Going solar

Some of the installers are real fly-by-night operations and will destroy the integrity of your roof to install their panels.
Yea, this part was on my mind when we were considering this as we have very nice, fairly new ceramic tiles on our roof that are both durable (to the elements) and delicate (to humans stomping on them).

Your numbers align with my calculations so that's a nice sanity check.

Net20? Is that NEM?
 
Yea, this part was on my mind when we were considering this as we have very nice, fairly new ceramic tiles on our roof that are both durable (to the elements) and delicate (to humans stomping on them).

Your numbers align with my calculations so that's a nice sanity check.

Net20? Is that NEM?

Yes, net metering. We have a terra-cotta style cement tile roof, and I've see installers remove them completely in areas or drill holes through the roof to install the solar.
 
Some of the installers are real fly-by-night operations and will destroy the integrity of your roof to install their panels.
...or not even show up and still take your $$$$$. The first company I contacted did this, and I had to get the state legal folks involved....
 
the current alternate forms of energy we have that break away from the normal utility companies only make sense if you want to save energy for future generations. the cost makes 0 sense if you think you can save money by doing anything out of the norm.
 
Just moved into a home where solar is installed. Generating about 9Kw. Power isn't cheap here but it's not CA either. Was told it's about net zero to getting a few $$$ each year. We shall see.

I see the previous owner's invoices. I probably just way way overpaid for solar - lol - seeing how it's just buried in inflated house prices here. ;)

Now, I'm just interested in a power wall/battery option for power outages, which happen every winter here with regularity. Solar recharge is perfect for that use case I'd think. Generac has a competing product now. Encouraging.
 
The rates PG&E rates in California keep increasing and if nothing else this locks my rate as I'm not paying them unless there's an underage in production at the end of the year.

I'm on SDG&E, but summer rates are already at $0.52/KWh. I'm pretty sure that's the highest in the nation. Our governor has the utility companies dick in his mouth, so I don't expect to ever see any form of regulation as long as I live here. I imagine the price will only go up. That's the main reason I'd consider it.
 
Looked into it years ago (outside Boston), but our roof was too old -- solar company has to maintain it, so they require at least semi-new.

We had to replace our roof completely this year (ouch), so I looked into it again. Like others have said, the break-even point was pretty far future. In the end, I didn't do the solar thing, in spite of my gut level instinct that I should. Our town is part of a collective that lets you pick across the spectrum of cleaner but higher priced vs cheaper but lower percentage of clean generation, so I can excuse myself somewhat maybe.
 
Our town is part of a collective that lets you pick across the spectrum of cleaner but higher priced vs cheaper but lower percentage of clean generation, so I can excuse myself somewhat maybe.
Lucky you. We are stuck with whichever of the two companies has the monopoly in a particular neighborhood....
 
Leasing solar is the worst scam bullshit you can ever do with money or sign yourself up... and everyone in AZ has fell for it.

Seeing as you priced it out- it looks like you're buying which is smart... but every year the technology gets cheaper and at some point- maybe tesla, maybe someone will make a new system for houses that revolutionize it and will cut the costs significantly.

I have a prius- I know that the price difference between one and a Corolla will never pay off in gas.

Likewise- a Tesla for example, no one would ever drive one long enough to save money on gas.

I don't care what you do- as long as you don't get screwed and lease it.
 
Leasing solar is the worst scam bullshit you can ever do with money or sign yourself up... and everyone in AZ has fell for it.

Seeing as you priced it out- it looks like you're buying which is smart... but every year the technology gets cheaper and at some point- maybe tesla, maybe someone will make a new system for houses that revolutionize it and will cut the costs significantly.

I have a prius- I know that the price difference between one and a Corolla will never pay off in gas.

Likewise- a Tesla for example, no one would ever drive one long enough to save money on gas.

I don't care what you do- as long as you don't get screwed and lease it.

Thanks. Yeah leasing doesn't make sense to me, at least for my situation. I intend to stay here for at least 15 more years too so it should pay off by then.
 
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