Peak demand

[Paul Land]

What I remember was that the property owner was collecting all rain water (they had no well) as well as having solar generate all power. I don't remember if they were still tied to the sewage system or if they have a septic tank.

To get them back they were first charged and then the property was condemned to get them to connect back to city service or just leave.

As we have stated before we try to convince people to first find out what the "rules" are concerning all utilities before they just disconnect and go off grid or try to cheat the POCO. If you break the law the city and POCO will win in the end.

Sounds alot like Oboma Care

[littleharbor]

Of course I was joking but yes, I've heard that many areas require maintaining connection to utilities that are available. It's been discussed here previously. We can't have everyone going stand-alone now can we?

Maintaining a connection and actually using their grid are two different things. Depending on how much the fees and taxes add up to it still could make sense, (maybe not financial sense) to flip the main breaker if you don't want to buy or sell power to the power company.

[SunEagle]

Maintaining a connection and actually using their grid are two different things. Depending on how much the fees and taxes add up to it still could make sense, (maybe not financial sense) to flip the main breaker if you don't want to buy or sell power to the power company.

I think people would be upset paying for a "meter charge" and not get anything for it. Yet IMO it is still cheaper connected to the grid then to generate my own power.

[littleharbor]

I think people would be upset paying for a "meter charge" and not get anything for it. Yet IMO it is still cheaper connected to the grid then to generate my own power.

I agree 100 %, especially if they are paying wildly exorbitant additional fees. If their fees aren't too high and they have a unreliable power co. then I could see this scenario happening. Again I agree with off grid being more expensive. Personally I have found a properly designed off grid system to be nearly 100% reliable. I may have gotten lucky but I have no problem leaving my Baja system running for 5 - 6 weeks, unattended with a refrigerator/freezer full of stuff. The day I show up and it has failed and I have a fridge full of funk I may change my tune.

[Ampster]

....... Yet IMO it is still cheaper connected to the grid then to generate my own power.

That may be true where you live if rates are low. At least in high rate and sunny areas like California and Hawaii it can be less expensive to generate your own power while still tied to the grid.

[J.P.M.]

I think people would be upset paying for a "meter charge" and not get anything for it. Yet IMO it is still cheaper connected to the grid then to generate my own power.

Call it what you want, it's still a charge. Some POCOs hit residential customers w/demand charges as well. Not demand charges, but SDG & E charges $0.32877/day ($120/yr.) as a minimum baseline charge offset by usage whether I or any residential customer uses power or not.

[SunEagle]

That may be true where you live if rates are low. At least in high rate and sunny areas like California and Hawaii it can be less expensive to generate your own power while still tied to the grid.

I never said having a grid tie had no payback. But an off grid system has little to no payback. It is also a change in life style that most of the people would never get into.

Also even in sunny CA & HA using a battery backup with a grid tie system draws out the ROI to almost 2 decades. If that is what you want to do with your money.

[SunEagle]

Call it what you want, it's still a charge. Some POCOs hit residential customers w/demand charges as well. Not demand charges, but SDG & E charges $0.32877/day ($120/yr.) as a minimum baseline charge offset by usage whether I or any residential customer uses power or not.

Each POCO has a way to get income if you use their grid or not. While my cost for electric & fuel / kWh is low (~9 cents/kWh) but my "meter charge" is constant at $32.37 a month even if I turned off all of my equipment.

[bcroe]

The fixed monthly charges here in N IL are $16.47, Customer Charge + Standard Metering Charge. Thats
it for the Net Metering. Bruce Roe

[Paul Land]

The fixed monthly charges here in N IL are $16.47, Customer Charge + Standard Metering Charge. Thats
it for the Net Metering. Bruce Roe

My Towns fixed rate.
ADD $23.00 for #2 Net Meter if used in conjunction with meter #1
Fixed rates X12 Mos for #1 Meter
2018 $19.00 @9.6c Kw
2019 $21.00 @9.4c Kw
2020 $23.00 @ Tba