|
Post by jeffolie on Mar 25, 2010 19:08:15 GMT -6
My home solar electric system has been on for one full day now.
|
|
|
Post by jeffolie on Mar 26, 2010 10:13:15 GMT -6
The initial deposit was $500
The bottom line cost to me is almost $10K after federal tax credits and California rebates over the next 3 years.
There is a fair chance that I will be getting paid for my net surplus electricity production because California courts have so ruled but the California state government is being slow to implement the payments.
|
|
|
Post by graybeard on Mar 26, 2010 11:24:38 GMT -6
Congratulations.
What have you done to reduce consumption?
I've put cfl bulbs almost everywhere. Wife loves her lamps with 3-way bulbs, and I haven't found any of those in cfl. LED would be great with a dimmer in place of 3-way, but they're still not cost effective.
Low wattage bulbs can reduce the need for aircon, if you have it. We don't.
GB
|
|
|
Post by jeffolie on Mar 26, 2010 11:58:28 GMT -6
I added a freezer which raised our consumption; plus, one adult daughter moved home which raised our consumption.
We have a mix of regular and cfl bulbs.
|
|
|
Post by graybeard on Mar 26, 2010 16:47:49 GMT -6
Those danged Boomerangs...
|
|
|
Post by fredorbob on Mar 26, 2010 17:07:34 GMT -6
Congratulations. What have you done to reduce consumption? I've put cfl bulbs almost everywhere. Wife loves her lamps with 3-way bulbs, and I haven't found any of those in cfl. LED would be great with a dimmer in place of 3-way, but they're still not cost effective. Low wattage bulbs can reduce the need for aircon, if you have it. We don't. GB Low wattage bulbs can increase the need for space heating. Energy doesn't disappear, it's always conserved in one form or another.
|
|
|
Post by graybeard on Mar 26, 2010 22:15:46 GMT -6
Electricity at $.30 per kwh is about the most expensive heat you buy, and no lights are down low, from where natural circulation does the most good.
|
|
|
Post by jeffolie on Mar 30, 2010 17:06:01 GMT -6
Final inspection was today by the City.
|
|
|
Post by jeffolie on Mar 30, 2010 19:05:30 GMT -6
Tuesday's showdown is considered the first act in a series of electric rate hikes the mayor is proposing, which would increase residential bills anywhere from 9% to 28% over a 12-month period.
|
|
|
Post by graybeard on Mar 31, 2010 22:33:13 GMT -6
It would be interesting, Jeffo, if you could estimate the economic impact of your large, complex purchase.
How much profit stayed in the US. How much went to import the system. How much labor cost is going to family out of the US. How much coal mining will be reduced. etc.
You could almost write a thesis on it.
GB
|
|
|
Post by fredorbob on Apr 1, 2010 5:37:21 GMT -6
Electricity at $.30 per kwh is about the most expensive heat you buy, and no lights are down low, from where natural circulation does the most good. Really? You have fans on in every room blowing 24/7? Wow how inefficient.
|
|
|
Post by graybeard on Apr 1, 2010 8:19:01 GMT -6
"Really? You have fans on in every room blowing 24/7? Wow how inefficient."
I don't understand that statement. You would need fans to take advantage of the heat from inefficient light bulbs, however; wasting more energy.
My Model T era house is heated by a gas floor furnace. It's natural convection circulation, so it's the most efficient you can get.
|
|
|
Post by jeffolie on Apr 1, 2010 12:35:11 GMT -6
"...estimate the economic impact of your large, complex purchase"
That is too hard for me to do confidently.
I did put many Americans to work for over a week doing the construction. The profit from my contract goes to a local American businessman who has American born sons.
Most of the money came/comes from government ($23K for the total contract with $13K from government rebates & tax credits). This is not a free market; it is a government manipulated market. I get to avoid paying electric bills for the rest of my life; but, those electric bills come from a highly government manipulated market with all sorts of government fees and taxes some of which are impossible to uncover such as depreciation and tax laws on SCE.
Yesterday, I discovered that SCE has just agreed with CA government to pay me for surplus electricity. I doubt this will amount to very much money for various reasons. This is part of what you asked about: "...estimate the economic impact of your large, complex purchase"
Inflation and future electric rates will be very important and I predict the Dollar crisis of 2013 will be very important about "...estimate the economic impact of your large, complex purchase"
|
|
|
Post by waltc on Apr 1, 2010 15:57:43 GMT -6
I think solar makes a lot sense if you have a newer home and its full of energy eating appliances and entertainment systems and you already have sky high electric bills ~$300 or more a month. You then get the juice for free. At least during the day time hours.
In my situation it doesn't work, with a 60 year old 1000 sqft home who has $40 a month electric bills in the winter and twice that in the summer it makes no sense.
|
|