It employs a 4-part start ramp sequence that is self-optimizing, resulting in the lowest possible start-up current. EasyStart can deliver a start current reduction of up to 75% of a compressor's LRA (locked-rotor amperage). It's not just capacitors.
Does Solar Pay for Itself? Is it worth it?
- Thread starter BentleyJ
- Start date
Zwy
Solar Wizard
How do the utilities charge the low rate per Kwh? It's quite simple, there are fees added on. My power company has a fuel adjustment charge, a regional transmission service charge, etc. The rate has not increased since 2020, but the fees have. One fee is annual adjustment, another is variable for each month.
The former local rural electric coop utility merged with another from Minnesota. They increased the rate from $0.10/Kwh to $0.115/Kwh but also increased the daily service fee by 60%. So a member who uses low Kwh per month actuall pays more per Kwh due to daily service fee being increased. One person told me for his usage it will come to $0.30/Kwh.
In the beginning I knew "nothing" and went to solar consultants to figure it all up. 3 different companies gave me quotes for grid tied systems. They ignored the fact I wanted a 6k system and instead offered a system from my utility usage bill, from 26k to 38k including permits. I took there quotes and researched, research and researched even more, learning all the way about solar. So much good info on the internet. That's when I decided to do my own thing. So so glad I'm in a no contract situation. Knowing I'm independent most of the time from the grid with no red-tape or control from some one else or company. You just don't know the future of the utility grid. No more generator starts in winter at night when the utility go's down or the thought of a cyber utility war coming at some point. So there is other things to consider than just the pay back alone. As long as you don't have to borrow the money to do it, I think it is money well spent. Again you don't know the money situation with banks closing the dollar declining. The things you have to be more self dependent at some point may be worth more than money it's self. I'd rather have my money sitting in the yard than in the stock market, but that's just me. from .4 cents to .09 cents with a plan to go up to .11 cents later in the yr should tell you some thing is coming.
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I know I'm not ever going to break even, but that isn't why I went solar.
My reasons are Energy autonomy & power when the grid is down & spending my crappy fiat dollars before they go to zero.
Mike 134
Solar Enthusiast
My "out the door" cost per KWH in northern Illinois is $0.148 . All taxes, adjustments, surcharges, yada yada yada included.
plus
Meter charge even if using zero KWHs is $13.89 flat price
plus
Meter charge even if using zero KWHs is $13.89 flat price
Have you seen some of the cool info on EIA.gov? Lots of good electricity rate comparison and generation mix data - can even be downloaded.
of course as pointed out we have added fees and taxes so I always divide my total bill by kWh used.
of course as pointed out we have added fees and taxes so I always divide my total bill by kWh used.
Looks like the rates went up a bit in California since 2018.
Nice summary!
Just be glad you're not living in Hawaii.
It is usually very low energy savings, but it provides the vars for the motor directly rather than needing the line to do it, which maintains better flux in the motor windings. Loads that cycle often are good candidates. We did an analysis for a customer and we couldn't definitively say there was a savings (no such thing as a comparable baseline), but they were convinced they are saving 7-8%.
Meh... I'm in Hawaii and pay $300/year for ~14MWh consumption. That's like $0.02/kWh, right?
Ok, so the chart is wrong, it doesn't cost 32 cents a kwh?
It makes sense HI would be the most expensive as an island.
How is it generated? Fossil fuels, nuclear?
The $300 must be for the cleaning expense of his panels.
Mike 134
Solar Enthusiast
Rates & Regulations
Hawaiian Electric's rates and charges includes information on average electricity prices, decoupling, effective rates summaries, energy cost adjustment summaries, top reasons for energy cost in Hawaii and common causes of high bills.
www.hawaiianelectric.com
wattmatters
Solar Wizard
Diesel generators and increasingly, solar PV and other renewables. HI is trying to eliminate fossil fuel use from electricity supply.
Nobodybusiness
Collecting the leftovers of the Great Sky Reactor.
Got that right brother. Buy some hard assets while you can.
Better get spending quick lol
The chart is actually low for Hawaii, I think total cost is closer to $0.42/kWh. I was simply referring to the benefit of solar and net metering. Oahu and Big Island are primarily oil-fired, smaller islands are primarily diesel. We have a token amount of wind power and no interconnects between the islands. Waste-to-energy is heavily used, and there is some grid-scale solar.
kundip
Micro Inverter Enthusiast
BentleyJ - Thanks for your article.
So Far our system has cost US 0.48 cents per unit.
We have 42 panels ~300 Watts Each. 18 KW of Batteries
Also a Power Transfer Twitch & Inverter for UPS which runs lights, internet, computers, fridges, fans & TV's on power failure.
Our Total Cost USD 19,602
It will be fully paid back in 5 years at a cost of US 0.33 cents per unit. (70,00 KW)
5 years after that the cost will have come down to US 0.23 cents per unit. (99,000 KW)
I think BentlyJ's US ~20 cents is very realistic. (Including Batteries)
We are now producing at least 12000 KW per year.
I only ever say to people who inquire about putting in solar panels -
"If you have money in the bank, earning interest, you would be earning a hell of a lot more with savings on solar panels"
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Haddly Negla
Learning more every day
“don’t depend on others for what you should be able to do yourself”. Like that one; thank you for that piece of advice
