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| Thursday, October 04, 2007 |
| Something New Under the Sun |
 The Wall Street Journal article: Something New Under the Sun recounts how more homeowners are installing photovoltaic cells on their roofs - as soon as they find installers who know what they are doing that is... When Bill and Margaret Oliver decided to take the plunge into solar energy earlier this year, the retired Long Beach, Calif., couple searched for months to find someone who could install 35 newfangled solar panels atop their three-bedroom home.
Despite the hassles -- and though the panels cost them $39,000, after government rebates -- the Olivers say they're ecstatic to be escaping power bills that had soared to almost $400 a month. The panels contain a relatively new technology for the home called "photovoltaic cells," which convert direct sunlight into electricity. With the installation complete, their latest monthly bill totaled just $1.34.
"We had a cake party when they finished the job," recalls the 85-year-old Mrs. Oliver.
[...]
One of the biggest questions for homeowners is whether converting to solar power will really save money. Installers often say you can pay off a photovoltaic roofing system -- which typically costs $30,000 to $40,000, after rebates and other incentives -- in as little as 10 years by saving on the cost of traditional power, which can easily run $300 or more a month. But some rooftop systems end up not delivering as much power as promised because the panels aren't installed properly, or because the electric-conversion equipment malfunctions.
Industry officials, for their part, say the new solar systems generally pay off over the long term. Sharp Corp. of Japan, a major photovoltaic manufacturer, estimate consumers spend as much as $140,000 for conventional power over a lifetime. And that total could rise, since utility rates are soaring around the country because of deregulation. By contrast, a $40,000 photovoltaic system can appear cheap. My electric bills are much less than $300 a month. If my solar panels are producing far more power than I needed to use - would net metering pay me in cash? Or is it just credits on my electric bill?Labels: Saving Energy |
| posted by Boston Gal @ 1:33 PM *
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| 4 Comments: |
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Hi BG this is one of my favorite topics so thanks for posting and I'll try to remain brief.
(1) Congrats for being under $300 per month. Many people come to solar thinking that's the solution to a growing energy crisis, but the first step is to decrease the amount of energy you use. The SECOND step is to get that energy from renewable sources.
(2) you quote the article saying "a photovoltaic roofing system -- which typically costs $30,000 to $40,000". WOW that's only true if you are an energy hog. Our system cost about $12,000 and generates about 20% more than we use. And we live in southern AZ which has a high electric load from running AC. Again, the first step is to minimize usage. I'm more proud of our house and lifestyle than our solar panels.
(3) Net metering varies by state and, I believe, by utility. For us, the extra power we produce each year vanishes--we get no financial benefit from it. But we feel good about ourselves, which hopefully counts for something . . . anyway not sure what your situation would be.
now if only we desert dwellers had a way to produce WATER in a sustainable manner . . .
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I've been pondering this topic lately.
First, I was wondering about how this might work for an entire condo building: I live in a 6 unit condo building. The condo's are all smallish 2-bedrooms, and my utility bills at least are generally under $100... I would estimate that as a building we pay about $750 a month. I'm not entirely sure how rebates / tax credits would work out if we were doing it as an association, but... it would be kind of a cool project for a building to tackle, and would spread the cost around a bit! Anyone out there tried this?
Second, from an environmental perspective, I worry a lot about whether the energy and materials used to build, ship, install, and eventually remove and discard the panels actually comes out to be worth it in the end... anyone know of a real analysis on this?
Thanks! And, great topic!
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Net Metering varies by state. I use a ClimateEnergy cogeneration system to heat my home and it produces more electricity than I can consume in a heating month. During such months my electric bill is ZERO.
In MA net metering is only a credit to your bill and they settle up at the end of the month. You will never get credit for kWh you over produce, and they also do not credit you back at the same rate you pay for each kWh.
In my opinion they should carry the extra over to the next month, and should credit you for the full rate. It is what it is.
Invest in the companies that produce the technology FSLR or LDK are examples. Certainly cheaper than buying a system. Potential can be even higher returns.
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Here's my energy saving tip: I'm one person with a 40 gallon gas water heater. I reduced it from a 50 gallon water when I replaced it last year.
The heat settings go from "very hot" to "vacation". While on "vacation" only the pilot stays on. Upon returning from a 10 day vacation last year, I realized I still had very warm water, all heated by the pilot light. Since that time, during the warmer months, I keep the water heater on "vacation" all the time. I have plenty of water warm enough for at least two navy showers a day (I shut off the water while lathering up) plus dish washing, etc. So my water heater has been using only the pilot light since May, and I haven't given up any comfort. During cold months, this doesn't work.
My gas bill for the warmer months is about $10 per month.
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Hi BG this is one of my favorite topics so thanks for posting and I'll try to remain brief.
(1) Congrats for being under $300 per month. Many people come to solar thinking that's the solution to a growing energy crisis, but the first step is to decrease the amount of energy you use. The SECOND step is to get that energy from renewable sources.
(2) you quote the article saying "a photovoltaic roofing system -- which typically costs $30,000 to $40,000". WOW that's only true if you are an energy hog. Our system cost about $12,000 and generates about 20% more than we use. And we live in southern AZ which has a high electric load from running AC. Again, the first step is to minimize usage. I'm more proud of our house and lifestyle than our solar panels.
(3) Net metering varies by state and, I believe, by utility. For us, the extra power we produce each year vanishes--we get no financial benefit from it. But we feel good about ourselves, which hopefully counts for something . . . anyway not sure what your situation would be.
now if only we desert dwellers had a way to produce WATER in a sustainable manner . . .