Tesla Solar in Houston & Surrounding Area’s

[wiltoking]

The new app version that came out today added the ability to charge your car for $25/month.

I don't see it either but based on my driving and a 14 c/kWh rate I spend about $50 on electricity a month. The 10 pm to 6 am time frame allows for a maximum of 60 kW's @ 32 amps per day, which is about 8 USD at the previous rate. I suppose if Nights Free wasn't available this would be the next best thing. Definitely better than Shell Energy's EV Charging option which doesn't allow buybacks.

For me with my small solar system, it might be hard to generate enough to offset the $25 charge plus any other off-peak use that isn't free.

 

[wiltoking]

I’m in texas and don’t know of any electric company’s offering net metering anymore. If anyone knows of one please let me know.

None do.

Most offer buyback credits at RTM or 3-10 c/kWh depending on the plan. Tesla sends you cash at least.

 

[Jones1]

The new app version that came out today added the ability to charge your car for $25/month. This seems like a bargain, but I don’t drive enough to use it since I’m retired.

So where do you see it?
Is it after you click on the Tesla Electric in the Solar side of the app?
Are you using android or iOS?
I have both and don’t see it. Maybe they are rolling it out to certain people.

 

[DrewHou]

So electric bill update. I just got my third bill after switching to just energy from reliant. Both plans were free nights but just energy allowed me the 3 cent excess whereas to get that from reliant I was going to be required to switch off the free night plan to another plan. I had bills from reliant were averaging around 7 dollars a month and that was in the cooler months.

I was really worried about my smaller system plus the Model S and Model 3 in this heat wave would cause me to end up on the grid during the day. I am happy to report that’s not a problem at all. 3rd bill and I’m already at over 30 dollars in credit.

Very happy with this plan and works perfectly for me. I get paid money and not charged a dime to keep my two cars charged.

Tesla electric estimates I would be paying over a 100 dollars in May (last month it gives me an estimate for) so I imagine if I switched now it would be probably a couple hundred dollars even if I count paying 25 dollars for each of my cars for unlimited charging.

 

[DrewHou]

Also just to add in for those that are environmentally conscious like myself. I had opted for the nights free GREEN plan so even the grid usage that I use is being offset with renewable energy credits. So even though I wasn’t able to get enough panels on my roof to cover all my usage with this plan I feel like it’s as good as I can get to covering all my usage with renewable energy and not paying a bill. At this point I really don’t need more than my two powerwalls. Adding more would just be because I want to not because of any real needs or benefits.

 

[phsoccer]

So where do you see it?
Is it after you click on the Tesla Electric in the Solar side of the app?
Are you using android or iOS?
I have both and don’t see it. Maybe they are rolling it out to certain people.

It is a very weird location. Under your car in the app, click on Schedule and it is there. No idea why they decided to bury it there. I was glad they lowered it to $25 rather than the rumored $30 per month.

 

[Jones1]

It is a very weird location. Under your car in the app, click on Schedule and it is there. No idea why they decided to bury it there. I was glad they lowered it to $25 rather than the rumored $30 per month.

Thanks I see it. It’s not letting me do it. Must be FSDBeta.

 

[DrewHou]

Thanks I see it. It’s not letting me do it. Must be FSDBeta.

View attachment 960138

Hmmm ironically I went in just to see what it would say if I try to do a sign up for Tesla electric. It shows I can do it with my MS that’s on FSD beta but my 2023 Model 3 doesn’t even show up as an option to enroll. Weird glitch in the matrix maybe?

 

[phsoccer]

Thanks I see it. It’s not letting me do it. Must be FSDBeta.

View attachment 960138

Since we already have Tesla Electric, I wonder how this will work with current Tesla Electric rates and VPP. I do see that if you charge the car outside of the free hours, the rate is higher than we pay now.

 

[Jones1]

I just Called Tesla Electric.
So your vehicle has to be on 2023.20.4 or higher. To sign up. When you get to the end. It will tell you no.
I’m on 2023.7 FSD

 

[phsoccer]

Since we already have Tesla Electric, I wonder how this will work with current Tesla Electric rates and VPP. I do see that if you charge the car outside of the free hours, the rate is higher than we pay now.

