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    What is an appropriate PPA cost for a commercial installation

    What is an appropriate PPA cost for a commercial installation I'm trying to determine the appropriate PPA terms for a solar PPA for commercial installations where a company may use the power, sell it to the companies' tenants, and/or supply power to the grid. Those are 3 different rates...
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    How to install solar panels on barrel roof without roof penetrations?

    No ground for ground mounting where this is and it isn't a beauty I promise you. Very shall we say, utilitarian. Anyway, still need a mounting structure.
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    How to install solar panels on barrel roof without roof penetrations?

    I have a friend with an interesting problem. They have a barrel type of roof with a bitumen covering. The arc of the roof is about 38 feet and the depth of the arc is about 5 feet, it is about 100 feet long. There is a parapet on the sides that is about 3 feet high. What solar mounting...
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    How do you know if you are on a secondary power network or not?

    I'm looking at helping someone with putting up solar and it seems that in the area they have a secondary power network which does not allow power to be fed back into the grid. Is there an easy way to determine if an address is on a secondary network instead of a radial network? I've looked...
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    Unintended consequences of Solar that we see

    And suddenly, I want to be completely off grid even though that is not necessary (have net metering for 20 years). Cause, why should the utility get any money....
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    Unintended consequences of Solar that we see

    Every large roof looks like a lost opportunity to me now. I mean, why aren't they taking advantage of free energy? It's worse when I see large commercial buildings. Like WTH are they doing wasting all that great space.... I have to bite my tongue now when I'm in the car with my wife. I...
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    35,000 SF Commercial Office Building

    I think you can look at this a different way. Let's say you want to plan a 5 year payback. Multiply you annual cost and get the most value you can for that price (so 5*17.5k ~ $85k). You should be able to put a 100kw system together for that price and eliminate your bills. You should be able...
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    newbie solar considerations

    you spend 500-600Eur/yr on electricity, why bother? If you must have solar, you do NOT need a 6kw system when using only 3000w/yr. Get a small growatt inverter, 6kw is more than you need. Normally I'd say get the 3kw version, but 6kw allows for future expansion and is about 700 Eur...
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    Help with grid tie system

    1) Get the electric line diagrams done online. Cheap, quick, and permittable. It should not cost more than $150. 2) Get the growatt 10k inverter (as others have said). Cheap and works great. 2 strings of 10 panels each. This inverter will accept up to 4 strings. I currently have 2 strings...
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    Growatt inverter grid tied stuck in stand by mode

    Yes it is. Both inverters are on grid and producing. Only problem is the clouds...
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    Growatt inverter grid tied stuck in stand by mode

    Changed frequency to 60.5hz, still on grid. That was the only change that I made to my changes above, done according to Growatt engineer. They sent me firmware to manually upload as well.
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    Growatt inverter grid tied stuck in stand by mode

    So, I followed the following advice and got it to work: (synchonization page, grid settings) Changed reconnection time to 5 sec, left connection time at 301 sec Increased voltage to 264.0 Increased frequency to 64.00 (frequency watt page, grid settings) Changed FreqHighDerate to 60.50hz...
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    Growatt inverter grid tied stuck in stand by mode

    Yes to both. Power cycled both dc and ac power at least 3x now. It immediately goes into standby mode and never starts the power on countdown (now 301 seconds). The voltage is within range verified by voltage meter. I also saw the previous thread and tried all of those things. I was given...
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    Growatt inverter grid tied stuck in stand by mode

    My solar system has 2 Growatt grid tied inverters, a 6kw and a 10kw. They have been working flawlessly for 2 months, then yesterday, the 10kw inverter (model min 10000TL-xh-us) just stays stuck in standby. No faults showing. I've tried the things mentioned on this site, power cycling...
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    Enphase IQ8H Microinverter and 595W panel

    Based on my purchases there, not sure I'd call Greentech a low cost store, but never mind that. The flashfoot2 are about $15 each, you need 2-3 per panel, more in high wind zones (I had 16 for 6 large panels). Rails are about $4-5/foot ($51 for 11 feet, or $29 for 7ft), so for a single 42"...
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    If buying land would you say south facing is essential for solar and/or are there other decent power options besides solar?

    You do not need a south facing land. You just shouldn’t angle your panels north. Test it out on pvwatts, you will find that putting panels flat or slightly tilted only results in a 10-15% loss in production. If we had your latitude it would be easy to do. And unless you are only mounting in a...
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    Enphase IQ8H Microinverter and 595W panel

    If you wouldn’t mind, show the cost breakdown on the racking. With ironridge, it would be hard to get to $2600 total for 40 panels including all the parts. I just did an install with ironridge and it was closer to $100 per panel, so I have my doubts. But even $65 is highway robbery for parts...
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    Enphase IQ8H Microinverter and 595W panel

    I think you are too much in the weeds on this one. I have real world data that shows over a month, that if it is not raining, the production from the optimizers is 15-25%. Honestly, no one "needs" to do the calculations you are suggesting. I myself have been caught in that trap before. This...
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    Enphase IQ8H Microinverter and 595W panel

