The squares above were from skitch doing it's pixelation thing to hide my info. We need to figure out just where to place the panels as I am out of roof space.