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JSchecter11 t1_j4cekp2 wrote

I haven’t gotten billed since mid December, but my credits should last me through February 🤞🏻 solar panels were one of the best things I ever did.

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TheDrummingApe t1_j4e6ikg wrote

Can you or others share some info about the right way to go about it? What is initial investment like? Payments? Roof condition, etc? I am interested but have ran across so many things that look like scams that now I don't trust anything when it comes to Solar.

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JSchecter11 t1_j4eedn6 wrote

Used a reputable, local company that employs their own installers. Workmanship guarantees for 10 years (a bullshit company won’t offer any of that) No money down, got a loan and amortized it when the federal tax credit came in (currently 30%). Company also handled all the paperwork- I didn’t have to talk to the power company once. My roof was only a year old- panels generally have 20-25 year warranty so you’ll want your roof to outlive that.

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plaverty9 t1_j4d0ikb wrote

Same. I generate credits into November and then use credits from December through February. March has been one of my best months.

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JSchecter11 t1_j4d1vbr wrote

March was really strong for me in 2021, not so much last year. May is probably my best month since we’re generating lots of power but not using the A/C yet.

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Ragnaroknight OP t1_j4c3q79 wrote

11.3kW solar system, Heat Pump only heat. Electric Stove, Hybrid hot water, EV.

1700kWh used. $520 ish bill.

(To be fair my girlfriend did a lot of Christmas baking this year, sometimes using as much as 100kWh in a single day. Plus I have a roommate who sits on his gaming PC 12 hours a day. )

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dickieb81 t1_j4c5erp wrote

Do you have an industrial kitchen? 100kwh runs my whole house for a week

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Ragnaroknight OP t1_j4c68ho wrote

Those really bad days were probably all day baking combined with having the electric heat on and someone running the dryer.

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_CaesarAugustus_ t1_j4co1wt wrote

Electric heat alone will jack that up. But yeah the baking increase for sure also spikes it.

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BigE1263 t1_j4cejgi wrote

12 hours a day? The heck is he playing? Rust.

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Ragnaroknight OP t1_j4cet05 wrote

FFXIV

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morbidpete84 t1_j4cof1g wrote

It’s been a long time! Started with ffxi for years, moved on to xiv for a bit then never played another MMO after that. Memories of grinding for days on end.

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Beezlegrunk t1_j4cxd3u wrote

That sounds pretty big for a residential system. How many square feet is your house? Isn’t the average residential solar installation about half that size …?

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Ragnaroknight OP t1_j4cycf5 wrote

My house is only 1200sq feet, but almost the entire roof is covered with panels.

I was able to have them design a system around a few really inflated electric bills from when I was mining cryptocurrency (yeah I know). I did this intentionally, because I knew I wanted to get an EV and Heat Pump down the line l.

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Ryland42 t1_j4cbl6y wrote

I've only had my panels since September and my January bill was still zero even though I had to use some of my credit

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Accurate-Historian-7 t1_j4c8oza wrote

I keep saying it, people won’t be able to afford this long term. They will start leaving the state by the handfuls. Electric prices are absolutely stupid in this state. I’ve lived in 4 other states and never seen bills like I do here.

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AnalystAntique t1_j4calsb wrote

Well i know people in mass nh nj ny and they’ve seen a ridiculous increase in utility prices as well

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Beezlegrunk t1_j4cwnsv wrote

>people won’t be able to afford this long term. They will start leaving the state by the handfuls.

There’s always Texas — they have no power problems down there. Oh, wait …

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Accurate-Historian-7 t1_j4cx6pm wrote

The folks of Texas haven’t learned what a generator is and that they should invest in one before the inevitable ice storm comes.

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Beezlegrunk t1_j4cyboh wrote

What does a worthwhile generator cost?

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Accurate-Historian-7 t1_j4d1hxz wrote

1000$ you could find a nice Honda. That would easily be enough to keep the refrigerator going, a space heater, and maybe even the computer router or TV. That would at least provide minimal heat, make sure your food doesn’t spoil, and provide some entertainment.

