Solar power systems for the home

[the-rasta-masta]

Originally Posted by Regorium

Can someone shed some light on how Enmax approves the size of your system?

For example, we're considering a panel system. We have an electric car, but because we have some options for charging (some free charging package) that was cheaper for us than charging at home, we didn't use home charging much. If we had panels, we'd switch over to home charging, so I guess it's like how do I show or prove that my habits would change if I got new panels?

Similarly, I want to buy some heat pumps but of course I wouldn't have the historical usage - just more going forward. Is it possible to get approval for a larger system if you show you have installed heat pumps even if the history doesn't show the usage?

Enmax is pretty unflexible. They take a look at your last 12 months of consumption of the home, and will allow about 102-103% as a max production of that. If it is at 104% it's almost always coming back declined and asking us to remove a panel.

When a new appliance is added to the home (EV, hot tub, heat pump, AC) they will allow us to build in placeholder estimates for the consumption of the appliance and build that extra production into the system to account for the future use. However, they will only let us do this if the appliance was purchased in the last 90 days. It's a frustrating rule, I have clients come to me who have owned an EV for 4 months, and since it's outside that 90 day rule where they will allow the placeholder, the only option is to wait for a full year for the full usage to reflect on the bill.

In your case, I'd ask, when did you purchase the vehicle? If it's within the 3 months you're going to be able to add that placeholder for charging. If it's outside 3 months, you're going to have to start charging at home and wait for a year.

[Regorium]

Originally Posted by the-rasta-masta

Enmax is pretty unflexible. They take a look at your last 12 months of consumption of the home, and will allow about 102-103% as a max production of that. If it is at 104% it's almost always coming back declined and asking us to remove a panel.

When a new appliance is added to the home (EV, hot tub, heat pump, AC) they will allow us to build in placeholder estimates for the consumption of the appliance and build that extra production into the system to account for the future use. However, they will only let us do this if the appliance was purchased in the last 90 days. It's a frustrating rule, I have clients come to me who have owned an EV for 4 months, and since it's outside that 90 day rule where they will allow the placeholder, the only option is to wait for a full year for the full usage to reflect on the bill.

In your case, I'd ask, when did you purchase the vehicle? If it's within the 3 months you're going to be able to add that placeholder for charging. If it's outside 3 months, you're going to have to start charging at home and wait for a year.

2022 but we're gonna start looking at panels when we move to a new house later this year (which is also where the heat pump upgrades will come in).

At the same time none of the history will even make sense because even the base usage of the new house is unknown.

[the-rasta-masta]

Originally Posted by Regorium

2022 but we're gonna start looking at panels when we move to a new house later this year (which is also where the heat pump upgrades will come in).

At the same time none of the history will even make sense because even the base usage of the new house is unknown.

Is the new house existing or is it a new build?

[Barnes]

I kept a detailed log of when things happened throughout the period from when I reached out to the loan being paid to me. Hope this helps for anyone thinking about solar. It's a long process that I was on top of at each step but there are many things in the background like permits, applications, etc. that just take a long time.

Requested Info - Feb 18
Sent House Info - Feb 21
SolarYYC Quote Received - Feb 25
	
Heat Pump Quote - Feb 26
Heat Pump Install - March 7
	
SolarYYC Contract Signed - Mar 17
	
1st Energy Assessment - Mar 21
Submitted to NRCAN - Mar 24
	
Greener Homes Loan Submitted - Mar 25
Loan Application Accepted - April 8
15% Received and Paid - April 18
	
Spot Power Pre-Solar Rate - Jul 16
Panel Swap - Jul 22
Spot Power Enrollment - Jul 24
	
Solar Install - Jul 29
Elec. Inspection- Jul 30
System Switched On - Jul 30
ENMAX Microgen Submitted - Jul 31
	
2nd Energy Audit - Aug 5
2nd Audit Report Received - Aug 8
	
Funding Requested - Aug 8
Funding Approved - Aug 11
	
ENMAX Microgen Commission - Aug 13
Spot Solar Club $0.0849/kWh - Aug 13
High Solar Rate $0.30/kWh	 - Aug 13
YYCSolar Invoice Paid	- Aug 14
	
Loan Deposited - Aug 15

[the-rasta-masta]

For those of you who use Solar Club, as of September 19th the High Rate will be jumping from $0.30/kWh to $0.33/kWh.