I also see that it lists “Low Flat Rate” without listing a Peak and Off-Peak rate. I wonder if this plan charges a single rate all day long that is higher than our current off-peak rate.

 

[Jones1]

I also see that it lists “Low Flat Rate” without listing a Peak and Off-Peak rate. I wonder if this plan charges a single rate all day long that is higher than our current off-peak rate.

Yes. 13.5 is higher than the normal off peak rate.

 

[DrewHou]

I just Called Tesla Electric.
So your vehicle has to be on 2023.20.4 or higher. To sign up. When you get to the end. It will tell you no.
I’m on 2023.7 FSD

That makes sense. Since I got my car back I ended up getting stuck on 20.7 FSD which is the older FSD stack running on newer baseline software. Can’t wait to get out of it though because my car keeps trying to drive in bike lanes and running stop signs and my least favorite keeps trying to make left turns from the right hand lane . I just want to get on the .26 to get all the fun stuff haha

 

[Jones1]

My Big Mama would say. “I’m On My Last Nerve!”

https://twitter.com/x/status/1684670747648667648

 

[Jones1]

First. You tell me that my PW3/PW+ is too new for VPP and I need to wait a month. Now you tell me my 2022 MYP is ineligible. Wow. The Tesla Way.

 

[DrewHou]

First. You tell me that my PW3/PW+ is too new for VPP and I need to wait a month. Now you tell me my 2022 MYP is ineligible. Wow. The Tesla Way.

The way it goes. Tesla is like the lotto never know if you will be a winner or not but most likely not

 

[Jones1]

The way it goes. Tesla is like the lotto never know if you will be a winner or not but most likely not

 

[EL0NTRK]

So electric bill update. I just got my third bill after switching to just energy from reliant. Both plans were free nights but just energy allowed me the 3 cent excess whereas to get that from reliant I was going to be required to switch off the free night plan to another plan.

The Reliant Energy Nights Free ETF mentions under "Does REP purchase excess distributed renewable generation?":

Yes; customers interested in participating in Reliant's distributed renewable generation buy-back program will need to sign up for a Reliant renewable energy Payback product.

For me with Amigo Energy, it meant calling them up and asking specifically for them to send me a "Distributed Renewal Generation" Buyback Agreement. Filled it out and all got set up in a month or so. The process should be the same with Reliant.

Looks like Reliant would not allow you to keep the free night plan and buy excess solar back.
I guess i need to pay 150 penalty to go with another plan.

 

[DrewHou]

Looks like Reliant would not allow you to keep the free night plan and buy excess solar back.
I guess i need to pay 150 penalty to go with another plan.

Correct, I was told the buyback was only available on their solar customer plans which none had free nights on them. That was my experience with reliant but ymmv maybe they have made a change since I left.

I paid the penalty too. I feel like I will more than make up for it though especially since I was able to lock in the free nights with buyback on just energy for three years.

 

[wiltoking]

So electric bill update. I just got my third bill after switching to just energy from reliant. Both plans were free nights but just energy allowed me the 3 cent excess whereas to get that from reliant I was going to be required to switch off the free night plan to another plan. I had bills from reliant were averaging around 7 dollars a month and that was in the cooler months.

I was really worried about my smaller system plus the Model S and Model 3 in this heat wave would cause me to end up on the grid during the day. I am happy to report that’s not a problem at all. 3rd bill and I’m already at over 30 dollars in credit.

Very happy with this plan and works perfectly for me. I get paid money and not charged a dime to keep my two cars charged.

Tesla electric estimates I would be paying over a 100 dollars in May (last month it gives me an estimate for) so I imagine if I switched now it would be probably a couple hundred dollars even if I count paying 25 dollars for each of my cars for unlimited charging.
View attachment 960133

Didn't know that about Reliant, most don't seem to advertise the real good plans because they don't want people to know. Always have to call and ask. Just got my bill from Amigo and it's almost the same except for the amount of energy used! Really interested to know if you get cash back for your credit. Amigo says they do both credit and cash out for unknown criteria. I do get more surplus energy than you even with a smaller system