Can you reduce your consumption any more? I saw you installed a heat pump water heater; I did the same and it's amazing how much more efficient it is. The other big thing we did, is install mini splits in both house and shop/office. We do not have natural gas. The mini splits are way more efficient than electric heat and AC. We also have an induction range now, which helps some. The single biggest load we have now days, is the EV, which is also way cheaper than getting gas or diesel.
Also, it just occurred to me looking at your bill... your net metering with Core, is where you get a dollar value ($.037/kWh), which is then used toward future bills. Is that right? So, in the winter, you don't have enough banked money to cover all your usage?
Xcel does seem worse, but my net metering is where I bank the actual kWh (not a $$ value), which then get applied toward any kWh I use from them. At end of year, they will pay out the AHIC rate for whatever kWh are left in my bank.
My wife and I are always home. We have several computers and I have servers downstairs along with a camera security system with constantly moving PTZ cameras. Our house load, without any HVAC running is around 1300-1400 watts. So that by itself is about 22kW during the long winter nights.
But yea, in times of emergency, I'd shut down the servers at night and bring everything back online in the morning. I can always run the generator though if we still have NG.
The heat pump water heater is using about 4.5kW a day and it's very nice to have. Very impressed with it and it's not loud at all. Next year I'm planning on replacing my AC with a heat pump:
The ACiQ Next Gen model ACiQ-48-HPB is a unitary central split heat pump system for standard ductwork applications. The inverter design means this system can vary the refrigerant flow through the condenser coil based on conditions, making this unit fundamentally different from traditional heat...
hvacdirect.com
Our heating will be configured as duel fuel. Use the NG furnace from 10F and lower and the heat pump for any temp above 10F:
I've been doing my own HVAC work for years, so replacing the AC with a heat pump will be a next year thing so I can get the 30% back from the government.
I did the heat pump water heater for the 30% this year, so I'm done for this year. Total cost for the heat pump water heater and the electrical panel and such was $5267. My wife was none too happy about that and said I should have just put in a NG water heater. But she understand the need of it. She just does not like letting those green critters escape.
Yea, I bank the money with CORE. I can request CORE to cut me a check any time I want them to. We'll keep banking each year and probably have them cut us a check each April. We should generate enough extra to cover the winter months. Though adding the batteries will mean less buying power from them as long as the panels are not covered with snow, I should be able to charge the batteries to a 100% by the evening. I worked out the cost to run the generator for 10 hours will cost about the same in electricty for the day from CORE. So run the generator for 10 hours will charge the batteries to a 100% while covering the house loads during that time.
We are a bit of a preppers. The solar was a big part of that. Adding the generator was another piece. Adding heat pumps is another. We'll still keep NG for the gas range cooktop as we prefer cooking on the stove with gas. The ovens are electric.
The only piece of the puzzle that I have not worked out yet, is water. Still strongly thinking of digging an illegal well for emergencies. Thought about putting in a 5-10 thousand gallon cistern and filiing it from our municiple water supply, so that would be legal.
Also still have to take care of adding surge protectors and such to the panel strings, inverters, house main panel, etc. For when that pesky CME comes. Not sure what to do about EMP though.