Solar power systems for the home

[Torture]

Originally Posted by sketchyt

The hell. Zeno (and YYC Solar) sent me like a novel of a PDF to send them a bajillion photos and all the information so that they could give me a quote.

Generally, you need a photo of your panel and a copy of your utility bill.

Just got the roof re-done and am about to sign on the dotted line for a 5.7kW system. Definitely getting Critter Guard because Mount Pleasant is squirrel central, is an inverter warranty worth considering ($250) or nah?

[Torture]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Yes to everything you said, but the new regime in California is about as 'bad' as it should get.

Net metering on a volume basis is dumb, price has to be a factor in the equation.

I believe Enmax has to upgrade all of our meters to go to time-of-use billing so I think it's safe to say that's a ways off. There are lots of reasons we should move that way as more things get electrified but they don't seem to be in any rush to do the upgrading necessary.

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by Torture

I believe Enmax has to upgrade all of our meters to go to time-of-use billing so I think it's safe to say that's a ways off. There are lots of reasons we should move that way as more things get electrified but they don't seem to be in any rush to do the upgrading necessary.

I'd be shocked if the bidirectional meters on solar installations does not capture this data.

[Torture]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

I'd be shocked if the bidirectional meters on solar installations does not capture this data.

Maybe, I meant everybody's meters, not just the handful of people with solar.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Yes to everything you said, but the new regime in California is about as 'bad' as it should get.

Net metering on a volume basis is dumb, price has to be a factor in the equation.

Depends on your goal. Double K is grid biased. Lol

Net metering is a great way to increase solar penetration by fixing the economics of distributed solar to make them net positive. But there's a catch


Net metering can be a disaster for grid operators because it removes any price signals to match demand and supply. It doesn't affect things much until penetration gets high then you have crazy stuff like in the Netherlands where they have Net Metering and super high penetration. This has led to wildly negative prices during the day. Utilities are losing their shirts paying a customer a high price for electricity with negative value during the day and forcing them to give away electricity they have to pay a lot for in the evening.


Net metering is a great way early on to spur demand, but needs to be balanced with storage. Here in BC I'd imagine it would take a fair bit higher penetration to be a problem

[DoubleK]

Any net metering scheme on a volume basis invariably results in subsidization between customer groups.

Customers with and without solar panels pay the same amount into the pot to pay for the infrastructure up to the meter. Allowing solar producers to net out of that pot results in that subsidization, (which is funny as one could argue they should pay more since they are using it up and down).

This is a similar example to the collapse of the RRO in Alberta.

Utility finance is a tricky thing.

[ericschand]

Hi,

I just got solar panels, 10kw, installed on the home. Waiting for city to inspect, etc.

A question and advice on solar clubs. I have an Enmax contract at 11 cents. Is it worth me moving to a solar club? What will I gain and what calculation can be used as an example?

One reason I ask is that the installer said he sees at most $50 per year difference when joining a club. For that there's a bit of hassle 2x per year, so he doesn't recommend it.

Anyone willing to share the good and bad?

ers

[photon]

Enmax has a similar thing now: https://www.enmax.com/home/renewable...seasonal-solar

That should make it easier to switch. Don't have solar yet so not sure if that's comparable to a solar club, but seems like it.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by ericschand

Hi,

I just got solar panels, 10kw, installed on the home. Waiting for city to inspect, etc.

A question and advice on solar clubs. I have an Enmax contract at 11 cents. Is it worth me moving to a solar club? What will I gain and what calculation can be used as an example?

One reason I ask is that the installer said he sees at most $50 per year difference when joining a club. For that there's a bit of hassle 2x per year, so he doesn't recommend it.

Anyone willing to share the good and bad?

Bolded part is odd. When on my solar club the switch happens to the higher rate in the production months I've banked about $350 in credit. Also zero hassle as my provider monitors their solar club members and makes the seasonal switches for you. Super easy.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Bolded part is odd. When on my solar club the switch happens to the higher rate in the production months I've banked about $350 in credit. Also zero hassle as my provider monitors their solar club members and makes the seasonal switches for you. Super easy.

I assume he means $50 difference between being on a plan with Enmax solar rates and a solar club.

The major benefit I see with Enmax is that if someone is already on a low rate contract, ~$0.06, they can keep that price for the winter high import months instead of paying $0.12 or $0.13 with a solar club. The high export price is the same between Enmax and solar clubs.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I assume he means $50 difference between being on a plan with Enmax solar rates and a solar club.