    My system produced 48.84 kwh yesterday with 6.44kwh reclaimed and 42.39kwh as a base. That's about 15% extra from Tigo optimizers. The previous day was 13.1%, the day prior 21.4%. I've seen it as low as about 9-10% on rainy days, but most sunny days its 15-20%.
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    Enphase IQ8H Microinverter and 595W panel

    The optimizers are like $45 each for panels up to 700w. They produce an extra 10-25% of power per day (real world results) vs a string inverter only. Actually, since you are in San mateo, you can still take advantage of net metering and opt out of the batteries. Double check with peninsula...
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    Flat roof installation in Netherlands - considering glass-glass, bifacial, manufacturer, dimensions

    Hey, I just want you to have the right numbers. At 380w max output with the Enphase microinverters, your panels would have to degrade by 31% for you not to have clipping, assuming your microinverters don't degrade either. Why start with a handicap? As for 25 year warranties being...
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    Enphase IQ8H Microinverter and 595W panel

    I think someone mentioned it already, but the IQ8H microinverters have a peak output of 384w, not 550w. You'll be clipping your 595w panels for probably 4-5 months a year. A cheaper, better system would use optimizers with a string inverter. I assume you didn't catch NEM 2.0, so you will...
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    Need to convert Grid-Tie to Battery with Net Zero export (Sol-Ark, Fortress)

    What company offers the same inverter for 10 years? If you are under warranty, I'm sure they don't give you the same inverter, so you will pay the upgrade price (unless they upgrade you for free). Also, put optimizers on your panels and you will increase the production10-20%, they are cheap...
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    Flat roof installation in Netherlands - considering glass-glass, bifacial, manufacturer, dimensions

    Anyone banking on a warranty for 25 years is not in touch with reality, for any product. In all likelihood, the company will be out of business or sold. In 5 years the technology will be outdated, so they will not have the existing model any more. I don't know what the warranty looks like, but...
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    Flat roof installation in Netherlands - considering glass-glass, bifacial, manufacturer, dimensions

    I see. However, I don't see anyone using a solar system for 25 years and never replacing anything. The enphase communication kits only have 5 year warranties. Plus, there might just be even better advances in 10 years. All that said, the best way to improve ROI is to keep your total cost to...
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    655W Canadian Solar bifacial panels new $0. 27/Watt

    Just so you know, they are still making over 100% on the panels at that price. More like 200%. The manufacturers are selling below $.10/watt. If I was to venture based on their "in china" pricing, they probably are at $.05/watt in cost, and delivery to the US is only $5-6/panel, so $.01/watt...
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    Flat roof installation in Netherlands - considering glass-glass, bifacial, manufacturer, dimensions

    Nice to agree then ;) Again, I have no idea why someone would overspend on microinverters to get less power. Sets your payback back 1-2 years.
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    Thinking about solar system for Life Style Block - 62kw is the average daily usage.

    Okay, go to PVwatts and punch in your numbers, you will be astounded how much 60kw makes. If you have a 30kw system, and install it flat or 10° East/West, you will get about 38000kwh a year. That's more than you need, by far. This assumes you have some sort of net metering. If you don't, you...
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    Flat roof installation in Netherlands - considering glass-glass, bifacial, manufacturer, dimensions

    Why limit your 440w panels to 380w (max continuous output of the microinverter)? You limit your system to 8.3kw. Optimizers plus a string inverter will max out your power at 9.68kw, plus be much cheaper. I think the IQ8HC is around $240, so $5324. You can get 22 optimizers for about $1000...
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    New solar searching website

    Unless you are going the microinverter route, which is more expensive and will likely reduce the max production from panels to 290-365w (the max output of the inverters), you might consider getting larger panels and having fewer optimizers, racking, and connections. EG, a 550 watt panel with...
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    New solar searching website

    Sure. I mean, if you want to pay extra for panels, racking, inverters or wiring, go ahead. Panels are only 20% of the cost, so if you aren't working on the other parts. then you are leaving a lot of money on the table. Local electrical supply houses are good for the last minute fixes, not for...
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    Im having a brain fart, need final advice

    The optimizers will max power per panel not per string. Without optimizers or microinverters, you are limited in power to the lowest producing panel in the string. Not once has any panel in the same plane produced the same power for me. Often as much as 15% difference in the same row (due to...
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    Im having a brain fart, need final advice

    You have a 19.8kw DC system (panels). I'd make sure you have optimizers, I used tigo and they are only $45 or so each for up to 700w panels. Will add 10-25% power per day vs not having them. You only need 2 10kw growatt inverters to match dc to ac size. Do not oversize your panels to...
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    What are the actual FINES for unpermitted solar installations?

    1) For the interconnection application (with elec co) to inspection, it was up to 2 years. For the permit application to approval pre-inspection was about 2 weeks, for permit approval to inspection, it was maybe 4 days. 2) 3) I am not sure, but why do this? I would think they would...
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    What are the actual FINES for unpermitted solar installations?

    Why waste your time, you can get the electric document done online for like $150. Maybe $300 if you need wet stamps from a local engineer. You still have to fill out all the rest for the permit.
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