Solar Panels to Assist Heat Pump, Thoughts from those that may know?

[alarmguy]

Thanks EVERYONE for your thoughtful posts. I guess I really blew it the way I worded my OP.
I should have done many things differently and left the Heat Pump completely out of the post.
Im fully aware how solar panels work, fully aware the home is connected to the grid and the system cant function without being connected. We are not talking about going to battery back.

What I should have posted is this and Snagglefoot from Canada just hit it right on the head. (thank you for posting what I wasnt making clear!)
All I wanted to know is if I could install a few solar panels on my roof, which is perfectly set up for this as I have a bonnet/hip type roof and the "small" side of the roof faces south and is on the side of the house which would be not really seen form the road.
I threw the heat pump wording in there to describe I would like to generate around the equivalent during the day time of what my AC unit (also called a heat pump) uses. I was wondering if I could have the federal government pay for most of it. I already expected the answer here in the USA would be no, but ... well, if you dont ask, right?
I found some posts here really useful and I think about 8 panels is what I would have wanted. I'll actually be at the house at some point this weekend and look at the Lenox unit to check the size.
This was just a fun idea I had, my energy costs were dirt cheap in my previous 3000 sq ft home and will be even cheaper in the new home.

 

[alarmguy]

In the city of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, solar panels are highly encouraged and you can have a solar panel system paid for by the city and then they add a payment plan to to the property tax, transferable to subsequent owners. One builder puts 8 panels on ALL new homes.

THIS IS WHAT I WAS HOPING FOR! ^^^
Thanks for you posts. They have been helpful as well as others. I guess I didnt make myself clear which I just clarified one post up from this. However but maybe I am wrong I dont think in the USA we have a program like yours.

 

[alarmguy]

A friend had a 12 panel system put in for $6000 USD after a $3400 rebate with a projected payout of 8 years. It averages 4,000 watts and power is 10 cents per KWh.

THIS ^^^
Exactly what I was curious about. If something like this is available in the USA. IN fact I would like it to be closer to 8 or 10 panels.
For a fun project if the USA federal government would pay for half of it.


But I suspect not here in the states. Nice deal in Canada
Ill be at the house one day this weekend and take down the model of the AC/Heat pump just for fun to see how much power it draws
With that said, I want to leave the AC/Heat Pump words out of my post, I see the way I worded everything it made it sound like something it was not.

All I should have said is can I put a system that will produce around 3000 watts on the roof of my new home and have the government pay for it. It's a brand new home and in no way do I want something that would have been more extensive. Gosh just the thought of those bolts going through my new roof makes me cringe. *LOL* and it would need to look perfect and no conduit on the outside ect ect.

Thanks again for your helpful posts, I was just in the thought process to see if I should even think about it. The only way I would think more about it is if someone from the states commented, YEAH! SURE! we have a program like Canada has in the USA.

I have no idea how long I will be in this house but no plans to move again. Here where I live solar panels are not always a benefit when selling a home too. More or less, it helps if someone wants them but other people dont, so you limit the buyer base but if you find that buyer that wants them then it is a help and gosh, if your in the house long term can be a negative as the roof and panels age. IN my mind, a few panels might have been fun but I think here USA not reality.
As it is we are buying cash right now *LOL* everything is going to be new, every furnishing in the home, appliances of course, even though it comes fully landscaped Im a crazy person about that and that too will be re-done.
ect ect...

10 cents kWr. I had that average in the home we just sold, new home 12 and 13 cents, which we know will not go down in price!.

 

[skyactiv]

I had a home built last year with geothermal HVAC and wanted a Tesla solar roof and Powerwall battery backup. Tesla solar wasn't available in my area when my home was under construction.

 

[alarmguy]

I had a home built last year with geothermal HVAC and wanted a Tesla solar roof and Powerwall battery backup. Tesla solar wasn't available in my area when my home was under construction.

Yeah, execution by Tesla on solar has not been good. They know that I and I think working on it from what I understand.
Im curious at to your utility kWh cost.

 

[thastinger]

Are you doing it for the tax credit (it happens) or the long term energy cost savings?

If you're main concern is long-term savings then there are TONS of used panels that work just fine so you can save a good bit of money there. IIRC, I paid 600 shipped for a pallet of 10 230W panels and they were perfect, that was 6 years ago and they are still just fine.
Net metering will play a huge part in determining if it is worth it, Dominion power here in VA does a 1 to 1 swap and you bank any excess, which is about the best deal I've ever heard of, limited to a 25kW array for residential.
The racking costs as much as the panels in most cases, you don't need optimizers unless you have shade on part of the array, I wouldn't do micro inverters if it was a roof mount just get the one grid tie inverter.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

In the city of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, solar panels are highly encouraged and you can have a solar panel system paid for by the city and then they add a payment plan to to the property tax, transferable to subsequent owners. One builder puts 8 panels on ALL new homes.

They're called PACE loans in the United States. It has created some problems with regards to how they're pitched to the elderly and less savvy borrowers.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

THIS IS WHAT I WAS HOPING FOR! ^^^
Thanks for you posts. They have been helpful as well as others. I guess I didnt make myself clear which I just clarified one post up from this. However but maybe I am wrong I dont think in the USA we have a program like yours.

PACE Loan. Remember if you don't make the payment on the tax assessment you can lose your home.

Property Assessed Clean Energy Programs

PACE model is an innovative mechanism for financing energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements on private property.

www.energy.gov

What is a PACE loan? | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

A PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) loan gives you a way to borrow money for home improvements by increasing your property tax payment.

www.consumerfinance.gov

 

[alarmguy]

Are you doing it for the tax credit (it happens) or the long term energy cost savings?

If you're main concern is long-term savings then there are TONS of used panels that work just fine so you can save a good bit of money there. IIRC, I paid 600 shipped for a pallet of 10 230W panels and they were perfect, that was 6 years ago and they are still just fine.
Net metering will play a huge part in determining if it is worth it, Dominion power here in VA does a 1 to 1 swap and you bank any excess, which is about the best deal I've ever heard of, limited to a 25kW array for residential.
The racking costs as much as the panels in most cases, you don't need optimizers unless you have shade on part of the array, I wouldn't do micro inverters if it was a roof mount just get the one grid tie inverter.

Well, good responses in here and yours is the most unique. Very impressive that you were able to get perfectly good used panels.

I was only casually interested because I love electronics and was wondering if there was a way I could get the government to pay for it in tax credits.
I don’t know if I that’s a matter of the money versus a science experiment, meaning it would be neat to be running my air conditioning knowing my solar panels on the roof are generating 3000 or 4000W while the sun is out.
So may be the best way to say it is, it’s not really about saving money per se, but just a fun thing to do and even more so if the government was going to pay.
I don’t think I would have the drive to go gangbusters and get it done simply because I don’t even know how long I’ll be there

I’m definitely ahead of myself on this. We didn’t even close on the house and will not until towards the end of the month.
So first we have to move, we already bought all new appliances waiting to be installed and they were shopping for all new furniture.

 

[Cujet]

Plenty of informative answers above. I won't rehash them.

It is worth considering sizing a grid-tie system (panels + inverter) to provide sufficient power to run the AC during normal daytime sunny conditions.

Example: AC uses 3200 Watts when running. Choose 5000W worth of panels, as losses exist.

This way, you don't worry about what the utility pays for excess. You simply run your AC on the sun.