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Beezlegrunk t1_j4d7yfb wrote

So you expect people who can’t afford to pay a monthly utility bill to be able to pony up $1,000 for a generator (not counting the gas to run it)? That seems an unlikely “solution” …

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princessvibes t1_j4e26nw wrote

Not sure why you’re getting downvoted, people also forget that those who were largely unequipped for this winter storm live in APARTMENTS. Texas has multiple sizable cities where a majority are living in condos and apartments. We can’t just get a generator, and even if we had a smaller generator it would only really work for charging phones and small household appliances. Larger appliances like refrigerators, ovens, and hot water, and heat wouldn’t be an option.

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degggendorf t1_j4mzgwa wrote

> Not sure why you’re getting downvoted

I think it's because they're misunderstanding the point /u/Accurate-Historian-7 is making. Historian is saying that having a backup generator will protect you when the power goes out. Beezle is arguing against a generator as a solution to energy costs going up, which no one ever claimed them to be.

You have a good point as well - if you're in an apartment, you might not have a place to hook up and run your backup generator if the power goes out. Another way people in apartments are worse off. At least it won't be you paying for the work when a pipe bursts in your landlord's building, but that will be small consolation when you get kicked out for the construction and have to figure out somewhere else to live. That's a shitty situation all around, caused by the landlord's failure to plan ahead.

FWIW, if you have gas heat and hot water, they only need a tiny bit of power to run zone valves, circulators, and thermostats, so you could run them from your car or one of those lithium ion "generators" like the brand Jackery popularized.

If you have a balcony or somewhere protected outside, a cheap generator like this one would be enough to keep your fridge cold and your house warm, assuming you have the access and know-how to change around wiring.

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Accurate-Historian-7 t1_j4n2sv0 wrote

That’s for bringing some sense to this! I didn’t even want to try and clear this up Ahaha.

Battery generators are a great idea for apartments and condos. No noise and can be recharged by a solar panel. Goal zero, Eco Flow, Jackery, ect.

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Beezlegrunk t1_j4mwfz4 wrote

Excellent points. His comment about generators also puts the burden on individual people to remedy their own energy-supply / cost crises, instead of addressing the structural causes of those crises. Rhode Island, Texas, and the U.S. as a whole could have already done more and should be doing more now to diversify their energy sources, by generating more within each state from renewable sources that are much less vulnerable to supply disruptions / cost rises. Instead, people are forced to rely on fossil fuels from external sources and are expected to buy generators to keep their lights on and food from spoiling when those volatile energy supplies are disrupted and costs soar ...

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degggendorf t1_j4mxdqg wrote

> His comment about generators also puts the burden on individual people to remedy their own energy-supply / cost crises

That's not the point at all, they are recommending a generator as a backup power supply for when the grid goes down, which would be a money saver. Whether it's fossil fuel or nuclear or wind, when a tree falls on the line, your power is going out.

Even a nice $1k generator is a hell of a lot cheaper than water remediation and repiping a house.

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Accurate-Historian-7 t1_j4d9i0r wrote

Lot better than having your pipes freeze or loosing a freezer full of food. Also many other options can be had for half that. Just won’t last as long.

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_CaesarAugustus_ t1_j4cnuxx wrote

Fees are going up everywhere dude to increases in prices for non-renewable fuel resources. Granted, I’m sure there are states where it isn’t as bad, but the northeast, and the surrounding areas, are all seeing increases.

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itslareng t1_j4dk651 wrote

They ARE stupid in this state, but OP also stated they use A LOT of kwh so this is not just a case of crazy electricity bills.

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Diligent-Pizza8128 t1_j4cwxck wrote

Yeah, you didn’t before, just like RI didn’t before. But that’s not the case now.

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Accurate-Historian-7 t1_j4cxv65 wrote

Rhode Island’s electric went up by 47%. Most states go up a normal amount like 5-10%. Just spent the holidays with out of state friends, they told us their bill went up 8%. I couldn’t help but laugh. Their jaw dropped when I said we went up 47%

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astrangeday13 t1_j4csyh5 wrote

Trying to drive into solar, especially since the EV purchase. Can anyone recommend a company they were happy with?

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Ryland42 t1_j4ctj7x wrote

I used SolPower which is in Charlestown. They were good but aren't always the fastest at answering emails.

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astrangeday13 t1_j4ctnwz wrote

Was the process of having it actually turned on and inspected painful? How long did that take using them?

