Solar Panels

[greenleaf]

The price has come down some. The pricing I get is negotiated by 1BOG at $5.24 per DC watt (installed). Monitoring and micro-inverters are extra if I want them. There's no shade on my roof so I don't really need microinverters.

I am thinking of a 3.22 kW system. Gross cost is $16872.80. Net cost after all incentives is around $10600.

 

[DeaneG]

That's a good deal, somewhat better that any of the five quotes I received. Mine was on a concrete tile roof, which is more labor intensive to deal with than an asphalt shingle roof.

 

[mwalsh]

The price has come down some. The pricing I get is negotiated by 1BOG at $5.24 per DC watt (installed).

Heliopower via 1BOG? I signed contracts with Heliopower for a system almost 4 weeks ago and I haven't heard a peep since. Nothing at all. Not even a confirmation of my order from their offices. I finally broke down and called my salesperson today to see if he can't find out what's going on. I would have expected to at least have had the design guy out to properly survey my roof and start to plan my system.

I'm not going to slam the company any further until I get additional information as to why they seem to have forgotten me. But I'm not impressed much thus far. I feel like I was courted pretty heavily, but once the first date was done a guy I really liked never called again. :lol:

 

[DaveEV]

greenleaf is the Bay Area, so groSolar is running that campaign.

mwalsh - Heliopower should be fairly good - they've done a number of 1BOG campaigns in SoCal. I suspect that they are swamped with the 1BOG orders they've gotten. You might try contacting 1BOG directly if for some reason you can't get a hold of Heliopower - though I can't imagine that they wouldn't pick up their phones or return calls...

 

[LEAFfan]

The price has come down some. The pricing I get is negotiated by 1BOG at $5.24 per DC watt (installed). Monitoring and micro-inverters are extra if I want them. There's no shade on my roof so I don't really need microinverters.

I am thinking of a 3.22 kW system. Gross cost is $16872.80. Net cost after all incentives is around $10600.

That exact system's net cost for me in AZ would be around $6300! The 30% fed tax credit can be taken over how many years? I was thinking at least 5? Oh, greenleaf, could you get me a GROSS cost on a 5 KW system? Do you know if 1BOG is in AZ? Thanks!

 

[LEAFfan]

The monitoring system is real nice you can track over time to see if your lost power from dirt or what ever. I have a Sunpower 5.16 24-215 panels. I got it dec 09 for $29,000. Sunpower comes with a monitoring included. I have a single SMA5000 inverter. I have a tree branch after 6PM that shuts the system down a little early and the mini inverter would have been nice.

Was $29K the gross amount? What was the net cost? I see SRP is now giving $2.15/w rebate until Jan. 1, I think. Then it gets lowered somewhat.

 

[mwalsh]

The 30% fed tax credit can be taken over how many years? I was thinking at least 5? Oh, greenleaf,

Federal tax credits are good thru 2016.

 

[greenleaf]

The price has come down some. The pricing I get is negotiated by 1BOG at $5.24 per DC watt (installed).

Heliopower via 1BOG? I signed contracts with Heliopower for a system almost 4 weeks ago and I haven't heard a peep since. Nothing at all. Not even a confirmation of my order from their offices. I finally broke down and called my salesperson today to see if he can't find out what's going on. I would have expected to at least have had the design guy out to properly survey my roof and start to plan my system.

I'm not going to slam the company any further until I get additional information as to why they seem to have forgotten me. But I'm not impressed much thus far. I feel like I was courted pretty heavily, but once the first date was done a guy I really liked never called again. :lol:

The rep should have set your expectations right. Mine told me it will be THREE months later for the install. But you get to lock in to the current state incentive level once they submit the paperwork.

 

[Gonewild]

The monitoring system is real nice you can track over time to see if your lost power from dirt or what ever. I have a Sunpower 5.16 24-215 panels. I got it dec 09 for $29,000. Sunpower comes with a monitoring included. I have a single SMA5000 inverter. I have a tree branch after 6PM that shuts the system down a little early and the mini inverter would have been nice.

Was $29K the gross amount? What was the net cost? I see SRP is now giving $2.15/w rebate until Jan. 1, I think. Then it gets lowered somewhat.

I paid
$29,000
-$13,500 SRP rebate. I got in a little late but 2.75 per watt
$15,500 I paid until I get the 30%
-$1,000 State AZ

I did check with 1BOG in Pheonix they where higher then my company.

 

[Gonewild]

My August bill this month was $39.04. I added rediant barrier and insulation in my attic. I also bought a new 2 stage 15 SEER.

 

[LEAFfan]

The 30% fed tax credit can be taken over how many years? I was thinking at least 5? Oh, greenleaf,

Federal tax credits are good thru 2016.

I was close...thanks Mike!

 

[mwalsh]

The rep should have set your expectations right. Mine told me it will be THREE months later for the install. But you get to lock in to the current state incentive level once they submit the paperwork.

Oh, I knew that. But I would have thought most of that time would be getting the city to sign off on plans and getting Edison to do the net-metering stuff. I need to have my install by mid-November or I have to apply for my financing again. Like I said, I would have expected the system planner to at least showed up. Without a proper layout nothing else can happen.

 

[Azrich]

The Sharp panels are more expensive, but are made in Tennessee. The Sunpower panels are made in Malaysia. There were some similar panels made in China as well, but I forget the name and I am at the office.

