I bought a solar system today. Does that make me a space cadet?

[fish brain]

I just put a deposit on a 17kw grid tie solar array for my house and barns. It will generate enough power to meet 100% of my yearly power consumption.
I'm kind of excited. Who else is doing this?

 

[Gong Show]

What was the paperwork involved to tie into the grid?

 

[fish brain]

What was the paperwork involved to tie into the grid?

The contractor will take care of it. I understand that a normal 200 amp system is straight forward. Mine is 400 amps, so a bit more complicated, but not that hard either, just more paperwork. I only need to sign the check.

 

[Rain City]

The contractor will take care of it. I understand that a normal 200 amp system is straight forward. Mine is 400 amps, so a bit more complicated, but not that hard either, just more paperwork. I only need to sign the check.

Bigger cheques make everything sooooo simple.

But seriously the jump from a 200A to a 400A service in the city requires a hell of a lot bigger equipment and cheques. Not a simple upgrade.

 

[fish brain]

I don't know what people with 200 amp systems are paying, mine is just under $2k per kw. The projected pay back is in about 10 years plus or minus.

 

[Rain City]

Well sounds exciting can't wait to see the build pics!

 

[BCI]

Under $2k / kW installed is a great price! Pricing has been coming down significantly recently and it looks like you've got some good payback in your system.

Perhaps you're the leading edge of the curve for new installations. I looked at it 24 months ago and it was not a positive pay back model at the time.

Here is an undated article from Hydro suggesting it is $3k / kW, takes 8 square meters per kW, has a 25 year life expectancy, and over a 25 year pay back. Again that's based on $3k / kW so if you're installed at $2k / kW you are doing well.

Solar power for your home

www.bchydro.com

Copy and Paste of the metrics here;

In B.C., a 1 kW solar PV system, south facing and tilted with no shading, will generate about 1,200 kWh per year or about 30,000 kWh over its 25 year lifetime. This is taking into account an industry average solar panel efficiency degradation rate of 0.5% per year.

At a turnkey installation cost of about $3,000, it would take you over 25 years to recoup your investment at today's average electricity rates.

(In remote locations where there is no grid to tie into for power, off-grid solar PV systems can be used to store power in batteries which can be used throughout the day or even at night. In B.C., off-grid systems make for a sound investment when installed in locations where alternative power sources such as diesel generators are required.)

 

[fish brain]

Under $2k / kW installed is a great price! Pricing has been coming down significantly recently and it looks like you've got some good payback in your system.

Perhaps you're the leading edge of the curve for new installations. I looked at it 24 months ago and it was not a positive pay back model at the time.

Here is an undated article from Hydro suggesting it is $3k / kW, takes 8 square meters per kW, has a 25 year life expectancy, and over a 25 year pay back. Again that's based on $3k / kW so if you're installed at $2k / kW you are doing well.

Solar power for your home

www.bchydro.com

Copy and Paste of the metrics here;

In B.C., a 1 kW solar PV system, south facing and tilted with no shading, will generate about 1,200 kWh per year or about 30,000 kWh over its 25 year lifetime. This is taking into account an industry average solar panel efficiency degradation rate of 0.5% per year.

At a turnkey installation cost of about $3,000, it would take you over 25 years to recoup your investment at today's average electricity rates.

(In remote locations where there is no grid to tie into for power, off-grid solar PV systems can be used to store power in batteries which can be used throughout the day or even at night. In B.C., off-grid systems make for a sound investment when installed in locations where alternative power sources such as diesel generators are required.)

I have a buddy that has done the BC Hydro calculator and determined solar is not cost effective also. They must not be using current data, or do no want to actively promote solar generation. My system will have 38 - 450 watt panels. I have two friends that have systems installed by my contractor, one seven years ago and one two years ago. They claim their systems operate as the contractor promised, so I have a high level of confidence going into this. My neighbour, just installed a 400 amp ground mount system that is twice as big as mine with over 300 meters of trenching and tech cable for for $2,150 kw, mine will be installed for $1,850 kw

 

[Rain City]

I have a buddy that has done the BC Hydro calculator and determined solar is not cost effective also. They must not be using current data, or do no want to actively promote solar generation. My system will have 38 - 450 watt panels. I have two friends that have systems installed by my contractor, one seven years ago and one two years ago. They claim their systems operate as the contractor promised, so I have a high level of confidence going into this. My neighbour, just installed a 400 amp ground mount system that is twice as big as mine with over 300 meters of trenching and tech cable for for $2,150 kw, mine will be installed for $1,850 kw

Where's the location of the install?

 

[fish brain]

Mill Bay near Duncan on Vancouver Island. We haven't booked an install date yet, but I will post photos when the time comes.

 

[chromatose007]

Thank you for helping to further tighten the supply of Silver!

 

[wildmanyeah]

ITs something that me and my wife wanted to do and saved the funds for it. However, the house we bought is surrounded by 100ft plus cedars so we ain't gonna bother now.

 

[cracked_ribs]

Ten years isn't bad for payback and grid-tie systems seem like the way to go - I'm assuming no battery bank here.

I'm not really a "believer" in solar for a ton of reasons but that said, if you have grid power, a projected 25 year life of the system, and 10 year payback, then as long as the system does what it's supposed to do, to me it doesn't really matter if solar is "the answer." I don't think it is but who cares if it makes financial sense in your application? You don't need to worry about whether it scales up or anything, just whether it works for you. Even if it turned out that trying to make it work on a large scale would be a mess, you only have to worry about whether current prices justify what you're doing and it sounds like they do.

I have a smaller solar rig up at my cabin because there is no grid. It does what I need it to do but off-grid solar is a whole other ball game and the costs of power generation that way are pretty brutal. But suburban grid-tie systems make sense to me if the price is right.

 

[tightlines]

When you factor in the opportunity cost of the capital outlay does it still make sense? Compound interest over 25 years = lots $

 

[kaelc]

Good on you, the Compound interest vs Hydro rate increases and the satisfaction of not paying them a dime has an ROI as well. I'm thinking off grid in by back yard home office build may be worth it. It might be easiest to get a permit for a well insulated shed and add solar. I think it will be cheaper than upgrading my service, and dealing with full electrical code to run a laptop and a monitor. Anyone look into systems like this for heat https://www.ebay.com/itm/Solar-DC-M...939343?hash=item4466a6200f:g:DpUAAOSwYyhfj95I

 

[wildmanyeah]

Does bc hydro give u any money for putting energy back into the grid?

 

[fish brain]

When you factor in the opportunity cost of the capital outlay does it still make sense? Compound interest over 25 years = lots $

It works out to a 9% return which is as good as you are going to get any where

 

[fish brain]

Does bc hydro give u any money for putting energy back into the grid?

Hydro will pay you $0,03 per kw. They really discourage over production why I don't know.

 

[wildmanyeah]

Hydro will pay you $0,03 per kw. They really discourage over production why I don't know.

o read something that Saskatchewan had great incentives and people were getting good checks to the point new builds were getting built with panels.

they abruptly ended the program and said it’s because they were worried that the power grid infrastructure was not gonna get paid for.

seems odd they Preach green then get upset when the crown power company’s arnt rapping in the profits.

 

[kaelc]

o read something that Saskatchewan had great incentives and people were getting good checks to the point new builds were getting built with panels.

they abruptly ended the program and said it’s because they were worried that the power grid infrastructure was not gonna get paid for.

seems odd they Preach green then get upset when the crown power company’s arnt rapping in the profits.

Hawaii and almost every state did the same, now you must prove you will use the power produced so they don’t have to write too many checks except for one or two months you under use