DWsoundservice Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 That's where we are at now. Upgraded from a 100A to a 200A panel today. Solar system wired into the new panel. City inspectors showed up and signed off on the install. Now it is a waiting game for the PTO from SCE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmaho Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 I closed on my new system in New Mexico last week. I bought 20 panels in a 420 panel solar 'farm' the the local utility installed in a car port at a local public school. My share of the output of the farm is credited towards my electric bill for a property I own in Taos. It's gone from being a good business decision to a great one. I hope this format takes off. It's a great idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnpaul215 Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 Ah that's clever! I live in a historic neighborhood, so it's not an option on my house. I know they are starting to make tiles that sort of look like a slate roof, but I still don't think the Historic Commission would approve it (don't get me started on their inconsistency). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted January 1, 2013 Report Share Posted January 1, 2013 this bonus tax cut from the fiscal cliff, cliffhanger: " Another $64 billion would go to renew tax breaks for businesses and for renewable energy purposes, like tax credits for energy-efficient appliances. " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfisk Posted January 2, 2013 Report Share Posted January 2, 2013 Jeff, you gotta get video of you meter going backwards and post it here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd Weaver Posted January 2, 2013 Report Share Posted January 2, 2013 That's great! That's one of my life goals to have a home solar powered. Maybe even getting a check from the power company.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Meyer Posted January 4, 2013 Report Share Posted January 4, 2013 I wish we could put up solar panels. Our HOA is run by a bunch of ninnies that won't allow us to do anything. I wanted to do it in Vegas, but there weren't any local companies that could do it. I've been wanting to go solar since Gary Holland talked to me about it years ago. It just makes too much sense. I think the deal Billy has going on in New Mexico is stellar, and other utility companies should follow that lead. I know that here in California, the California Air Resources Board has mandated that a certain percentage of energy come from renewable sources. Well, Billy's example is a great solution, and rates would actually drop, instead of increase like they are currently projected to do. Good on you you, Jeff for doing this. You need to have Bill Nye and Ed Begley Jr. over for a solar panel party. Hi Dave, Have your HOA managemnet company check the latest CA laws on this. From what I understand, HOA's cannot stop the installation of solar power in CA as of about 1 year ago. I am the president of an industrial building association and that is my understanding of the new law. Ron Meyer PSC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPSharman Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 I'm pretty sure you're right, Ron. I'm in Valencia, one of the strictest "planned communities" around, and solar panels are allowed. I recall this being because of a state or city mandate preventing associations from disallowing solar panels. Not sure about wind turbines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted January 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 How about Personal Nuclear? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmaho Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 this bonus tax cut from the fiscal cliff, cliffhanger: " Another $64 billion would go to renew tax breaks for businesses and for renewable energy purposes, like tax credits for energy-efficient appliances. " Tax incentives for alternative energyhave been incredibly successful. They've accomplished everything a tax incentive should. They got a new technology off the ground. Installations of solar have sky rocketed and costs have plummeted. As the costs have dropped the incentives have dropped (mostly at the state level) but installations have continued to climb in spite of the bad economy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmaho Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 Have your HOAs contact the Clean Energy Collective out of Boulder Colorado. They put together the solar farms. The HOA can install new roofs and solar panels and then sell the panels to local HOA members. The HOA would get a modest profit and some monthly income while the homeowners who buy the panels get the credit for the power produced by their panels. http://www.easycleanenergy.com/ Billy Sarokin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael P Clark Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 Are you guys using monocrystalline, polycrystalline, or nano-cone solar cells? And were there large cost differences between the three? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmaho Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 Are you guys using monocrystalline, polycrystalline, or nano-cone solar cells? And were there large cost differences between the three? Didn't know nano cells were out yet. Not sure if the other cells are mono or poly. I'm only aware of the silicon and non-silicone (First Solar) cells. Silicone are cheaper and more environmentally firendly to manufacture and dispose of. The First Solar cells use some toxic materials. Cells on my first unit in Taos are Evergreen 185's, On my home in NY they are Sunpower 225s and the new system in Taos via the solar farm are a mixture of different manufacturers using 240 watt panels. In the 6 years since I first started doing this, the cells went from 185 watts to 240 watts for the same size and prices per cell have dropped more than 50%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael P Clark Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 I've been looking at alternative energy for the home for several years now. Always finding some sort of new technology on the horizon, and holding out. The Nano-cone solar cells, developed early 2011, look very appealing, and if they are not available yet, I'll keep waiting. Oh well, perhaps they are getting closer to commercial viability. http://www.ornl.gov/info/press_releases/get_press_release.cfm?ReleaseNumber=mr20110429-00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmaho Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 I'm in Taos now so I just went to check out my 'farm'. And also, knowing New Mexico, to make sure it really exists ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason porter Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 What's that white stuff on the ground!!!! ? I'm in Taos now so I just went to check out my 'farm'. And also, knowing New Mexico, to make sure it really exists ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old school Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 Looks real but I'm from Hollywood so I'm use to fake for real. CrewC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmaho Posted January 6, 2013 Report Share Posted January 6, 2013 What's that white stuff on the ground!!!! ? there was a solar power spill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason porter Posted January 6, 2013 Report Share Posted January 6, 2013 I knew solar had a "gotcha" there was a solar power spill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnpaul215 Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 I knew solar had a "gotcha" A spill that you can fix with a shovel or broom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWsoundservice Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 We got the PTO from SCE yesterday. We went solar live at 4:15 yesterday afternoon. I guess I can truthfully say that D.W. Sound Service office is now solar powered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryF Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 This thread is fairly old but it seems like the right place for installation stories. I had a 10kW array put on the house back in June of 2013 and after paper work that outweighed the array, it was turned on 20 July 2013. I have kept records for a year and we have generated 16,375 kWh over that year in very sunny New Mexico. After one year, the net was 623 kWh excess generation. The array generated 104% of the demand. Avoided cost of the 16 MW hours was about $2600/yr with a power company rebate of 4 cents/kWh amounting to $655/yr. This is a payoff of 10 years given state and federal tax credits. Without the credits, the payoff would be 16 years. YMMV but if array prices keep dropping, the payoff would be quicker. The other interesting thing was, while up on the roof, I looked around the neighborhood and could see about 15 other solar arrays within half a mile. There is a lot of sun out here. Best Regards, Larry Fisher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BudRaymond Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 Very cool! The solar cells help absorb the solar radiation, keeping your home cooler Also, Ron is absolutely correct Mr. Fisk. The California Solar Rights Act, passed in 1978, expressly prohibits HOA's from preventing photovolatic installations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Toline Posted July 22, 2014 Report Share Posted July 22, 2014 Won't there be a sunlight shortage with all the solar panels using it up? There's just so much sunlight and I think they will cause the sun to go out....or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted July 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2014 I have heard that theory (from Republican "scientists") that there is only so much the sun can put out and if we collect it with all these solar arrays there might not be any more sunlight left for all the other purposes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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