CLEAN CHOICE

DannyMotorcycle

Active Member
Our SMECO bill was minus $29.30 thanks to our solar panels. We pay $200 to our solar company for rent to own panels. We are saving $300+ a month. Solar energy world is awesome if anybody is looking for recommendations.

Could you post more details? What's total cost supposed to be? You have batteries storing the energy I guess?
How long is the agreement? is the warranty just as long? Turning a $400 smeco bill to $200 sounds pretty good right now.
I'm also considering a future purchase of a plug in car.. mostly for the commute and grocery runs.
 
These systems typically don't use batteries, it's referred to as "grid tie" as opposed to "off grid". Any excess power they provide goes back out onto the grid, and you get credit for it.
 

glhs837

Power with Control
Could you post more details? What's total cost supposed to be? You have batteries storing the energy I guess?
How long is the agreement? is the warranty just as long? Turning a $400 smeco bill to $200 sounds pretty good right now.
I'm also considering a future purchase of a plug in car.. mostly for the commute and grocery runs.


Very few systems like this feature onsite storage, since the subsidy model requires SMECO to buy back excess power at a silly high rate, which is how the company selling/leasing the systems. Energy sent to onsite storage would reduce that. https://www.solar-estimate.org/news...h-buying-and-how-it-compares-to-other-storage .
 

BernieP

Resident PIA
If / when you go to sell your home leased systems can be a problem for some mortgage companies.
I believe the VA or FHA won't write a mortgage if the system is leased. Before jumping in, check all aspects of the deal, not just the savings, but the impact on your home's resale value and any restrictions.
 

FED_UP

Well-Known Member
Plenty of comments, well one friend told me when he got solar panels his electric bill was in the minus. To each his own he is single and works all day. But he did not say how much he was paying for solar panels. I believe there was a previous thread about later if you need to change shingles then you also have to change solar panels, not cost worthy. Hmmm I think its just house hold by house hold make change according to how much the house hold uses electricity. Getting a more efficient unit there year has lowered our bill amazingly. This brochure is heading to the trash.
to the trash.
 
Just to clarify.... this CleanChoice is not about putting panels on the roof. You do nothing except switch who is billing you. No mods or changes to your service, home, roof, etc. No panels. This is just like in the old days when you dialed a 5 digit prefix to select a different long distance "carrier". Same carrier that you always had, but different billing company.

Anyway, just got another letter from them. I read one section on where they get their power from.
1% solar
99% wind
0% biomass
0% methane
0% hydro

So the majority of their generation is from wind. From where? There isn't any real source of wind power available generation for hundreds of miles. Yeah, I get it, it's part of "the grid", so the power could be generated anywhere. Still doesn't sound right.

Then they offer a cost to you of 7.8 cents per Kwh. For an introductory 3 months. Then they can, and clearly say so, raise your rate with no notice to any price they want to cover the cost of ANYTHING that assists in providing energy, wires, towers, permits, certificates, and on......

More shredder fodder.....
 

pappascw

Member
Plenty of comments, well one friend told me when he got solar panels his electric bill was in the minus. To each his own he is single and works all day. But he did not say how much he was paying for solar panels. I believe there was a previous thread about later if you need to change shingles then you also have to change solar panels, not cost worthy. Hmmm I think its just house hold by house hold make change according to how much the house hold uses electricity. Getting a more efficient unit there year has lowered our bill amazingly. This brochure is heading to the trash.
to the trash.

I looked into Panels. I would still have a SMECO bill and was going to buy them outright. At first I would break even at year 11 and I would have 9 goods years of free solar power with a 30% electric bill. But after a computer analysis of my tree line it was estimated to take 14-15 years to break even so to me it wasnt justified. The immediate tax break is great if you buy. Renting is what most do but then you are just just making the solar company rich over 20 years.
 

my-thyme

..if momma ain't happy...
Patron
We bought ours outright, couldn't be happier. Last month's bill was 24$. Full south facing roof, 28 panels. My only gripe is SMECO won't allow us to produce as much energy as we can, we will never have a negative bill.

We still expect to have them paid off in 9 yrs.
 

GregV814

Well-Known Member
I increased my carbon footprint with my letter, much like I do with letters from Steny, Fat Mike Miller and others.
 

tuffenuff2

Active Member
In case any of you are thinking about going to solar, Solar energy world has some great end of year offers.
 
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