Does Solar Pay for Itself? Is it worth it?

[Bossrox]

If your system got in on the tax incentives, that might pay for itself eventually but an off gridder like me doesn't enjoy those tax savings so my scraped together little by little 22kw system, 10,000 watts on 2 inverters & 35kw in batteries ran me about 30k. Being I'm 65 now & with the gov't actively engaged in stealthly killing off all of us, I don't epect I''ll or many be around very long so it would have worked out cheaper just to stay on the grid for what time I likely have left but the accomplishment of not being beholdant to anyone to provide a necessary commodity is worth the cost. I look at it like being a hot rodder who's building the hottest ride that can made with what you got to work with. It's an expensive hobby with useful gratifying returns.

 

[Hedges]

Off grid is eligible for federal tax incentives. They are credits, so only worthwhile if you do have tax liability.
1040x if you don't mind re-opening a can of worms for possibly ~$8k refund.

 

[RV8R]

IMO the payback really depends upon the “situation” & they are all a little different.

In British Columbia, Canada we have BC Hydro a Crown Corporation that supplies (sells) & governs our electricity, etc. This is the way the wind blows where I live;

https://app.bchydro.com/accounts-billing/electrical-connections/net-metering.html

 

[EPicTony]

Just today Ohio Edison announced a 92% increase in billing. Going from 5.3cents/kwh to 10.3 cents/kwh.
That made me feel much better about the boat load of cash I spent on my solar project.

 

[Danke]

Just today Ohio Edison announced a 92% increase in billing. Going from 5.3cents/kwh to 10.3 cents/kwh.
That made me feel much better about the boat load of cash I spent on my solar project.

5.3cents/kwh?

Was that the base rate before all the tag-ons?

I know where I live, the book rate is $.08 kilowatt, but I am charged $.14

Edit: Looks like we are up to ~$0.16

 

[Texas-Mark]

Going from 5.3cents/kwh to 10.3 cents/kwh.
That made me feel much better about the boat load of cash I spent on my solar project.

5.3 cents???
But even at 10.3 ROI will be a very long time.

 

[Lt.Dan]

Just today Ohio Edison announced a 92% increase in billing. Going from 5.3cents/kwh to 10.3 cents/kwh.
That made me feel much better about the boat load of cash I spent on my solar project.

Makes my California rate of average $0.39/kWh look like a joke. Lol, I didn't know there were ANY places under $0.08-0.10/kWh anymore

 

[OzSolar]

5.3 cents???
But even at 10.3 ROI will be a very long time.

Right? I was chuckling to my self when I read that. I'm at a little over 11 cents and did everything myself. Still looking 8+ years but it's best to not delve into such things.

 

[LeoThomson]

Right? I was chuckling to my self when I read that. I'm at a little over 11 cents and did everything myself. Still looking 8+ years but it's best to not delve into such things.

My ROI is around 8 - 10 years, but I see it mostly as an expensive hobby with modest returns.

 

[houseofancients]

Makes my California rate of average $0.39/kWh look like a joke. Lol, I didn't know there were ANY places under $0.08-0.10/kWh anymore

makes me cry at USD 1,10/kwh

 

[SamDeleted]

$0.39/kWh

some business here are paying close to £0.70 (0.87 us$) a KWh

 

[OzSolar]

My ROI is around 8 - 10 years, but I see it mostly as an expensive hobby with modest returns.

Same here. IMHO, once you start considering things like net present value, lost opportunity cost on what else you could have done with the money, and so on, a simple ROI anything close to 10 years or longer is really just a hobby from a financial only viewpoint.

One comparison I like: I've got a buddy with about about the same if not more money in his bass boat. I think it left his yard 3x's last year. My solar does something for me for everyday. It's all about where you want to put your finite amount of money.

 

[Lt.Dan]

makes me cry at USD 1,10/kwh

Whats the weather like where you're at? I'm assuming you wait till last minute to run any A/C lol

 

[houseofancients]

Whats the weather like where you're at? I'm assuming you wait till last minute to run any A/C lol

dont run ac,generally not needed here ( the netherlands) and to add have an all electric home running a heatpump for heat, which is needed.
unfortunatly this has been the worst match in year in sunshine...

do have about 20kw in panels, which keeps things doable.

i think my ROI at these rates will be 2 years

 

[Johneb]

dont run ac,generally not needed here ( the netherlands) and to add have an all electric home running a heatpump for heat, which is needed.
unfortunatly this has been the worst match in year in sunshine...

do have about 20kw in panels, which keeps things doable.

i think my ROI at these rates will be 2 years

Is your heat pump an inverter hest pump? If not you might want to consider putting ia Micro aire easy start on your heat pump. We did and it appears to have saved us about $60-$100 just this month. We are in a manufactured home so heat comes on more often. This supposedly provides longevity to the heat pump as it softens the startup. No affiliation except as a happy customer who likes to pass on energy saving ideas.

 

[houseofancients]

Is your heat pump an inverter hest pump? If not you might want to consider putting ia Micro aire easy start on your heat pump. We did and it appears to have saved us about $60-$100 just this month. We are in a manufactured home so heat comes on more often. This supposedly provides longevity to the heat pump as it softens the startup. No affiliation except as a happy customer who likes to pass on energy saving ideas.

micro aire is to the best of my knowledge only available for 120/240v
here we have 230/360v

the heat pump is connected 3 phase, served by 2 12k 3 phase sunsynk inverters ( = sol-ark 15k )

thanks for the tip though !

 

[Lt.Dan]

Is your heat pump an inverter hest pump? If not you might want to consider putting ia Micro aire easy start on your heat pump. We did and it appears to have saved us about $60-$100 just this month. We are in a manufactured home so heat comes on more often. This supposedly provides longevity to the heat pump as it softens the startup. No affiliation except as a happy customer who likes to pass on energy saving ideas.

I never understood how an easy start reduces energy consumption? It might reduce peak power draw, but it does it for much longer, effectively using the same amount of power?

 

[Nobodybusiness]

Makes my California rate of average $0.39/kWh look like a joke. Lol, I didn't know there were ANY places under $0.08-0.10/kWh anymore

Me neither.

 

[OzSolar]

I never understood how an easy start reduces energy consumption? It might reduce peak power draw, but it does it for much longer, effectively using the same amount of power?

They don't reduce energy usage AFAIK. Something else has had to have changed that would explain the reduced energy.

Makes my California rate of average $0.39/kWh look like a joke. Lol, I didn't know there were ANY places under $0.08-0.10/kWh anymore

We have several industrial customers who's last step is under 7 cents but no residential near around me is under 11 cents anymore.

 

[dcg9381]

I never understood how an easy start reduces energy consumption? It might reduce peak power draw, but it does it for much longer, effectively using the same amount of power?

As an EE, I'd wager good money that the total energy consumption is the same regardless of the type of starting capacitors deployed. If someone thinks their bill is dropping substantially, it's not the starting capacitors.