Jump to content
Brewer Fanatic

Getting off the grid


Team Canada

Recommended Posts

they pay for installation and the pv cells and you just pay for the electricity? so at what point do they jack up the $/kWh you're paying to some outrageous price?

 

Edit: ok, maybe that was a little harsh without knowing enough about it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My guess is they make money by being able to charge for electricity for the life of the house. Probably sell the excess to the local power companies as well. But since they cover all initial costs you probably are saving money for at least the first 5 years.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

FTJ, that's not my understanding. It sounds to me like you sign a contract for 1/5/25 years and lock in the current rate that you pay for your electricity on a per kwh (or whatever unit) basis. So you don't have to use X amount each year, they do meter reading just like a normal utility company. The savings on the consumer end is from cost certainty and protection from assumed rate increases. In fact, they state flat out that their savings calculator assumes a 2.1% rate increase every year, and if that isn't true, your savings will be different or you could see a negative benefit compared with if you'd stuck with the utility company.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

FTJ, that's not my understanding.

 

You could be right -- although -- I don't see how they would somehow contract you for kwh -- afterall they need to know how many panels to put on your roof, and then you would have to rent said panels.

 

For example

 

Lets Assume you have X people in your house you require Y kwh

 

I have 2X people in my house so I require 2Y kwh

 

I would need more panels, and have to rent them -- so I would be contracted for 2Y kwh and you would be at Y.

 

I could be wrong though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think at some point putting them into your house will increase the house's value.

In California... Austin, TX... Portland, OR... Boulder, CO... and uh that's about it until a radical paradigm shift.

 

Photovoltaics are over-rated. Get the solar thermal systems up there instead.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

The Twins Daily Caretaker Fund
The Brewer Fanatic Caretaker Fund

You all care about this site. The next step is caring for it. We’re asking you to caretake this site so it can remain the premier Brewers community on the internet. Included with caretaking is ad-free browsing of Brewer Fanatic.

×
×
  • Create New...