Electric rate hike kicked in

[antimatterparticle]

It can be interesting to compare notes. I was struck by your 1,000 KWHr usage. I am also amazed at a lot of people who say that solar charges their truck for free. I have solar, but it does not keep up with my usage.

For those who are interested...

I am on the South Texas coast, where the nightly low temperature for several months of the year is about 82 degrees, with 85% humidity. Our A/C's run 24/7. If they didn't, the house would rot. I have 3 A/C's for our 4,100 sq ft one-story. Here is my usage.

That's with a solar array delivering 1 MW/month in the summer. Also with natural gas water heating, heater, and cooktop. (Yes we need heaters too, just not as often! Supposed to freeze around Christmas time.)

Fortunately I am in an electric co-op. Last summer the rate was $0.07585/KWh. At the end of the year we get a rebate amounting to about 5% depending on the year, so subtract that. Right now we are at $0.10266/KWh. My latest bill is below. (Amount due is negative because of the rebate/capital credit adjustments. It was low this year. Sometimes up to $600.)

We try to use electric appliances while the sun shines, but still usually end up selling a bit of energy back at a loss. If only I could charge during the day, but there is that pesky work problem that most of us have!

With my rates and no state tax incentive, my solar investment recoupment is like 17-20 years. I did it anyway, because I think it's the right thing to do.

If my rates were like those I see in CA and MA, the solar recoupment would be quicker, but I definitely would not have bought an EV.

you need to find a way to store that energy during the day with batteries. The problem is that it would set you back about 10k or more if you have some one install them. There is this kid on youtube that has very informative videos. Search for “charging tesla with solar panels”.

 

[Labs4Lightning]

Probably going to need a very large system. For reference, I have 8.8kW of panels with a 7.5kW inverter in sunny Tucson, AZ. I get 55-60kWh per day in mid summer and 40-45kWh in mid winter. Last year I produced around 18,000 kWh (which is about 90% of my yearly usage). Given how far north you are I imagine you will see a larger swing between summer and winter, but I think weather will make a bigger difference. I make less about half the summer average during monsoon season. We get clouds and storms during the peak production hours and that makes a big dent.

EDIT: Forgot to add that I don't have an EV yet, that's just normal home use.

@Zprime29
Maryland rates up 12.3¢ to 14¢
my solar summer day 32-34kwh /day. December, a good day is 11 kWh

 

[Labs4Lightning]

Got quotes for a 10, 13, 16 system. Maine does have net metering so can bank that summer production for the winter. My current commute of 550 miles a week also isn’t permanent. That will drop after I finish this school Program.

Maryland I only do 30%in December compared to my peak summer days.
not to mention, don’t get to much snow. But can go a stretch at zero 0, when snow doesn’t melt off.

 

[Labs4Lightning]

Rates in CA (PG&E at least) are out of control. I hadn't paid much attention to mine for the past few years since I got solar in 2016 and it covered all of my usage (and then some), even with charging my Chevy Volt. Now with the Lightning my avg monthly usage has doubled from 500 to 1000 KWHr, so I'm now seeing a huge true-up bill looming in April. My current rates are 0.28/kWhr off peak. I could switch to the EV rate but that's not much of a savings at 0.25. Just 4 years ago the EV rate was 0.14.

Nuclear fusion can't come soon enough!

Talk to doc brown, he’s using mr fusion.

Sponsored