Going SOLAR

[LoveLife&Laughter]

I'm going SOLAR.

By going solar I make my own  electricity.  I have no electric bill at the end of the month.  I will pay $88/mo to pay off a loan to install the solar panels, but my electric bill was $200/mo.  When my loan is payed off my power bill will be 0.  Talk about a win/win situation.

If you can deal with change and have good credit, I suggest you check it out; how often do we get a deal like this?

[Lifesighs]

There is a guy in my aerobics class who did that about 6 months ago, I think he had to pay about 8 grand up front (I don't think he wanted the loan) his power bill is 0 also and I think they pay him for the extra power he creates. His electric bill was always over $200. per month prior to that.

I would think about it but my electric bill is usually under 40 bucks a month. If I were younger I would go for it.

[LoveLife&Laughter]

Depends who you hire.  I pay 0 up front.  In fact I get several thousand bucks in rebates the first year and don't even have to pay the $88/mo the first year.  If I pay up front I'll ever pay for electricity again.  As I said, this deal is fantastic

[LoveLife&Laughter]

I admit he cheapest way is to pay up front.  What I'm doing is paying a little bit less for the rest of my life and going green.

[officerripley]

We're thinking about going solar too, since we would *love* to have an electr. bill as *low* as $200/month, ours is between $400 & $800.  That's what everybody in our neighborhood pays, we're all on wells so every time you turn water on, flush etc., you're burning electricity.  We've been putting it off tho becuz around here, it costs closer to about 15 thou to get it installed.

[Johnnieboy]

I'm wavering. My bills average $250/ month, but I have a pool, it gets hot in the summer and there are lots of people living here right now. Plus my HOA is strict on such things. I handle my Dad's finances and his electric bill this last month after incentives was eighty-seven cents..

[oldmike]

It's not legal in most areas for HOAs to restrict the use of solar power, you might check into that.

I pay under $100 per month for electric, so it might not be cost-effective with this house.  If I build my new house I'm going to consider it, though.

[LoveLife&Laughter]

I have two pools Johnnie, and a 2000 watt ham radio station.  Going from $250 to $88 works for me.

 I do live in the desert but I still was Tier 3, go figure.  Now with Solar I'm automatically Tier 1.  It will be close to the same but now I can use a lot more on the cheap  :)

[Shadowman]

I pay a little more than 12 cents per KiloWatt Hour and this last month's bill was $40.31 and the one before $32.38 so money wise it is not cost efficient for me to switch.  However, I attend the MidWest Renewable Energy Association fair near Stevens Point, WI every year almost and have several friends off the grid. Ever since a giant transmission line battle some yea'sr back that ate up about 10 years of our lives we share a mutual contempt for the corporate utilities that have manipulated laws, own legislators, and are not all that honest. They have made it difficult to sell back excess electricity although it can be done, usually in the form of a credit.

[LoveLife&Laughter]

Yes, in credits, but if I make more kw then I use, then at the end of the year they write me a check for $.13/kw.

[ProblemAgain]

there is a move by electric companies to charge fees to those who have solar installations. this is going on in georgia, texas and california but probably other states too. so then the question is do you have a sufficient installation to disconnect from the grid completely tho by disconnecting you can't sell the excess power to them. or is it a zero sum game when you total the extra fees on the one side versus the actual realized sales of the electricity to them on the other side of the ledger?

Company, customers debate raising rates on solar

by Nikki Wiley

October 06, 2013 12:04 AM | 8778 views | 15  | 10  |  | 

Dr. Deidra Hodges, assistant professor of electrical engineering at Southern Polytechnic State University, shows off the school solar panel grid that powers the campus greenhouse. Dr. Hodges recently installed the same set up at her home in Hiram and actually puts electricity back on the grid at her home.

MARIETTA — Going green could carry an extra price tag.

Georgia Power says customers with solar panels on their homes or businesses who don’t opt into the company’s Advanced Solar Initiative need to start paying an extra fee on their power bill.

The energy monopoly has asked the Georgia Public Service Commission for permission to raise its rates an average of $8 monthly for residential customers. Coupled with that is a request to charge an extra $22 monthly on the typical home solar system.

Customers can apply to become part of the initiative, a solar energy purchase program, but spots are limited. Homes or businesses that rely completely on solar power and disconnect from the utility’s grid would be unaffected.

The PSC is expected to vote on the request in mid-December and heard testimony from the power company this week. If approved, the hike would go into effect in January.

John Kraft, Georgia Power spokesman, says the fee is needed because solar customers buy less power from the utility but still require access to the grid and other infrastructure.

“They don’t want to go into the dark so they want us to instantly provide a seamless amount of power,” Kraft said.

http://www.mdjonline.com/view/full_story/23774615/article-Company--...

[truckie]

There are some downsides to solar panels

had cases here where they were not wired up properly..started fires

the panels have a short shelf life..possibly replace after ten years

if, not installed correctly..the roof could become live...already had some fatalitys here

Lots of bodgy companys get involved with solar panels

                         CHOOSE WISLEY

[Johnnieboy]

Thank you Truckie. I'm very reticent. It's too early in this kind of technology to jump on the band wagon. Especially when I'm at this age and can't afford anything that is in it's early stages.