Leasing/Buying Solar Panels Anyone Else Doing It?

[teacher]

My install for my panels is supposed to go down tomorrow

I went the 20 year fixed leased route since they pay for everything and insure the roof and I don't have 50K to invest in panels and installation. I just have to pay a monthly bill. The amount of panels I have should generate about 11000 kilowatts a year

It seems like all Pro's wondering if anyone has experience and if there are any Cons to this...

 

[Scientific Playa]

good article on the topic ....

Off The Grid - Biscayne Times
www.biscaynetimes.com/index.php?option=com_content...‎
Solar power, geo-thermal cooling, rainwater toilets: Dispatches from Miami's alt-energy frontier. Hybrid homes may be the next big thing. Like the hybrid car, ..

 

[The_King_of_Everything]

Sounds pretty cool.

 

[teacher]

Sounds pretty cool.

that's what I said, but it's almost to good to be true when I think about it....the only gotcha was a credit check but my credit is immaculate

 

[duckbutta]

My install for my panels is supposed to go down tomorrow

I went the 20 year fixed leased route since they pay for everything and insure the roof and I don't have 50K to invest in panels and installation. I just have to pay a monthly bill. The amount of panels I have should generate about 11000 kilowatts a year

It seems like all Pro's wondering if anyone has experience and if there are any Cons to this...

50k for solar panels...you got them battery backup unit to...right

I plan on getting some next year...just the panels on the roof...If I get them through my county they will pay for either 2/3rd of the cost, after they check and verify everything, or 15,000 for the install...which ever is cheaper...

Then I can just leave all my shyt plugged in all the team and not have a closest full of Eco and Smart surge protectors...

 

[teacher]

50k for solar panels...you got them battery backup unit to...right

I plan on getting some next year...just the panels on the roof...If I get them through my county they will pay for either 2/3rd of the cost, after they check and verify everything, or 15,000 for the install...which ever is cheaper...

Then I can just leave all my shyt plugged in all the team and not have a closest full of Eco and Smart surge protectors...

The 50k was a approximate # could be more or less but plan on it being alot of money if your getting wattage that should cover your usage for the year

 

[Crakface]

So this means that if the power goes out in your neighborhood you're like.

Sucks for yall?

 

[Crakface]

Could you have built that yourself and saved money?

 

[Hiphoplives4eva]

What kind of deal are you getting on financing of the solar panels? Is you monthly payment less than your light bill?

 

[Dafunkdoc_Unlimited]

Where do you live and what was the calculated Savings-to-Investment payback period?

Also, what does your local utility charge per KwH?​

 

[teacher]

So this means that if the power goes out in your neighborhood you're like.

Sucks for yall?

I will find out I guess by my area has underground lines so power outages will be at a minimum, but I do know the extra power we don't use goes out to the grid which forces the electric company to cut you a check if it's more then your usage at years end.

Could you have built that yourself and saved money?

From doing online research already made panels cost 900 but you can make them yourself for 200. But I'm no type of engineer or contractor (for roof installation )

What kind of deal are you getting on financing of the solar panels? Is you monthly payment less than your light bill?

They have a few qualifying factors: can't have too many trees that cause shade, need a roof sturdy enough to support the panels during adverse weather and good credit so they know they are going to get paid. I'll be paying 150 a month for 900kw my last bill was 850 kwh for about a month and a half of usage and it came out to 200. Being a new home buyer I was able to go with the biggest system feasible since the town can't say I won't be using all that power. From the overage you get a check from the electric company at the end of the year No up front money needs to be put up they get a bunch of subsidies for this just have to pay a monthly bill.

Where do you live and what was the calculated Savings-to-Investment payback period?

Also, what does your local utility charge per KwH?​

There is no real investment, it's the difference of paying the electric company or the solar company. I live in Suffolk county and from what I heard we have some of the highest electric rates in the country I think it was around 20 cents a watt or something while national average is 12 cents.

 

[Hiphoplives4eva]

I will find out I guess by my area has underground lines so power outages will be at a minimum, but I do know the extra power we don't use goes out to the grid which forces the electric company to cut you a check if it's more then your usage at years end.



From doing online research already made panels cost 900 but you can make them yourself for 200. But I'm no type of engineer or contractor (for roof installation )


They have a few qualifying factors: can't have too many trees that cause shade, need a roof sturdy enough to support the panels during adverse weather and good credit so they know they are going to get paid. I'll be paying 150 a month for 900kw my last bill was 850 kwh for about a month and a half of usage and it came out to 200. Being a new home buyer I was able to go with the biggest system feasible since the town can't say I won't be using all that power. From the overage you get a check from the electric company at the end of the year No up front money needs to be put up they get a bunch of subsidies for this just have to pay a monthly bill.



There is no real investment, it's the difference of paying the electric company or the solar company. I live in Suffolk county and from what I heard we have some of the highest electric rates in the country I think it was around 20 cents a watt or something while national average is 12 cents.

Yeah, I pay 12.3 cents a watt, so it's really not cost effective for me

 

[Dafunkdoc_Unlimited]

There is no real investment, it's the difference of paying the electric company or the solar company. I live in Suffolk county and from what I heard we have some of the highest electric rates in the country I think it was around 20 cents a watt or something while national average is 12 cents.

There actually IS an investment since you're paying-out money even though I believe the majority, if not all of it, is financed. The question is, how long would it take you to recoup the investment and how much lower would your electric bill be if you had just installed other energy-efficient measures. I'd have to research Suffolk Cty. to see how many degree-days you have on average, but one of the issues with solar panels in the Northern states is the amount of sunlight they'd be able to convert due to overcast weather conditions and seasonal changes in direct sunlight vs. indirect. I don't mean to scare you, since I do believe solar panels are a good investment. It's just that the tech needs a bit more improvement, IMO, to be truly cost-effective in many parts of America and warrant the costs associated with installation and maintenance of the equipment. Some people end-up paying more for electricity via solar panels than if they had stayed with the regular utility plan.

$.20/KwH is on the high-side since the Nat'l Average is about $.15.

Did you have an energy audit performed on your home to see if the installation would be cost-beneficial or was this a 'cold pitch' from a solar panel company?
​

 

[burner]

the only winner in leasing solar panels are the solar companies

 

[Kritic]

20 yr plan is a long commitment for something electrical that's gonna be outside. how good can they survive harsh winters in a 20 yr period?

dec, jan, feb (and probably march too) hit me with $900 in utilities despite having insulation in all windows
pump for heater broke in jan and had to shell out $1,500 to fix it next day cause of renter

this has been a tough winter. i contemplated committing that.


anyone knows anything about the program that utility company comes and updates lighting fixtures for small business for free? i need that