I am planning on going with the Sharps. I think the Chinese and Malaysians have enough of my money already.

Any questions or observations are welcome.

My SunPower panels that will be installed soon are being made near San Jose, CA.

5.8 kW of photovoltaic modules
(27 SunPower 215 watt modules)
Grid tied inverter with Sunny WebBox online data monitoring
All racks and installation

$33,527 Total Cost
- 17,415 Tucson Electric Rebate
--------
$ 16,112 Initial Outlay

- 4,833 Federal Tax Credit
- 1,000 AZ State Tax Credit
---------
$ 10,279 Net System Cost

 

[evnow]

My SunPower panels that will be installed soon are being made near San Jose, CA.

Yes - it is not very profitable to ship these modules around. Even Chinese manufacturers are thinking of opening US factories (I used to follow PV business closely, not any longer).

5.8 kW of photovoltaic modules
$ 10,279 Net System Cost

@$1.77 net per watt, it is a fantastic price. At that rate even my breakeven will be just 6 years.

 

[mwalsh]

5.8 kW of photovoltaic modules
(27 SunPower 215 watt modules)
Grid tied inverter with Sunny WebBox online data monitoring
All racks and installation

$33,527 Total Cost
- 17,415 Tucson Electric Rebate
--------
$ 16,112 Initial Outlay

- 4,833 Federal Tax Credit
- 1,000 AZ State Tax Credit
---------
$ 10,279 Net System Cost

You're making me VERY jealous. My system is EXACTLY the same as yours, but is costing me $19,460 out of pocket. Your utility incentives in AZ are SO much more generous!

 

[evnow]

You're making me VERY jealous. My system is EXACTLY the same as yours, but is costing me $19,460 out of pocket. Your utility incentives in AZ are SO much more generous!

My utility gives exactly ZERO.

ps : I think as a public policy that is better. It is much more efficient to have large scale renewables than give a large subsidy for small scale generation.

 

[DaveEV]

5.8 kW of photovoltaic modules
$33,527 Total Cost

Very good price at $5.78/watt before rebates, especially for the SunPower modules which cost more because of their efficiency.

$10k after rebates is amazing!

 

[Gavin]

Nice utility rebate...

I have some trees and shading which limits space, but I do have a nice pitched roof that faces exactly 180 degrees due south...so I had 14 Sharp 235watt panels put up...making around 20kWh a day. Would be nice to make more, but I have nice old trees that I would have to cut down...but 3.29kWh is better than nothing.

All total, install, bracket system, enphase inverters, permits and all that turnkey stuff, around

19400 bucks
minus
5820 fed rebate
1940 state rebate

so about $11640 out of pocket...

we get no local utility rebate, but did signed a 12 year contract with our local utility for them to buy all our output, even the amount we use, at 13 cents a watt (power goes to REC meter first, then our panel turning the meter backwards, then to grid)...We make about 70-80 bucks a month from our solar production, plus we save another 70 bucks a month due to the meter spinning backwards in the day. So while we get no up front rebate, PNM does pays us about 1500 a year in a lower bill and actual money paid to us. Basically the system pays for itself in about 8 years.

And I get to feel good about making some nice clean energy from sun hitting my roof that normally is just wasted at heat absorbed into asphalt shingles.

Great to see the prices coming down...Personally I think every new house in New Mexico should have solar panels...and the local government should make it a priority to have solar on every south facing roof in the city. We have soooo much sun...and it is basically an effortless system...passive up on the roof making easy clean energy.

Wish I had done it years ago...at the same time, gah, even 2 years ago my system was 9k more than today....

Gavin

 

[LEAFfan]

Nice utility rebate...

I have some trees and shading which limits space, but I do have a nice pitched roof that faces exactly 180 degrees due south...so I had 14 Sharp 235watt panels put up...making around 20kWh a day. Would be nice to make more, but I have nice old trees that I would have to cut down...but 3.29kWh is better than nothing.

All total, install, bracket system, enphase inverters, permits and all that turnkey stuff, around

19400 bucks
minus
5820 fed rebate
1940 state rebate

so about $11640 out of pocket...

we get no local utility rebate, but did signed a 12 year contract with our local utility for them to buy all our output, even the amount we use, at 13 cents a watt (power goes to REC meter first, then our panel turning the meter backwards, then to grid)...We make about 70-80 bucks a month from our solar production, plus we save another 70 bucks a month due to the meter spinning backwards in the day. So while we get no up front rebate, PNM does pays us about 1500 a year in a lower bill and actual money paid to us. Basically the system pays for itself in about 8 years.

And I get to feel good about making some nice clean energy from sun hitting my roof that normally is just wasted at heat absorbed into asphalt shingles.

Great to see the prices coming down...Personally I think every new house in New Mexico should have solar panels...and the local government should make it a priority to have solar on every south facing roof in the city. We have soooo much sun...and it is basically an effortless system...passive up on the roof making easy clean energy.

Wish I had done it years ago...at the same time, gah, even 2 years ago my system was 9k more than today....

Gavin

Here in AZ, we get a $2.15w rebate from SRP now, AND net metering/meter runs backward too! So, that means from 3-6PM every weekday, we get paid .03-.04/kwh which most will be unused because that's peak time.

 

[Gavin]

Sweet....I hate you

Gavin