Insane Electric Rate Increase $508.68/1522 kWh
- Thread starter gathermewool
- Start date
gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
For those who have experience, how long do panels actually last? I mean, you’re not likely to have to replace the entire system in 10 years. If a panel here and there fails, then you’d be out the cost of just that panel(s).
I also have a very long raised ranch house with one side facing almost exactly south.
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The cost of living here is very high, but the schools where I live are very good. A far cry from where I grew up in the mid-Atlantic area. While they’re young it’s worth the cost. Afterward, who knows if we’ll end up moving. I haven’t looked in a while, but I wasn’t able to find a job that paid comparably in a place I’d want to live in. My buddy almost convinced me to apply down in LA, but…LA. No, thanks.
gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
It's complicated.
First of all - Germany isn't a wind/solar country. Over 80% of all wind turbines would never come close to ROI if they wouldn't be massiv subsidized by the tax payers (guess who made those laws). There is just not enough wind. Solar is similar.
Our energy cost is high, because they shut down most of our reliable modern coal and nuclear power plants that carried the basic 7/24 load. Since solar and wind is weather dependent, we need fast reacting gas plants to stabilize the grid.
Well gas plants have a horrible efficiency, so the electricity is twice as expensive.
Now since our gas pipeline got bombed, we have to buy LNG, which again is twice to 10 times more expensive than the Russian gas.
Our grid is so unstable at the moment (because of the random solar/wind) it needed 16.000 interventions last year to prevent blackouts.
Each intervention costs several millions of Euros - this also ends up on our electricity bills.
And yeah, on a sunny real windy day, we have to pay extra, to get rid of too much electricity from solar/wind - again on our electricity bill.
And then there are the really bad things that are wrong ...
I could go on and on, but you get the idea.
Frank
All of this can be said about the United States. Well, most of it. The rest will come in short order.
Hardly. Southern California Edison is robbing us. This is what I pay for "winter" delivery + generation with time of use rates where 4-9pm is highest (work from home). Luckily we have gas for the water heater, furnace and stove. Keep in mind I live in a 1300sqft rent townhouse.
Delivery:
Super off peak: 0.22435
Off peak: 0.23983
mid peak: 0.28283
Generation:
Super off peak: 0.07688
off peak: 0.09942
mid peak: 0.13823
Total:
Super off peak: 0.30123
Off peak: 0.33925
mid peak: 0.42106
On top of getting reamed for the delivery, this is perhaps the most unreliable power I've ever had. I live in a metro urban area and the power goes out every mild rain, wind, or weather event.
These rates go up in May for "summer" on top of that they are requesting to raise the price from the regulators.
Green energy sham. In the winter my bill is around 50 and gas is around 60 since I don't use electricity for heating. In the summer my bill is 200-300 and this is the AC set to 77.
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That's why I did the solar project. My bill runs $9 per month. Yup.
Thats great, but I am renting a late 70s constructed MDU. The infrastructure isnt there.Even if I lived in my own single family home, I wouldn't feel comfortable investing thousands in up front costs to pay $9 a month for electricity. The mortage would be enough. My lady's brother sells solar, it's not cheap and there are ongoing costs. I previously lived in a municiptality which owned their own power lines which didn't bend us over like SCE.
How much was the solar project?
I do see there are places online that will sell you a kit to install yourself (or hire an electrician, not a solar company), but its still not an inexpensive endeavor.
I'm sorry to hear this. My wife and I visited Germany in 2018, and absolutely loved it. The people were wonderful, and there was so much to see and do. I'm sorry to hear that the German people are facing hardship due to unrealistic environmental goals.
I think Florida power and light averages 12-14 cents per kWh here in Florida. Not awful, we only need heat like 5 days out of the year but of course we have tons of hot days and my wife runs the AC 72 all the time. I’ve given up that fight. I think are bill is reasonable but our house is CBS, built in 2020, with hurricane rated windows and doors which are pretty thick and I’d guess insulate well. Sounds like the OP is doing all he can to minimize costs. I hate the cold and my bill would be insane if I lived in the NE.
Wow! So I shouldn't whine about paying approximately C$0.10/kW-h.
At your rates, the payback on an EV would be much longer than here.
gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
You bring up an interesting point. Gas is really expensive there, too.
That was March 2018. With the Federal tax credit, it was between $17K and $20K; I don't remember.
I am probably approaching break even, maybe I am there now. Not sure. I love my solar.
I only used the AC when guests were over; rarely for me and wifey. Now I blare it and charge the Tesla.
What's not to like?
Well, the deal you got is no likely longer available and probably will never be.
Also, it is totally unsustainable. The electric providers simply cannot keep paying people to produce electricity and turn a profit.
It's great for you and many others that got in during the right time. That doesn't mean it will be the same for others.
It all hinges on how much you get credited for the energy produced by the array. And it people are getting less and less for each kwh their solar produces and these installations aren't really getting cheaper anymore as well. The math is making less and less sense.
Yes, we're averaging c. C$1.50/litre = approximately US$4.20/US gallon.
Electricity is cheap (abundant hydroelectric) and gasoline is expensive, so an EV makes some sense here.
A friend here has a rooftop solar array. He pays about C$0.10/kW-h, and sells any surplus back to the public utility at about half that (c. C$0.05/kW-h).
We don't have time-of-use metering here.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
I'd love to know what the break-even point on that is, gotta be like 20 years.
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