Electronics > Power/Renewable Energy/EV's

Assist in creating a DIY Guide to Installing Grid Tied Solar on your Home.

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DougSpindler:
I live in California in the San Francisco Bay Area.  I've been looking into installing solar for a couple of years now but have very little confidence in any of the companies who install solar.  I consume 10,000 kWhrs of electricity per year and have received quotes from $15,000 for 6 panels to $45,000 for 42 panels to "perfect" solar system for my house.  Let’s just say I’m feed up with the bull-shit I’m being told by the uninformed “well trained, state licensed solar experts”.   

As I research the cost of installing solar, the more I realize what a cash cow this is for the solar sales folks.  I have no problem paying for services, but when I know more than they do, then I have a problem.
I'd like to create this post to help me and others install a solar system on their home.  Our local power company, PG&E has what has to be the most expensive rates in all of the United States if not the world.  For the rate plan I am on I’m paying at times $0.45 kWhr.  And other PGE&E customers are paying up to $0.85 kWhr.  At $0.45 kWhr let’s say I a really motivated right now.

My local power company
Power company:  PG&E.  Power company offers 9 different rate plans for residential customers.
Tiered, straight Time of Use and Tired Time of Use.  Customers must pick one of the 9 rate plans and can’t change it for 1 year.
Rate plan I am on is straight Time of Use.  I am charged six different rates depending on the time of day and day of the year.  Rates range from $0.12 to $0.45.  In one day I can be charged 5 different rates.

In the past the agreement with the power company was if customers solar system over produced 1 kWhr it would be loaned to the power company until the customer needed it.  And when the customer needed to consume a KWhr they could cash in on that loan and get it back at no cost.  At the end of the year there would be an annual true up.  Customers who had credits with the power company would receive $0.02 kWhr as a credit on their bill.
That was in the past.  The way our power company is doing this is based on fair market value of the kWHr when it is purchased or “sold” to the power company.  This means when the power company is charging $0.45 kWhr for electricity I can “sell” any extra kWhrs to the power company at $0.45.  But then later in the day when the power company is charging $0.12 I can “buy” back the kWhr I “sold” to them at $0.45 for just $0.12.  None of the solar companies I have talked to understand this let alone know how to design for Time of Use customers. 
I use 10,000 kWhrs annually.  Under ideal conditions if I could “sell” all the power I produce at $0.45 and buy the power back at $0.12.  This means when it comes to sizing a solar system for my house I only need a system which generates about 3,000 kWhrs per year (which I sell to the power company at $0.45) to cover the 10,000 kWhrs consume every year at $0.12. 

DougSpindler:
My situation
I use about 10,000 kWhrs of electricity per year.  But let’s call it 12,000 for future growth. 
I am on a straight Time of Use Rate plan, there is no tiering.
Power company has winter rates, and summer rates.  Off-peak, partial-peak and peak.
Winter rates are $.012, $0.22 and $0.32 kWhr.  Summer rates $.012, $0.24 and $0.45 kWhr
M-F there the rate changes 5 times per day.  Weekends we have 3.
We have net metering.  We don’t trade kwhrs with the power company.  Extra kWhrs are sold to the power company at the time produces for an energy credit in $ $.  So for every kWhr I “sell”/receive a credit for with the power company I can use that $$$ energy credit to “buy” kWhr back at a lower rate. 
Peak hours begin at 2:00pm M-F.
House faces 190 – Should be ideal for solar production.  I have an east and west facing roof surface I could use. 
At 38 north Latitude
Roof is in full sun all year.  No trees or obstructions.
My electricity usage has been consistent. 
Very little during partial-peak hrs (M-F mornings – 2:00pm)
And very little during peak hrs (2:00 pm)
Most of my electricity (65%)consumption is during off-peak hours

ez24:
Not sure if there is a question here.  Mine is - are you going to install it yourself?  How about permits?  I know if you are going to "tie" in, you will need permits.  That alone might make it worth it to pay someone else.  There might be a solar permit business?

With 42 panels you can do a lot of things, like take up pottery as a hobby (electric kilns).  A big smile on your face when you open your electric bill.

Maybe start a protest by setting up electric heaters in your front yard (against the tiers).

DougSpindler:
Here's my first question...  Which direction should the solar panels be facing. 

I know for maximum solar panel production in kHrs one would favor a south orientation but that's no longer the best design for Time of Use customers.

I'm thinking west is the preferred direction to maximize energy credits in
with my power company as they "pay"/credit either 2 or 375 times more for kWhrs produced during peak hours.   I would think with four west facing panels I would have the same benefit as 6 or 7 panels facing south and 8 facing east.

Any thoughts?

ez24:

--- Quote from: DougSpindler on April 16, 2018, 11:18:42 pm ---
I'm thinking west is the prefered direction to maximize energy credits in $$$$ with my power comapny as they "pay"/credit either 2 or 375 times more for kWhrs produced during peak hours.   I would think with four west facing panels I would have the same benift as 6 or 7 panles facing south and 8 facing east.


--- End quote ---

You can "preview" and correct spelling errors (they are underlined in red) and format errors. (the dollar signs showed up as "math error" - never saw this before).

 There are many solar installation apps (both Apple and Android).  My friend used one to predict shadows from trees.  I bet you can find one on tier pricing.  But anyway this is interesting.

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