We live here in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The other day Solar vendor came through the neighborhood. They stopped at my father's home and gave the speech about how Dominion Power the Virginia electric company was seeing if people were interested in having solar panel system installed, etc. That in the end my father would be saving money by selling back electricity back to Dominion Power for any power he does not use that the system generates. My father is interested and I has asked me to sit in on the presentation that they have scheduled with him tomorrow where they go over everything, answer his questions, etc.

Has anyone gone through this and had a system installed and if so how do you like it, experience, cost, downsides, etc ?? Also what are some questions to ask ? Thank you for reading and any information you can share. God Bless !!!

No actual experience, but AFAIK Dominion doesn't offer net metering, unless there has been a change.

Please ask this:

"If there's a big storm and the power company loses power for, say a few hours, or even a longer period of time like several days, will I be able to power my home with the panels if it is otherwise a nice sunny day with plenty of sun shining on the panels."

They are walking thru neighborhoods here in Temple TX,.

lady in the neighborhood had it installed and she is all over FaceBook group about how her electric bill was only a few bucks last month( even with over 100 degree temps)

I asked her how much her solar panel install cost her....

She won’t answer in clear answers, but I’ve figured out it’s around $250 a month for about fifty years...

Seems like a shitty deal to me

I have, and it's all a big lie. You don't actually sell it back, it goes into a "bank" that you redraw of once the sun goes down. You will get no money. I have not once seen my power out vs power in bill. My smart meter has it, but don't expect cooperation from the power company. I would have to manually calculate what goes out vs in and figure out the power rate etc. Also, they will bill you at retail, but "buy back" at whole sale.

My house has no a/c so in the summer time my bill is only the hookup fee. In the winter I use a lot of electric heat and my electric bill with plenty of sunny days still tops 250 dollars. I'm not sure how high it would be without the solar so I can't really compare rates. My rough guess ROI is 20 years. I plan to stay here forever so it's not that big of a deal.

If he is getting into it to save money, I would avoid it. My system cost 40k and like I said it will take over 20 years to get my money back. If you are interested in getting into solar for renewable energy's sake then it might be worth it.
Beware of their "no upfront cost" bullshit. I call it bullshit because it is a financing scam. I looked at it for several months and could not figure out what kind of scam they were pulling. They prorate your interest and principal payment against how much power you "make and sell back to the grid." I NEVER made enough power to cover the interest and so my bill grew every month because my minimum payment never covered the loss. It took me 2 months to catch on then another couple to sort out their shenanigans. I eventually had to get a HELOC to pay of the bastards so I could get a handle on the interest. I am very sour over the whole deal.

In order to make a good decision, have every electric bill for the house for probably the last couple of years and know exactly how much power you use monthly. Ask for reports on close by installations to see how much monthly power your neighbors are getting. Ask how big a system are you allowed to get and what the typical power generation will be. Make sure you figure out where the solar panels will placed, if you are not facing exactly south, your panel output will be lowered. Get into the financing details deeply. Better yet, if you can't afford to buy them outright, don't buy them. Don't fall for their financing scam. With all those numbers you can calculate your own ROI and see how long it will take. Check your local real estate to see if solar will help resale. I don't think our local area does, so if you move soon, you will eat that cost.

Solar City? If so, that's an Elon Musk outfit in financial distress. Run.

My only experience with solar is on my Motorhome.
I have 2000wats at 24 volts mounted to the roof. The solar power is routed to 10, L16, 6V, 400amp hr @ 20% AGM, Lifeline batteries.Its mine for the harvest.
If I was going to do Solar for the house it would be under the same arrangement.I harvest and keep all the power that comes in, when my battery bank is depleted I go back to buying from the power company until the battery bank is replenished.
In my area, Chicago I don't think the power company will allow you to do this.

You must always remember that the heat under solar panels can get very high. If placed over roof shingles they can cook the life out of the roof. Having to remove solar panels and re-install could be very expensive.
The price of panels is dropping significantly, LOTS of bargains around.The panels also improve every year. What you buy or finance today may be very old school 5-10 years from now.

If you decide to go solar I would buy, not finance your own equipment. $3000-$5000 would buy you LOTS of solar panels. Route them to a bank of AGM or lift truck batteries,or if your budget allows a bank of Lithium batteries like Battleborn.

I would suggest doing some research on solar panels fires.

quote:

Originally posted by armored:
You must always remember that the heat under solar panels can get very high. If placed over roof shingles they can cook the life out of the roof. Having to remove solar panels and re-install could be very expensive.

Also remember, at least here in Florida, any panels installed on the roof of your home require a separate and pricey insurance rider over and above your standard homeowners policy to cover them against damage or loss. Additionally, the damage caused to the roof underlying the panels may also not be covered under the standard homeowner's policy should they lift off during a storm. Just one more added cost of installing solar they don't often talk about.

