I appreciate your input, RV8R, especially from a fellow Canadian (I moved from Toronto to Georgia in 2000).
As you mentioned, you did not read the entire thread. I think your opinion would have possibly been different had you known:
- I will get 30% of the ~$75k investment back via federal credit incentives
- It will cost (at least) $30k to bring the grid to my house.
- If my math is right, the real additional cost of my off-grid system is $75k - $22.5k - $30k = $22,500
Does that change your opinion at all? If my utility bill would cost $500/mo (which I believe it would), the solar + battery system could theoretically pay for itselff in less than 4 years. Of course that assumes that I won't need to burn any propane, which I am pretty sure I will need to. But still, even if I burn $1k of propane a year over the winters, who cares? And like SolarFlares said, utility prices ain't getting any cheaper!
And if it is determined that having a wonderful off-grid system is making things difficult to sell my home (which we don't plan to do, since this will become our retirement home), I can always run a line to the house. For that matter, I could discount the sale price for the amount that it would cost a would-be buyer to run a line. I have to think, though, that there are others out there like me that think that being independent of the grid is pretty cool.
The Numbers Game
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I have worked in the Construction Industry for over 4 decades ( started quite young ). I know what a multi millions dollar tender estimate looks like.
GIGO is a computer term “Garbage In / Garbage Out”. Your points above 1, 2, & 3 would have to be picked apart to be confident about trusting. I’m not saying they are wrong, I wouldn’t have a clue. But they are not in enough detail. But here is an example of “The Numbers Game” that will provide you with your average kWh usage ,,, WTF
?? ,,,
Yup I know your energy use ,,, How ??
Your $500 per month ,,, accurate right ? How many kWh does that get you ,,, if the $500 a month is accurate then so is your energy audit
Next, does the Sun @ your gps location concur ?
If it don’t ,,, how many dolla per month to get topped up on your shortfall & how? & what will that standby
noise producing (did I read sensitive Wife earlier) genset be setting you back & interest & maintenance & any tax incentives cash back on that diesel engine ? What is the loan rate ?
It actually is not hard to pencil all of your math out, but if you are looking at just “economics” & not other factors like I wanna cause I like the idea / hobby you also have to account for a solar contractor & solar contractor maintenance ,,, Apples to Apples right ,,, after all the utility company includes all maintenance of their system in the rate ,,, what is the going cost per sf per month to contract out cleaning the solar array ??
A casual chat with a pilot buddy of mine about the hourly costs of owning & flying an airplane ,,, I said I think it is about $200 to $250 per hour, but it depends ,,, he said I think it is about $100 to $150 ( this was years ago ) ,,, Really I said, “I know your hangar cost were $3,500 this year & you flew 35 hrs this year ,,, that is $100 per hour just on hangar costs & you own your hangar ,,, he agreed with my rate & the next year sold his hangar & plane
,,, I should have shut my mouth.
In Closing; If You want Solar, I hope you do it. If you want to analysis what is cheaper Grid or Solar you got some research & math to perform ,,, but my gut says it is Grid @ $30K
Post Thought; Tax Incentives ,, Where does that money come from ?
If Solar “penciled” why tax incentives ? Why not just put that money into electricity & selling it to the taxpayer
?
If Solar penciled, why not just put up Solar farms & shut down the fossil fuels ?
Why provide “incentives” other then to fool the taxpayer into funding 70% of an electrical system that doesn’t make economic sense ?
Why not just give pay to setup solar @ each taxpayers location & still charge out the kWh rate until it is paid for & then generates cash for the Gov ? ,,, Cause it doesn’t pencil ?