Solar power systems for the home

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Calgary14

I would be curious to know if the smoke has decreased the output of the solar panels, some days a few weeks ago would have been really sunny if not for all the smoke

I was away the last couple of weeks, what days were the worst in Calgary and I can pull up the daily data and post it.

[gasman]

SolaryYYC is at my place today installing the panels for my new 10.1kW Solar install. I will need an inspection but hope to be producing power sometime next week.

Based on my first round of economics, if power prices stay constant It should be an 8 year payback. If they go up, it will get faster.

Over the course of the year I will should produce between 110% and 120% of my usage with the bulk being exported in the summer months at a high rate, and then importing at market rates during the winter.

I'd like to piggy back on this thread to share the results of my system as well.

[Calgary14]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I was away the last couple of weeks, what days were the worst in Calgary and I can pull up the daily data and post it.

I had to look it up but I guess June 21, July 12, Aug 9 and Aug 16 were all around 10+ ratings for smoke so I would assume those to be lower for solar. Since Aug 16 its been fairly clear

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Calgary14

I had to look it up but I guess June 21, July 12, Aug 9 and Aug 16 were all around 10+ ratings for smoke so I would assume those to be lower for solar. Since Aug 16 its been fairly clear

I made decent power on August 9, but August 16th was nasty:

[gasman]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I made decent power on August 9, but August 16th was nasty:

Did you join a solar club, where you get higher rates in the summer? Since my system just got commissioned today, I am likely just going to leave it until around February since I will probably only be a net exporter in September.

I am seeing rates right now that are like $0.28/kwh for net exporting and $0.087 for net importing

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by gasman

Did you join a solar club, where you get higher rates in the summer? Since my system just got commissioned today, I am likely just going to leave it until around February since I will probably only be a net exporter in September.

I am seeing rates right now that are like $0.28/kwh for net exporting and $0.087 for net importing

I did not join one this year, will take a look at it for next season as our provider did give me the info of one they recommend too.

[Bigtime]

Whoops, I've been slacking. Here are the August and September stats from our system.

August:



September:

[Calgary14]

I got an energy report from Enmax in the mail that says our house uses 51% more energy than similar/comparable houses. So maybe solar is something I should look at more closely along with the obvious simple methods of trying to use less energy. Central AC in the summer is the main factor

[Calgary14]

Bigtime, how has the solar production going now in the early fall?

I am still not approved for the greener energy grant, once approved I will get the energy inspection done. Basically just going through their process to be eligible for the $5k solar grant

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Calgary14

Bigtime, how has the solar production going now in the early fall?

October is already performing better than last year, note on my September stats that we only installed the system about halfway through the month last year.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by Calgary14

I got an energy report from Enmax in the mail that says our house uses 51% more energy than similar/comparable houses.

Mine always says something similar which I find hard to believe. We are an inside unit townhouse and it's just the two of us. We aren't militant about conserving power but we don't exaclty leave all the lights on all the time either.

[Calgary14]

I don't understand that Enmax report either so I called them and they didn't have a clue about their own report.

In terms of usage only we'd be on the higher end for sure (2 adults and 2 kids) but find it hard to believe its 51% higher.

Hoping the energy inspection will provide more clarity once I am approved

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

October is already performing better than last year, note on my September stats that we only installed the system about halfway through the month last year.

Just think how much better it will be in winter if we switch to permanent DST! All that extra daylight.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by lubicon

just think how much better it will be in winter if we switch to permanent dst! All that extra daylight.

lol

[Bigtime]

Whoops, never did update the full October stats. Here we go:

[Calgary14]

Dumb question, if production was 247kwh and consumption was 372kwh, wouldn't energy imported be the difference of 125kw?

[accord1999]

Originally Posted by Calgary14

Dumb question, if production was 247kwh and consumption was 372kwh, wouldn't energy imported be the difference of 125kw?

Only if Bigtime could consume all of their production. But self-consumption was only 96.25 kWh, the rest was sold to the grid during the mid-day. And then bought back during the early morning, evening and cloudy days.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Calgary14

Dumb question, if production was 247kwh and consumption was 372kwh, wouldn't energy imported be the difference of 125kw?

You are forgetting the export of 150kw. Because his production is the daytime when he isn't around to use it, it gets exported. So you have to re-import that 150 plus the 125, for ~275kw.

[Calgary14]

Right. Forgot about the timing differences. I guess the next step would be to store the power produced so it can be used when needed

[gasman]

Originally Posted by Calgary14

Right. Forgot about the timing differences. I guess the next step would be to store the power produced so it can be used when needed

Storage is currently not a good investment. Economically it doesn't make sense. You offset the cost of the electricity by selling to the grid during the day, and then the energy you use in the evenings, you are only paying the transmission fees on (provided you made enough energy in the daytime)

Then with solar clubs, you jack up your price in the summer when you are producing more than you use, which further offsets your costs overall.

My system was commissioned August 26th. This is the generation chart. I don't get the sweet self consumption data that Big Time gets, I have to figure it out at the end of the month by comparing the Total Generation, Export and Usage data from my energy bill.