Thank you everyone for your replies !! Please keep them coming !! God Bless !!

Dominion Energy has two plans, Solar Purchase and Net Metering. They will buy excess power at 15 cents/KW or credit your bill under the Net Metering program.

https://www.energysage.com/net...ing/dominion-energy/

Solar is the wave of the future involving solar on homes and electric vehicles. Read the book "The Energy Disruption Triangle".

https://www.amazon.com/Energy-...nerate/dp/1119347114

Walmart is installing battery charging stations at its stores close to the interstate. They have also installed solar panels on the roofs of some of their stores. There have been fires and Walmart has sued Tesla.

So what went wrong to cause the fires?? Installation problems?? Hopefully, they will find out.

The technology will continue to improve with better efficiency and lower costs. If you are buying a house, make sure the roof is facing the right direction for adding solar in the future. They are working on solar shingles at the present time.

Here in Wis. 3 different homes(in my area) had solar. Absolutely worthless anywhere that actually has winter. All 3 eventually removed it. Solar is decades away from being a good idea. ROI is terrible.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:
No actual experience, but AFAIK Dominion doesn't offer net metering, unless there has been a change.

For Pete's SAKE.

Guys. Please stop doing this. If you have no experience with a topic, just don't comment.

Please let members who have the knowledge and experience answer an OPs question. It is the best way for members to get the help they need.

quote:

Originally posted by radioman:
Please ask this:

"If there's a big storm and the power company loses power for, say a few hours, or even a longer period of time like several days, will I be able to power my home with the panels if it is otherwise a nice sunny day with plenty of sun shining on the panels."

This varies by state. Some states do not allow off grid. Most solar installations are "grid tie in," and will automatically shut down if the grid is down. It is a safety measure for line workers.

quote:

Originally posted by jigray3:
Solar City? If so, that's an Elon Musk outfit in financial distress. Run.

Agreed. Stay away from solar city, or really any door-to-door outfit. If you want solar, you need to do the research, and know your states rules as well as the fine points of your contract.

quote:

Originally posted by armored:
You must always remember that the heat under solar panels can get very high. If placed over roof shingles they can cook the life out of the roof. Having to remove solar panels and re-install could be very expensive.
The price of panels is dropping significantly, LOTS of bargains around.The panels also improve every year. What you buy or finance today may be very old school 5-10 years from now.

This is why you don't see them mounted directly to the roof, the racks provide an air gap. The solar panels do get hot, but the surface of an asphalt roof on a sunny day can turn the shingle into almost putty, these days correctly installed solar does not harm a roof.

quote:

Originally posted by Jelly:
I would suggest doing some research on solar panels fires.

Jelly, what is your actual experience with this?

quote:

Originally posted by kramden:
Here in Wis. 3 different homes(in my area) had solar. Absolutely worthless anywhere that actually has winter. All 3 eventually removed it. Solar is decades away from being a good idea. ROI is terrible.

Solar is very popular in a whole lot of places with "actual winter."

Solar is not "decades away from being a good idea." Solar technology has been around since the 60's. It is a mature technology that can only improve.

Here is the problem. There are a lot of shady outfits that will sell people badly designed systems. If a solar array is not sized and positioned to do the job, it won't. If you don't know the laws in your state, and the details of your system and any contract with the power company or lease, you may be getting swindled.

Over the course of numerous projects for clients, as well as the solar on my own home, people have experienced system payoff in 4-7 years. For my part, my net savings on electricity has been 65%+ for the last 6-7 years.


I would again say, do not buy solar from a door to door vendor. Stay away from Solar City. If you want solar, you need to know the rules in your state, and you need to know your electrical usage, and whether you have the roof area and facing to have an array that produces.

Also, frankly, if you're older and won't be in the house long, why bother? Anyone considered "elderly" isn't going to get full benefit of a solar system that is paid off.

There are still a lot of misconceptions about solar, and because of the boom, a lot of shit companies and outright scams. Not every state offer net metering, or has an energy credit market. Unless you or your dad will be in that house for the next 30+ years, the real benefit of correctly done solar won't be realized.

