Recent Solar install experiences Calvert and St Mary's?

[StmarysCity79]

Thinking about taking the plunge with the increased incentive from the new Inflation Reduction Act.

Just wondering if anyone has had any recent experiences positive or negative in the area.

Or any specific companies they know about or have worked with.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Clem72]

Good luck unless you are installing a DIY kit yourself. $8k in equipment, $80k in labor (for a 4 man team in 2 days, biggest racket out there).

 

[StmarysCity79]

Good luck unless you are installing a DIY kit yourself. $8k in equipment, $80k in labor (for a 4 man team in 2 days, biggest racket out there).

Where do you get your numbers? Who is paying $20k a person per install?!

My neighbors recent install was less than $25,000 all in before they applied for any tax credits. Im just shopping around at the moment so wanted to compare their quote.

 

[Gilligan]

I was recently quoted 62K for a 16KW (800 square foot array) system with a huge battery bank and the latest in automatic charge controllers and inverter technology that brings our 25kw generator on line if the battery charge drops below a certain level, or the load on the batteries exceeds a certain level. WiFi interface so I can monitor the system remotely. That 62K included installation costs, setup, startup and a warranty.

 

[StmarysCity79]

Wow. That's pricey. What kind of usage are you talking and whats your rough Sq. footage?

I'm only about 2000 Sq footage and pretty minimal usage.

One of the homes is a vacation place that is used less than half the year total.

 

[Clem72]

Where do you get your numbers? Who is paying $20k a person per install?!

My neighbors recent install was less than $25,000 all in before they applied for any tax credits. Im just shopping around at the moment so wanted to compare their quote.

I was exaggerating, but not by as much as you might think. How recent is recent? Was it a year ago with a quote from 3 months before that? Everything I have seen in the last few months is north of $50k. Unless you have modest requirements.

 

[Gilligan]

I was exaggerating, but not by as much as you might think. How recent is recent? Was it a year ago with a quote from 3 months before that? Everything I have seen in the last few months is north of $50k. Unless you have modest requirements.

My quote was from April this year. And I mispoke..it was 52K. I don't know the breakdown of costs between the panels, the batteries, the inverter/controller or the installation cost...the company provided us a total only.

This is the battery and inverter supplier...
https://simpliphipower.com/

 

[1stGenSMIB]

I don't know the breakdown of costs between the panels, the batteries, the inverter/controller or the installation cost...the company provided us a total only.

If this isn't the biggest red flag in the world, I dunno what is. I have a prime spot for solar in lower Calvert, but I am not leasing my roof out to someone else. Are these 'you own this after we install it' costs?

 

[Gilligan]

If this isn't the biggest red flag in the world, I dunno what is. I have a prime spot for solar in lower Calvert, but I am not leasing my roof out to someone else. Are these 'you own this after we install it' costs?

We're paying for the entire system up front. The system is going to be installed in and on a new building (ours owned of course) , with the roof scantlings and a "lean-to" extension all configured just for the solar panels. Starting the construction of that building very soon actually. In addition to supporting the solar system, it has two garage bays that we'll be using to store all our grounds maintenance equipment in....equipment that currently sits outside in the elements.

We completed a pretty thorough industry survey before settling on the prime contractor we decided to go with. Then worked with them for over a month to settle on the final system configuration based on our power demand profile for every day and every season.

 

[Kyle]

... In addition to supporting the solar system, ...

Atlas has nothing on you guys.

 

[Gilligan]

Atlas has nothing on you guys.

..been workin' out.

 

[phreddyp]

How many years until you break even at today's kwh rate or did the company leave out that little tidbit?

 

[Gilligan]

The analysis was extremely thorough and is a quite few pages long. The end result however is that the payback is 11 years, NOT including amortization of generator replacement costs. So the actual payback period will be less.

"Today's KWH rate" does not apply to our situation though. The payback period for someone connected to the grid would be longer. I figured the cost of our installation would be of interest to someone...

 

[phreddyp]

The analysis was extremely thorough and is a quite few pages long. The end result however is that the payback is 11 years, NOT including amortization of generator replacement costs. So the actual payback period will be less.

"Today's KWH rate" does not apply to our situation though. The payback period for someone connected to the grid would be longer. I figured the cost of our installation would be of interest to someone...

So you do not intend to have your building hooked up to the grid, or am I missing something ? I am not disputing your system. I too am thinking about installing some solar, just trying to wrap my head around your system.

 

[SamSpade]

Usually when I hear stuff like it will pay for itself in ten years, it's a deal breaker. By the grace of God I sincerely hope to be out of here by then. I've lived in THIS house for nearly twenty and the misery of maintaining an old house is beginning to wear me out.

 

[Gilligan]

So you do not intend to have your building hooked up to the grid, or am I missing something ? I am not disputing your system. I too am thinking about installing some solar, just trying to wrap my head around your system.

Our system is not grid connected..that is correct. But it "could be" for those that have access to the grid or are already grid-connected.

 

[Gilligan]

Usually when I hear stuff like it will pay for itself in ten years, it's a deal breaker. By the grace of God I sincerely hope to be out of here by then. I've lived in THIS house for nearly twenty and the misery of maintaining an old house is beginning to wear me out.

LOL. In our case though, we're excited about the un-costed factors, especially the aggravation and effort involved in hauling and burning so much diesel fuel every year.

Major Edit: I just went back and double-checked the proposal from the prime contractor. The 11 year payoff was based on a grid-connected assumption. The payoff period for our particular generator-powered off-grid situation is only about 4 years.

 

[Gilligan]

Its all a scam

All? Our installation certainly isn't any kind of scam. I guess its like anything else..you gotta do the research.

 

[Kinnakeet]

How much is everyones electric bill a month I had my home built in 2000 and I just got my highest bill ever 204.00 and that is because my wife turned the temp down to 70* and my beer fridge in the garage runs 24/7 now before that it was around 120 130 a month and when I first moved in the highest we paid was maybe 90.00 sometimes it was as low as 72.00 our home is 3100 square feet when we had the house built I upgraded the insulation package

 

[SamSpade]

How much is everyones electric bill a month I had my home built in 2000 and I just got my highest bill ever 204.00 and that is because my wife turned the temp down to 70* and my beer fridge in the garage runs 24/7 now before that it was around 120 130 a month and when I first moved in the highest we paid was maybe 90.00 sometimes it was as low as 72.00 our home is 3100 square feet when we had the house built I upgraded the insulation package

Mine is regularly more than twice that. I cannot figure out how on Earth anyone can have electric as low as yours.