jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

A local woman got solar collectors installed on her roof a few months ago. Every month she posts that her electric bill is zero. She never post how much she pays every month for that installation, though. Substituting one bill for another is not my goal in life. How much will repairs cost when something goes wrong with her system?

george19

We lease our panels, so all warranty/liability is on the solar company. It cost us nothing to install. We have a small system, so pay a higher rate. That is, we pay for the electricity we make…and that’s at a lower rate than the electric company charges.

So…we went from about $120 per month several years ago to a bill that floats between $30 and $90 depending on the season…higher in summer, less in winter.

What’s the net? I end up having to pay the connect fee to the electric company, under $13, for between 5 and 7 months per year. Essentially, I make all the electricity I need plus a little more, for about half of what I was paying before.

I’m actually looking to add some panels (we had a tree taken down that interfered), so not only will I make more electricity, but likely at a lower rate. And…there is a rate increase from the solar company each year, but far less than the electric company rate increase.

Of course, your mileage may vary depending on size of installation, consumption, amount of south facing area, and terms from the solar company, but we did this in 2017 or so and haven’t looked back.

While you might get a better long term deal buying, you’re paying for it all up front, no guarantee of resale, and assuming all the maintenance risk.

andesbill

I moved in 2017 from near you, (Andes) to Naples, FL, because of Reynaud’s syndrome. A year later we put in a 10kw solar system, which will pay for itself in 10-12 years. The smaller system we had in Andes reduced our electric costs by about 23% or $400/year. It would never pay for itself up there.
As far as repairs go, the one in Andes needed no repairs over the 10 years we lived there, and snow fell off it faster than it did over the roof itself.
In 4 years here, they had to replace the inverter, at no cost after a year, and no other problems since.
There is no electric cost to run the house, but charging my Tesla adds about $5 or so a month, as does heating my pool.
Otherwise my bill would be well north of $200/month.
It doesn’t pay in the Catskills-you’re right. I’m not sorry I did it though. I was an environmental teacher, and an anti-fracker who always touted going green.
My house was built to energy star efficiency and I put the solar in because I felt it was appropriate for someone with a big mouth to put my money where my mouth went.
You should not put in solar. A hybrid car though would be good.
If you buy a Prius, get a second set of Nokian Hakkapellitta rims and snow tires, or the damn car will stop dead when the tires spin in snow.
I really miss living in Andes.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

So what's the lease cost?
Gotta figure that in for the real net cost.

DickC Loc: NE Washington state

What about in winter when the roof has a foot of snow on it??

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Electric warmers to melt the snow?

george19

The lease payment is the cost of the electricity we make. That’s it. So nominally $65 per month, versus what WAS $120 per month in 2017.

And…something I should have included, southern Connecticut, so about latitude N41.35.

george19

Nominal 45 degree roof pitch, so snow is on it for a day or three, then melts or slides off. Like I said, $30 or so in winter, build up credit in summer.

Ask away…I’ve divulged ALL the costs incurred and recurring.

andesbill

When you go to sell your home with leased panels, you will probably find that buyers want it paid for, not leased.

andesbill

I found that the snow melted faster on the panels than the roof and slid off soon after the sun came up. It wasn’t a problem. No sun for days was a problem. Early sunsets in winter was a problem.

george19

Maybe, but it’s also a bargaining chip. ‘Oh…you paid $20k for those panels? I’ll keep them, but not paying the $20k.’

Or…’cheaper electricity at minimal risk? Where do I sign?’

Yes…it’s individual choice, but I’m not one to just make that capital investment for an unknown return in the future.

We had no trouble selling our rental property with leased panels…just shared the paperwork with buyer’s bank.

andesbill

From what I hear, you were fortunate in the sale. We were warned against leasing by real estate agents. We’re saving over $2400.00/year. We’ll make back that 20k in 10 years or less, and then electricity is free, driving costs next to nothing.
We had the money available, and we felt that investing in solar would make financial as well as green sense. We still think so. I understand where you’re coming from financially is different from us.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Thanks.

fourlocks Loc: Londonderry, NH

And if the buyers don't want the panels and lease at all, you have to pay off the lease and remove the panels. One among several issues with leased panels.

I had a company tell me they'd install panels for free, giving me a $150/month lease. Turns out they wildly overestimated how much power the panels would produce and I'd still have a monthly electric bill to pay for the "extra" electricity I'd need. The lease and (reduced) electric bill would have been greater than a pre-panel electric bill. Also, since the panels fed back into the grid, I'd lose power with everyone else, if a storm brought down lines.

And as for the snow issue, it depends on the roof pitch. My neighbor has panels on a fairly flat pitched roof and he's has them snow covered for several weeks, after a storm. Panels operate at 50% output in shade but far less under a thick snow blanket.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

We have trees.... Should I remove them?