Anyone have solar panels??

BlckBox04

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I just had ours finished a couple months ago but I’m a little curious about how exactly they work as far as getting the rebate on them.

The company who installed them told us after we were clear to turn them on that our electric bill was too low to get the rebate initially. Fine. So we installed a couple commercial space heaters to really start amping up the meter. Fast forward to this month and or electric bill double. Goal reached. Now the installer is telling me we need to go three months at a doubled bill before we get the rebate. Is this legit?

I understand the initial investment is worth the benefit but I don’t know anything about the whole system and don’t want to be sorry for the huge investment we made. Fwiw it’s a fairly well known solar company in my area.
 

ashleyroachclip

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In my opinion and a disclaimer, I live off the grid with solar , barrettes and a generator .
Selling power back to the utilities, seems to be hit and miss .
The expense of your install never really pencils out
 

BlckBox04

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In my opinion and a disclaimer, I live off the grid with solar , barrettes and a generator .
Selling power back to the utilities, seems to be hit and miss .
The expense of your install never really pencils out

That’s what has me worried but nonetheless it’s a done deal.
 

Black02GT

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I just had ours finished a couple months ago but I’m a little curious about how exactly they work as far as getting the rebate on them.

The company who installed them told us after we were clear to turn them on that our electric bill was too low to get the rebate initially. Fine. So we installed a couple commercial space heaters to really start amping up the meter. Fast forward to this month and or electric bill double. Goal reached. Now the installer is telling me we need to go three months at a doubled bill before we get the rebate. Is this legit?

I understand the initial investment is worth the benefit but I don’t know anything about the whole system and don’t want to be sorry for the huge investment we made. Fwiw it’s a fairly well known solar company in my area.

Interesting thats new to me. In NY you're only allowed to install up to 110% of what you use. But you can submit whats called a "load letter" explaining future expected usage. Otherwise how can you put panels on new construction?

At least here rebate is based on system size not usage. Something seems funny. Not to mention if you're covering double usage now, what's going to happen in the summer? You're in the worst production months.
 

BlckBox04

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Interesting thats new to me. In NY you're only allowed to install up to 110% of what you use. But you can submit whats called a "load letter" explaining future expected usage. Otherwise how can you put panels on new construction?

At least here rebate is based on system size not usage. Something seems funny. Not to mention if you're covering double usage now, what's going to happen in the summer? You're in the worst production months.

I believe where I am it’s based on usage but I do find it a little strange that I need to double my usage and foot the bill before the town kicks back the incentive

You could add a battery bank , and not use the utilities....

they way I’m interpreting it is I have to use the utilities in order to get the rebate
 

KingBlack

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this is my opinion but here goes: Make enough power to support YOUR needs. it doesn't make financial sense to spend the money needed to produce more power for the purpose of selling it to a utility.
 

ashleyroachclip

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I believe where I am it’s based on usage but I do find it a little strange that I need to double my usage and foot the bill before the town kicks back the incentive



they way I’m interpreting it is I have to use the utilities in order to get the rebate
Then don't worry about the rebate , and get off the grid . Seems to be a selling point t for these installers, but when said and done , you end up like you are ....sorry .
 

BlckBox04

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this is my opinion but here goes: Make enough power to support YOUR needs. it doesn't make financial sense to spend the money needed to produce more power for the purpose of selling it to a utility.

I do agree but if in fact I need to just suck it up for a few months to get the benefit it’s probably worth it at this point. I have a large enough system to provide for my entire neighborhood.
 

Rb0891

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this is my opinion but here goes: Make enough power to support YOUR needs. it doesn't make financial sense to spend the money needed to produce more power for the purpose of selling it to a utility.
Wow, I agree with you on something King. I have done several large projects and never made any financial sense to try to build to sell back, at least in the states we did and their rules at the time.
 

BlckBox04

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Then don't worry about the rebate , and get off the grid . Seems to be a selling point t for these installers, but when said and done , you end up like you are ....sorry .

so your system is completely self sustaining?
 

BlckBox04

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Wow, I agree with you on something King. I have done several large projects and never made any financial sense to try to build to sell back, at least in the states we did and their rules at the time.

my system is really almost on a commercial scale. From a standpoint of seer volume I could theoretically provide back it made financial sense.
 

Black02GT

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I do agree but if in fact I need to just suck it up for a few months to get the benefit it’s probably worth it at this point. I have a large enough system to provide for my entire neighborhood.


Dunno about Jersey but that is usually a bad plan. Not sure how NET metering works there but you really never want to sell back just cover what you need with a little cushion for bad weather years. Tesla batteries are cool but expensive, lead acid banks are a huge waste DO NOT do that. Tesla, Generac and soon Enphase will have decent battery options. Around here there is no "off grid" and honestly depending on what you have it probably isn't possible pretty much everything is "grid tied".

You own these panels right?
 

Rb0891

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my system is really almost on a commercial scale. From a standpoint of seer volume I could theoretically provide back it made financial sense.
I believe you. I just know that each state incentives and individual electric provider played into the modeling . Soory never did NJ so I am not much help for you. Just curious how many Kw did you do?
 

BlckBox04

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Dunno about Jersey but that is usually a bad plan. Not sure how NET metering works there but you really never want to sell back just cover what you need with a little cushion for bad weather years. Tesla batteries are cool but expensive, lead acid banks are a huge waste DO NOT do that. Tesla, Generac and soon Enphase will have decent battery options.

You own these panels right?

yes. It wasn’t done just to cover my own costs but also to profit off of it. It’s a large system, almost like a solar panel field but it’s on top of our indoor horse barn.
 

Black02GT

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Profiting off selling back has very little ROI. Id look to see if NJ has something like remote NET metering and you can use it to offset another property (family)

I'm pretty out of touch with residential stuff.
 

lOOKnGO

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Only in 1925 did half of the US have power...think about it. Less then a 100 years ago. Off grid is one thing, being able to survive with no electricity is something different. It's a humbling experience and very eye opening in trial. Its only a big deal if you aren't prepared.

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BlckBox04

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I believe you. I just know that each state incentives and individual electric provider played into the modeling . Soory never did NJ so I am not much help for you. Just curious how many Kw did you do?

I believe it’s 100
 

BlckBox04

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Profiting off selling back has very little ROI. Id look to see if NJ has something like remote NET metering and you can use it to offset another property (family)

I'm pretty out of touch with residential stuff.

It’s supposed to be for our house and her barn which is a separate grid on our property. The ROI wasn’t a huge factor but getting $2000 a month back and not having any electric bills was a selling point.
 

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