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Ryland42 t1_j4cua4h wrote

I think it only took about a week or two between installation and activation. The inspection was a drive by and I never even talked to the inspector.

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plaverty9 t1_j4d0usa wrote

Newport Solar is great.

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Rickshmitt t1_j4dhip1 wrote

I used newport solar as well. Was super easy. Rhode Island isnt an awesome place for solar, they said we get about 100 days of sun. That being said, my system cost 20k and gets me 2k a year

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plaverty9 t1_j4di8rb wrote

So your payoff is at 10 years. Mine is at 7. And we have a 20 year warranty on the panels.

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feelsmagical t1_j4dhicj wrote

I got quotes from Sol Power, Newport Solar, and Tesla for similar systems. Tesla far (like 20k) cheaper than the others. Installation went well and am pleased over all.

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astrangeday13 t1_j4doqyj wrote

I have a Tesla and I'm not crazy about their customer service

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feelsmagical t1_j4e8c6q wrote

Yea, I've heard that too. My experience is good so far, I believe the solar division of the company is operated independently of the auto.

Full disclosure -- Newport Solar quoted ~80k before incentives for 12kWh of solar and 9kWh of battery backup. Tesla was ~50k before incentives for 12kWh of solar and 40.5kWh of battery... but a much longer lead time. A huuge difference.

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GodlyTaco t1_j4g8fgo wrote

So how does it work with the incentives? Do you pay all out of pocket and then get a credit? Just started looking into Solar, thanks.

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iandavid t1_j4i6tk1 wrote

Another one to add to your list is SunWatt in Pawtucket. I went with them for my install because I liked the tech they recommended, and they’ve been super communicative throughout the installation process.

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heklakatla t1_j4cy8js wrote

You're spending an average of <$18/month on electricity with an EV in the stable and you're complaining? From the outside it appears you've completely offset your house and reduced transportation energy costs to <$18/month. That'd be a win in my book since I currently pay $40/week for gas in my car.

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plaverty9 t1_j4d1465 wrote

Add the cost of the panels to the $18/month.

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shortys7777 t1_j4dwx0l wrote

Curious how big your house is and the size of your panels? I'm definitely planning on doing them in my next house. Also wondered what happens if the roof leaks from shingles ripping up in wind or where they mount the panels to the roof? Is that on the home owner?

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climb-high t1_j4e0ymv wrote

I’ve always wondered all of these, I hope someone answers. Great questions.

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New_Analyst3510 t1_j4dj0dq wrote

I'll probably rig some up off grid on a homestead

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pmk0286 t1_j4drkkb wrote

Net metering has worked great. They almost always end up paying me

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Soloeye t1_j4ezbif wrote

I've had panels since Jan 2019. Best decision ever. I occasionally get a bill in Sept and some winter months, but I also can just use my A/C whenever I want in the summer and not care about it. I'd love to add more panels, but I am apparently limited by RIE from adding more.

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Yak54RC t1_j4c8y1d wrote

Yeah we got kinda screwed since we got paid at .19 cents and are using credits at .29 so no REALLY net metering but hopefully with nat gas prices down, the upcoming electricity prices should also come down

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Ragnaroknight OP t1_j4c9gh6 wrote

Yeah it sucks it's not based on kwh generated but however much the rates were at the time.

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Yak54RC t1_j4c9v5p wrote

I’m same way I have almost everything electric except for stove and dryer but I had a healthier 600 credit entering December. My heat pump used about 500 kwhr and the tesla used about 450 (winter sucks ). I still have 200 credit for January but will Probably go over since we have had almost no sun so far

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mdurg68 t1_j4h1rav wrote

Do adjust the net metering rate at all?

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Yak54RC t1_j4h3c82 wrote

No the credits were accrued at .19 and they are being used at .29. It is what it is just circumstances of these crazy past two years.

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Null_Error7 t1_j4cf1yq wrote

Can you explain what’s happening here? Why are you being paid at a different rate now than what you pay?

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Ragnaroknight OP t1_j4cfx6t wrote

You don't generate a lot of solar in the winter time. So you have to earn credits during the summertime, which unfortunately is when electricity rates are the lowest.

So when they raise the rates in winter all the credit you earned in the summertime at the low rate is used at the higher rate, basically it's spent twice as fast as it's earned.