I did solar after some research. Typically a solar company from far away teams up with the local energy company. The company comes in-bangs out solar panels street after street, then goes away.
I went with the local solar company in my state.
State incentives amounted to approx $8,000
Federal incentives covered 30%.
Calculating my summer AC bill ($$$) , it would be a 7 year ROI if I purchased the system.
I went with the most efficient solar panels at the time--maybe 20% efficiency.
Net meter means excess electricity is sold back to the electric company at below wholesale rates. I rent the telephone poles and overhead wires for $13/month during the summer. The past 2 summers have been extremely hot--my electric bill was only for pole rental in July and August.
The variables 1) Solar panels that are extremely cheap are typically old technology and less efficient.
2) Service--the panels are warrantied for 25 years. Who services them?
3) Cosmetic--does the company run conduit all over the roof or will they try and adapt to the architecture of the house?
4) New breaker box and DC to AC conversion. Where does the conversion take place--at the panel or inside the house? (String inverter vs Microinverter, String inverter converts several panels, proven , reliable technology, less efficient, sits inside the house. Microinverter converts each panel, newest technology, sits on roof. Need 10" by 10" wall space inside the house.
It helped to get several quotes from several Solar companies. The local company did agree to the quote from the out of state company for the most efficient panels.

Solar system came with the house. It’s a 10 month old system. Roof is tile. Panels are mounted about 5” above tile.
I’m in central AZ. Lots of sun. This time of year, some clouds as well. Air conditioning runs all day and night.
Solar offsets the cost of electricity. Average bill is $8. Once the AC usage is less, the power bill will be a credit earned with APS. I have only been here 3 months.

From what I understand of solar, while it’s nice and sunny during the summer, being so hot, the photovoltaic conversion isn’t as good as it will be when it’s cooler (fall, winter, spring). While there will be less sunlight as the days are shorter, I should be expecting a slight increase in the electricity that is produced as the panels convert sunlight more efficiently.

Now, the solar system is not a lease. It was part of the purchase of the house, I own it outright.

The system is quite overbuilt for the house. It’s a 6 kw system on a very energy efficient home that is 1200 sq/ft. The previous owner spent $26k for the system. If it were financed, it would be over $100 a month. That is still a savings over what APS charges for electricity, but not much. If you start earning credits and cash them out at the end of December, I don’t think it would pay for the system, but the offset would be great enough that you would be paying a lot less annually for the solar system, than APS charges for electricity.

So far, I’m a big fan of solar, but I live in an area that is extremely sunny, and it produces a lot of electricity.

It’ll be nice to have this discussion in another year so I can give a more accurate assessment of how well it works throughout a whole year.

Does your state offer SREC credits?
If not the cost of the system will take years and years of savings to equal the cash outlay.
I have solar I own the system not renting it from the solar companies my srecs have covered my cash outlay and my bills are under $15 a month.
THAT is what SRECS do for you.
The FREE systems aren't free the Solar Company takes the SREC $$$$$

OH One last thing the Buyer of that house has to assume your solar contract for the next 20 years! BIG drawback when selling your house!

Moving back to Colorado this year we ended up buying a new Lennar house located i a 'solar' neighborhood. This means that the house comes with solar provided by Sunstreet (a Lennar subsidiary) and the only option you have is to either join the Sunstreet 20/20 program or purchase the solar outright.

The 20/20 program is not called a 'Lease' but an 'Agreement' that you enter into for 20 years and you receive 20% off the electric bill. in the 20 years all maintenance is manged by Sunstreet. I believe the panels are insured by Sunstreet but not sure as we purchased the system. Sunstreet used a local installer to set the system up.

The other option was to purchase the Solar system. which we did. We paid $3.20/watt on the advertised system size which is 4.27kwh. The total annual energy production is expected to be 6,400kwh.

So, we paid $13,600 for the system. .gov is offering a 30% tax credit this year on the Solar panels but that tax credit is sunsetting over the next couple years. So, taking into account the tax credit and assumed 6,400kvh production and an electrical rate of .12/kwh, our system will pay out in a little over 12 years.

The panels face south southwest so they are at near optimum for solar production.

Our local utility company (Xcel) offers a net metering program so if we produce more energy than we consume, any excess will be credited to the next months bill. The nice thing is its a 1:1 ratio. They will credit at the same rate they charge. I thought about adding a battery system to store any of our excess power but that is another $10k I'm not ready to spend.

Solar panels do degrade over time. The panels we have are anticipated to degrade about 3% per year. So yes, the energy production will be less when they they get old but at that point, we should be getting free energy.

Over the last 3 months, the panels produced close to 700kwh each month which covered about 80% of our electrical usage.

So far we are pleased with the solar panels but we are only 3 month into having them.

Yes, when the clouds come in, energy production is cut drastically. Colorado has a lot of sunshine during the winter months so I'm curious how well the panels will perform over the winter months.

quote:

Originally posted by ugeesta:
Yes, when the clouds come in, energy production is cut drastically. Colorado has a lot of sunshine during the winter months so I'm curious how well the panels will perform over the winter months.

There will be some production, a typical system will overproduce during the spring and summer, mine does into the fall. Then as the sun is lower in the sky and into winter, I "coast" on the stored credit from overproduction. Typically I don't have a power bill. If it's a light winter I'm set, other than that I might pay up to $20 in jan or feb.