I envy you, lots of sun most of the year, and a suitable wall to hang panels on.
Here's me stuck with a roof that faces the wrong way, little sun for about six months of the year.....
Looking at the prices of that system you would need to set aside about $4,000 to get going with a 1.5kW system, which even if it is only half as effective as the publicity says would do a "reasonable dent" into your power bill.



A couple of things do intrigue me, well one in particular - Why do so many low cost installations not include a "transfer switch", but shut down when the grid side fails. Surely part of the reason for using PV generation is to be able to ride out short power dips without loosing your mains....

(I know if I were able I would be installing a solar system with 2-3kW of panels, a small battery to give a few minutes of brown out cover, and a transfer switch to allow "continuous" power. OK, I know that would be double the size of the sort of system you are looking at, but it would deliver about the same power as yours due to the lower solar energy/square metre we get here.)

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

If you read the Q&A for the controller you are looking at you will see that it shuts down in the event of loss of mains. This is to comply with the regulations in the US - you can't feed power into the grid if there is no volts on the grid - and the simplest way of doing this is to shut the inverter down if the grid fails.

A transfer switch is a device to swap the source of power from an inverter to the grid, and isolate the other input. They are used in a lot of standby power systems, and are "grid safe", meaning that when drawing power from the inverter the grid is isolated. In a grid-return system (like a solar PV system) the transfer switch is installed between the incoming meter and the distribution board.

There are two limits when looking at the output from solar panels to the control box. First, and most easily understood is the maximum power. The second is the output voltage (DC) from the panels to the control box, this may be as low as 24v, or as high as 200V - it just depends on how the controller has been designed. This is probably why there is a limit of six panels on the control box you are looking at.

btw, the UK prices for solar cells, inverters etc. is about the same number as you pay, but the currency is GBP - so about 1.5 times your price :-(

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

Google has released a program called "Project Sunroof"
The program will use data you may not have realized that Google even had to tell you how much money you can save by turning your roof into a photon harvester. Right now it only works in San Francisco Bay Area, Fresno CA and Greater Boston MA. They plan to expanding it.

Oh I can buy panels by the case for about $225 each. There are typically 24 in a case.

Google has released a program called "Project Sunroof"
The program will use data you may not have realized that Google even had to tell you how much money you can save by turning your roof into a photon harvester. Right now it only works in San Francisco Bay Area, Fresno CA and Greater Boston MA. They plan to expanding it.

Oh I can buy panels by the case for about $225 each. There are typically 24 in a case.

Yeah, I applied for that, I already found out that it isn't like most things Google, available here.

I could get the 250w panels for $230(Min order 2) from what I've read, though one has to order 2 minimum there, almost $265 for a 300w panel(min order of 2), directly from Renogy, to do this asap, I'd have to use gofundme, yes I have an account, since solar is a bit of a ways off for Me at the moment, I'm still doing repairs here on the house, electrical is next, since My a/c is on an old flaky outlet, I think I could put the a/c on a short 16/3 extension cord, buying the outlets is easy, 2 cost $1.47 here at the HomeDepot, I just can't do the work, even though I understand what goes on, My knees will hurt if I try to do the repairs, it's hard to get up and without a lot of light, I can't see well anymore.

If you think the park or a group of owners might be willing to commit to buying the energy from a 24 panel system I could probably get the financing.

Solar panels are much more lucrative than using the regular distribution net. I don't know the situation in the States but people with solar panels in Belgium have to pay their share to the distribution net as well now since July 1st which adds an huge amount to their monthly invoice. For instance: a person living in Genk, who paid 10 euros a month, has to pay 52 euros now, owning solar panels with a converter ability of 6 kWh.

People who install their panels now do not receive any certificates anymore.

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Music
Pictures

lol i would tell em to go to hell what kinda ripoff is that and why are ppl putting up with being robbed like that

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I came down with a bad case of i don't give a crap

chick magnet

say wut?

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I came down with a bad case of i don't give a crap

people with solar panels in Belgium have to pay their share to the distribution net as well now since July 1st which adds an huge amount to their monthly invoice. For instance: a person living in Genk, who paid 10 euros a month, has to pay 52 euros now, owning solar panels with a converter ability of 6 kWh.

What the F....
Solar panels are not even connected to the distribution net.
I thought solar energy was free for all...

Here even individuals can monetize their solar panels!
https://translate.google.se/translate?sl=sv&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=sv&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kyab.se%2Findex.php%2Fse%2Fnyheter%2F99-solpaneler-elcertifikat&edit-text=
Pity though that we don't have so many sun hours here.

we all know solar is the answer to everyting

Distribution charges are an issue here in the US as well. I cannot speak for all utilities, but PG&E already has a distribution charge built into the energy bill. If you do reduce the amount of energy you purchase from them, the distribtuion charge does not change. Even if you 100% self produced (solar, wind, bio-fuel, hydro) you will still see the distribution charge. If you disconnect from the grid, you have now entered a gray area where there is no existing law to direct what the utility can do. Belive me they are lobbing for the right to require everyone, connected or not to pay a distribution charge.

Distribution charges are an issue here in the US as well. I cannot speak for all utilities, but PG&E already has a distribution charge built into the energy bill. If you do reduce the amount of energy you purchase from them, the distribtuion charge does not change. Even if you 100% self produced (solar, wind, bio-fuel, hydro) you will still see the distribution charge. If you disconnect from the grid, you have now entered a gray area where there is no existing law to direct what the utility can do. Belive me they are lobbing for the right to require everyone, connected or not to pay a distribution charge.