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Null_Error7 t1_j4cgb8j wrote

I know it’s been overcast lately, but is your system undersized?

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Ragnaroknight OP t1_j4cgx9m wrote

No it's oversized if anything. I have 34 panels, and no tree coverage.

Weather has been awful, and Winter generation is usually way worse regardless.

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Null_Error7 t1_j4cmyiq wrote

Wow I guess I’ll have to reconsider solar

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Ryland42 t1_j4ctt50 wrote

My system had only been in place for 4.5 months and I still have a $113 credit even with the horrible winter generation.

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Beezlegrunk t1_j4cw9b7 wrote

Wrong message received …

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Null_Error7 t1_j4digw0 wrote

How? Solar payback takes too long as it is and now 1/3 of the year has little return? With the job market today who can know they will be in the same home for 10+ years?

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Beezlegrunk t1_j4dqnk4 wrote

>Solar payback takes too long as it is

Says who? It depends on what you pay for the installation — including any tax breaks or subsidies — and what your energy rates are, and are projected to be in the future.

We don’t know the first number, but we know that both gas and electric prices are high right now, not likely to go down any time soon (if ever), and everything OP doesn’t have to pay RIE for monthly power is money off the cost of his solar installation.

Maybe he can tell us what his payback period is, and which way his roof is oriented. My guess is it’s about 7–8 years. And don’t forget that he can recoup most if not all the money he spent on the installation when he sells his house as solar-powered …

>now 1/3 of the year has little return

Again, what’s “little return”? It may not be the same as during the summer, but it’s still significant, and could be an even larger percentage of his total need if he can lower their household consumption a bit.

>Who can know they will be in the same home for 10+ years?

A lot of people, but even those who don’t know can usually derive a fair return from solar over the short (2–3 years) or medium (3–5 years) term, on aggregate …

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Null_Error7 t1_j4ds4n9 wrote

Good luck getting a homebuyer to takeover your payments. Sure maybe you get half of it paid off in 3-5 years but that’s still a loss of $20k if you need to sell.

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degggendorf t1_j4l40d4 wrote

> but we know that both gas and electric prices are high right now, not likely to go down any time soon (if ever)

That is not true. Out rates are smoothed over a 3-month period, and we can see real-time gas prices that will legally have to be taken into account with next quarter's rates. Next quarter's gas price will be lower. @ me if it's not.

https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/us-natgas-price-plunge-could-limit-this-years-output-growth-2023-01-13/

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mdurg68 t1_j4h2fds wrote

I was and still am really interested in solar however my payback would be about 10 yrs. Was hoping to retire in 8 and it probably wont be in RI. If the payback was in 5-7 I’d do it for sure.

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degggendorf t1_j4l4g99 wrote

> now 1/3 of the year has little return?

I mean, I guess, but that's not really a sensical way to think of it.

You should take the whole yearly cycle into account to look at ROI. It sounds like OP is still going to come out way ahead for the year.

But if you want to look at it your way, if OP is getting "little return" for Dec-Feb, then they're getting infinite return Mar-Nov.

Of course the decision to install solar depends on a lot of factors - as you said, length of time you expect to stay in the house is definitely a big one - but now more than ever, it has a pretty safe ROI.

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_CaesarAugustus_ t1_j4cobh8 wrote

Take it with a grain of salt. They’re still worthwhile for most people.

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Tradelorian t1_j4h0aav wrote

It’s F’n ridiculous what we are paying for electricity now. These companies are reaping huge profits and my monthly bill increased by more than double recently. 😡

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degggendorf t1_j4it8pe wrote

Does RIE log credits in kWh or $?

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Ragnaroknight OP t1_j4itjc5 wrote

$ unfortunately. Which is why I burned through my credits so fast.

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degggendorf t1_j4iv0qd wrote

Ah, okay.

Does your earn rate change with pricing?

I've been learning so much about CT's setup for my dad and haven't been keeping up with RI/RIE.

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Apprehensive-Art5981 t1_j4el4ni wrote

You all should thank the rest of the taxpayers who funded the panels as opposed to patting yourselves on the back for joining the subsidized program. Remember, this is one of the reasons are federal and state taxes are so high... the government gives taxpayer dollars away and we end up getting taxed more. Taxes are the biggest expense for the middle and lower class... let's not forget that.

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