Enmax offers their own version of Solar Club, called the Seasonal Solar Rate. Unsure right now if they will be jumping to $0.33/kWh as well, or if they will take some time to follow suit.

[Brupal]

Looks like the Greener Homes program is returning, targeting lower income households
https://stocks.apple.com/A7vQvoqC_SXinh_TvvJCLiQ

[the-rasta-masta]

Originally Posted by Brupal

Looks like the Greener Homes program is returning, targeting lower income households
https://stocks.apple.com/A7vQvoqC_SXinh_TvvJCLiQ

This is a separate add on that was announced in the 2024 budget, it’s been in the works for a while. It’s not tied to the loan or grant, as you said it’s meant for low income retrofits. The benefit is that this program will cover the costs without any carrying or bridge period to the homeowner. However at this point it remains unclear if Solar is even included in this affordability program, as it hasn’t been specifically mentioned anywhere yet. Also what qualifies someone as a low income homeowner? Those words sound a bit like an oxymoron to me.

[Titan2]

Originally Posted by Barnes

I kept a detailed log of when things happened throughout the period from when I reached out to the loan being paid to me. Hope this helps for anyone thinking about solar. It's a long process that I was on top of at each step but there are many things in the background like permits, applications, etc. that just take a long time.

Requested Info - Feb 18
Sent House Info - Feb 21
SolarYYC Quote Received - Feb 25
	
Heat Pump Quote - Feb 26
Heat Pump Install - March 7
	
SolarYYC Contract Signed - Mar 17
	
1st Energy Assessment - Mar 21
Submitted to NRCAN - Mar 24
	
Greener Homes Loan Submitted - Mar 25
Loan Application Accepted - April 8
15% Received and Paid - April 18
	
Spot Power Pre-Solar Rate - Jul 16
Panel Swap - Jul 22
Spot Power Enrollment - Jul 24
	
Solar Install - Jul 29
Elec. Inspection- Jul 30
System Switched On - Jul 30
ENMAX Microgen Submitted - Jul 31
	
2nd Energy Audit - Aug 5
2nd Audit Report Received - Aug 8
	
Funding Requested - Aug 8
Funding Approved - Aug 11
	
ENMAX Microgen Commission - Aug 13
Spot Solar Club $0.0849/kWh - Aug 13
High Solar Rate $0.30/kWh	 - Aug 13
YYCSolar Invoice Paid	- Aug 14
	
Loan Deposited - Aug 15

Could you give any thoughts on the heat pump? What model/size? How has it performed? Thanks.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by the-rasta-masta

For those of you who use Solar Club, as of September 19th the High Rate will be jumping from $0.30/kWh to $0.33/kWh.

Enmax offers their own version of Solar Club, called the Seasonal Solar Rate. Unsure right now if they will be jumping to $0.33/kWh as well, or if they will take some time to follow suit.

How come? Is the RRO is going over $.30/kWh?

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by Titan2

Could you give any thoughts on the heat pump? What model/size? How has it performed? Thanks.

For sure, we got a 3-ton Gree 16. Around 17 SEER with the condenser we got.

Good to heat to -15 degC. I figured that below 3 deg outside temp, it's cheaper to run the furnace. Because we got it in March didnt have much experience with the heating but when it was on, it was a nice, comfortable heat compared to the dry air the furnace dumps out.

For cooling, it's been great. We used to have 3 window units for the 2 bedrooms and our office. Our electricity bill is much lower this summer than the 3 previous (almost 500 kWh in July).

Find it works best to just leave it run rather than step up and down based on occupancy etc. Unit is crazy quiet and it just kinda hums along pumping glorious 20degC air into our house.

[Titan2]

Originally Posted by Barnes

For sure, we got a 3-ton Gree 16. Around 17 SEER with the condenser we got.

Good to heat to -15 degC. I figured that below 3 deg outside temp, it's cheaper to run the furnace. Because we got it in March didnt have much experience with the heating but when it was on, it was a nice, comfortable heat compared to the dry air the furnace dumps out.

For cooling, it's been great. We used to have 3 window units for the 2 bedrooms and our office. Our electricity bill is much lower this summer than the 3 previous (almost 500 kWh in July).

Find it works best to just leave it run rather than step up and down based on occupancy etc. Unit is crazy quiet and it just kinda hums along pumping glorious 20degC air into our house.

So I gather you had it installed alongside your current furnace? And you can switch easily, I assume? Did you consider the hot water heater? Who installed it? Thanks.