So you are charged a lot of money when using "green" energy that you produce yourself...
No incitaments to change to energy types that doesnt affect the climate...
What's next?
Death Valley straight ahead!

Distribution charges are an issue here in the US as well. I cannot speak for all utilities, but PG&E already has a distribution charge built into the energy bill. If you do reduce the amount of energy you purchase from them, the distribtuion charge does not change. Even if you 100% self produced (solar, wind, bio-fuel, hydro) you will still see the distribution charge. If you disconnect from the grid, you have now entered a gray area where there is no existing law to direct what the utility can do. Belive me they are lobbing for the right to require everyone, connected or not to pay a distribution charge.

if i'm not connected how they gonna charge me no account no charge and even if they would send me a bill for nothing i would not pay a dime

the power company tried to screw with me before after i prooved they been messing with the electronic meters ... they ended up paying me back 8500$ for the years they ripped me off

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I came down with a bad case of i don't give a crap

Distribution charges are an issue here in the US as well. I cannot speak for all utilities, but PG&E already has a distribution charge built into the energy bill. If you do reduce the amount of energy you purchase from them, the distribtuion charge does not change. Even if you 100% self produced (solar, wind, bio-fuel, hydro) you will still see the distribution charge. If you disconnect from the grid, you have now entered a gray area where there is no existing law to direct what the utility can do. Belive me they are lobbing for the right to require everyone, connected or not to pay a distribution charge.

if i'm not connected how they gonna charge me no account no charge and even if they would send me a bill for nothing i would not pay a dime

the power company tried to screw with me before after i prooved they been messing with the electronic meters ... they ended up paying me back 8500$ for the years they ripped me off

As I said there is no law on how to treat non-customers yet. It is being debated. Existing customers are paying a distribution charge. Here is how PG&E is dealing with customers. If you listen carefully, you will hear PG&E has a basic fee. That is the transmission, taxes and other fees.

Because energy companies are seeing less and less revenue as people add generation capacity, they see a point in time when they will not be able to maintain the energy network. Companies argue that an energy network is essential and that government should start taking steps to insures it's continued existence. There have been several suggestions that range from charging people who do install solar more to establishing a flat transmission fee that will be paid by everyone. Again, these are suggestions. The debate continues, but it is an issue that (IMHO) will be legislated within the next 5 years.

Distribution charges are an issue here in the US as well. I cannot speak for all utilities, but PG&E already has a distribution charge built into the energy bill. If you do reduce the amount of energy you purchase from them, the distribtuion charge does not change. Even if you 100% self produced (solar, wind, bio-fuel, hydro) you will still see the distribution charge. If you disconnect from the grid, you have now entered a gray area where there is no existing law to direct what the utility can do. Belive me they are lobbing for the right to require everyone, connected or not to pay a distribution charge.

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Geeze.

Even if you 100% self produced (solar, wind, bio-fuel, hydro) you will still see the distribution charge.

Who owns the sun, the winds, bio-fuel, water?
And to distribuate that energy, who owns that right!

It is certainly worth dreaming about reducing one's power bills, and just now solar PV looks to be one of the better ways of doing it. I sympathise with your potential installation problems, as I said earlier my roof is "the wrong way round", and you have structural problems.
I terms of watts/unit area, and watts/unit spend I'm envious of you Vic, really very envious. In the UK we get, at best, about half the solar input you do, and even then only for about half the years, so say a quarter over the year, which moves it from your "highly attractive" to our "marginal".
Vic, good luck in finding suitable panels and funding, I hope someone somewhere comes up with something that works in your situation.

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

One of my co workers using solar on the roof.
It produces 6000-9000 KWH a year.
Thats in germany and thats no sunny state.

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With each crime and every kindness we birth our future.

Just for Info,
I currently have a Solar installation on my roof, the roof has an approximately N-S ridge, so is the "wrong way", but I have 14 panels, as that is all we could fit.

Even so, despite being "wrong way", and half on each side, and in Reading in the UK, we are getting over £500 p.a. payback, depending on the weather, as well as the installation subsidy.

FYI, in the UK there is a battery system, IIRC called Midnite Sun, that allows some power to be stored for night-time, and similar use, then when the batteries are charged, passes the power back to the Utility for payback. We didn't install this.

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Happy Crunching,

Graham

The upfront cost was about £7K, would have been a bit more, but the builders already had the scaffolding there. Also, we had multiple controllers to cope with the fact that some of the panels are producing a lot less that others at times. This increased cost, but also meant that we produce more power more efficiently.

The payback seems to be about 12 years at the moment, hopefully coming down. but we were cash rich at the time, and relatively income poor, so thiey let me crunchwhere otherwise the power cost would have made things difficult. The estimated life of the panels is supposed to be 25 yesrs.

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Happy Crunching,

Graham

Here is one option that we have that might work for you. You would have to lobby your government to adopt it. In the US we pay property taxes on any land that we own. To encourage renewable energy the US created and funded a financing program called PACE. The program allows you to have wind or solar installed on your house with PACE funding. The loan is paid back over 10-25 years, interest fee. The annual payment is added to your property tax bill. The idea is that it's a loan to the homeowner, regardless of who the homeowner is. If you sell the house the energy system and the bill stay with the house. So for people who are advanced in years and would never see the payback of a system, this makes a lot of sense. In addition since the payment becomes a "Tax" on the house, it's also deductible from you income tax, and solar on a house generally increases it's value. So very little down side.