The major benefit I see with Enmax is that if someone is already on a low rate contract, ~$0.06, they can keep that price for the winter high import months instead of paying $0.12 or $0.13 with a solar club. The high export price is the same between Enmax and solar clubs.

I'm sure the rates have changed since I made the switch but I'm getting $.084 in the winter months with my club.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I'm sure the rates have changed since I made the switch but I'm getting $.084 in the winter months with my club.

They increased pretty significantly here about a year ago. Last winter the locked in rates jumped up to around $0.13 on a three year contract. Before that it was $0.06 or $0.07.

[ericschand]

Thanks for the responses. I think I'll hang on to my 11 cents through the winter. Then in the mid-March timeframe switch to the Enmax export plan and then this one goes back to 11 October'ish. I'm doubtful energy prices will drop over time.

Thanks for all the input on that.

Now what about carbon credits? Any advice on how to handle those?

ers

[photon]

So question about the solar club in general.. given my electricity usage this year and the size and orientation of the panels and the fact my parents live in my suited walkout basement (two dryers, to ranges, etc) I'm only projected to have an net excess a couple of months out of the year.

Does that make a difference in the benefit of a solar club? Or is it still worth doing since the usage during the day when solar generation is the highest is low for us (everyone at work)?

[photon]

For carbon credits they gave me this link: https://www.solaroffset.ca/calculator

But not sure how that works.

[gasman]

Originally Posted by photon

For carbon credits they gave me this link: https://www.solaroffset.ca/calculator

But not sure how that works.

Worth pointing out, you need to sign up before December 31, 2023, because the Government of Alberta is changing the Electricity Grid Displacement Factor from 0.55 to an annually decreasing factor, essentially cutting the carbon credits generated by solar over a 10 year period by 30% below is an excerpt from solaroffset:

On January 1st, 2024, the Electricity Grid Displacement Factor (EGDF) will decrease!

What is the EGDF? The EGDF is a factor used to calculate the quantity of carbon offset credits generated by an eligible offset project. The EGDF equates to the number of carbon credits created per MWh of solar electricity generation. The value of the EGDF is dictated by the Government of Alberta and it is determined by the forecasted greenhouse gas emissions intensity of the utility grid electricity that will be displaced by solar generated electricity. The EGDF decreases on January 1st of each year due to increasing amounts of renewable energy contributing to the utility grid as well as more efficient fossil fuel generation. This decrease means fewer carbon credits are created per MWh of solar electricity generation.

Why does this is matter? Solar PV systems contracted with Solar Offset in 2023 are eligible to lock in an EGDF of 0.55 tCO2e/MWh (i.e., 0.55 carbon offset credits per MWh of generation) for the full 10-year crediting period. Any solar PV system contracted with us in 2024 or later will be subject to a series of EGDFs, which decrease each year. Ultimately this amounts to 30% less revenue generated from the exact same system if it is registered in 2024 instead than 2023.

For example: Consider a 6KW solar PV system installed and enrolled with Solar Offset in 2023. The revenue to the system owner is considerably higher if they sign with Solar Offset in 2023 compared to delaying until 2024.

Date Agreement signed

Estimated revenue to the system owner (for the full 10-year crediting period)

Dec 20th, 2023

$2,558 - $3,289

January 1st, 2024

$1,738 - $2,234

[Calgary14]

So the reduction in credits only impacts those who sign up after Jan 1/24? That might create some urgency for anyone on the fence about it

[Calgary14]

For the solar rates (Enmax or Solar Club) wouldn't that only be advantageous when the production is higher than consumption? For me that is only about 3 months per year (I think - I got mine in June so hard to tell right now)

[photon]

Originally Posted by gasman

Worth pointing out, you need to sign up before December 31, 2023, because the Government of Alberta is changing the Electricity Grid Displacement Factor from 0.55 to an annually decreasing factor, essentially cutting the carbon credits generated by solar over a 10 year period by 30% below is an excerpt from solaroffset:

Thanks for that, I don't get my system until April, I wonder if I can still sign up to lock in the fixed factor.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by photon

Thanks for that, I don't get my system until April, I wonder if I can still sign up to lock in the fixed factor.

No you can't. I signed up about three weeks ago but I haven't finished the process yet because they require a bunch of paperwork to be emailed out and I've been too lazy to do it.