Residential Installation.

[Freddmc]

Im not a complete neophyte when it comes to solar as Ive installed a solar setup on my motorhome but I'm
now considering adding solar to my residence. I have a large barn with approximate;y 1200 square feet of south facing roof that I want to add solar to and do net metering with the utility. The barn has a separate connection to the utility. One of the Canadian solar distributors has 30X480 w panels for approx 7000 so I will use that as a benchmake. So it looks like I can add approx 28000 watts of solar.
I won't be doing the install myself but want to understand how it will be done and what equipment is required.
Im sure this will generate excess power beyond what I require so am plannig to get money back from the utility.

For the time being I am only interested in the logistics of the install as I havent yet calculated my current usage nor have I any info on how much power can be generated as it partains to number of sunny days etc.

Regards
Fred

 

[chrisski]

I plan on $15k per 5 kWh of panels to be installed, prior to rebates. That will be around $90k.

Panels may be cheap, but labor, design, permitting, and installation is not.

Don't recommend roping your installer into a bargain panel he is not used to installing and if he does not purchase the panels, might not be covered in any warranty work.

You can expect a crew of up to seven people to be working on the install over a period of 3-5 days, with an electrician to do the finishing touches and handle the inspection.

I too did a pretty large RV install, but the grid tied solar is different and I wish I'd read something like Solar For Dummies first. You need realistic expectations for what this will get you. You can do the calculations and come close, but its hard to know your exact rules. Each Power company and each state does it different.

Many states are moving away from Net metering and won't bank the power but will only sell back at $.075 per kWh. The excess I sold in my area pro-rated to your 28kW of panels comes to $75 for Jan and $120 for Feb, I don't have data yet for the summer. That is not a lot to be paid on a $90k investment. If you still have a Net Metering plan that puts the kWh in a bank, than that could be better.

The electric companies have gotten smart and know how to get money from grid tied permitted builds.