Solar costs in SF Bay Area

[tkripala]

I'm planning to go solar and have spoken with a number of local solar companies and have gotten a variety of quotes with pretty much the same configuration. I'm looking at a ~7 KW system and have gotten quotes from $3.38/W to $4.25/W using either LG 320W or Sunpower X22-360W panels. I'm also trying to decide between micro-inverters (Enphase with the LG) or Hybrid DC Optimizers+Inverter (SolarEdge).

The costs seem higher but I'm guessing that it is about average here in the SF Bay Area. Does this seem right?

I'm also leaning toward using the LG panels but can't figure out whether to go with micro-inverters or hybrid. Any thoughts?

[J.P.M.]

I'm planning to go solar and have spoken with a number of local solar companies and have gotten a variety of quotes with pretty much the same configuration. I'm looking at a ~7 KW system and have gotten quotes from $3.38/W to $4.25/W using either LG 320W or Sunpower X22-360W panels. I'm also trying to decide between micro-inverters (Enphase with the LG) or Hybrid DC Optimizers+Inverter (SolarEdge).

I'm leaning toward using the LG panels but can't figure out whether to go with micro-inverters or hybrid. Any thoughts?

If you have no major shading, a lot of opinion says go w/ a string inverter. A bit less costly and fewer electronics in the harsh(er) roof environment. Also thinking KISS, 1 string inverter vs. 1 inverter/set of electronics per panel. The string inverter is probably more accessable as well. To be fair however, opinions vary on the idea of string inverters vs. other methods of getting from DC to a grid interface.

Read "Solar Power Your Home for Dummies" for a solar PV primer. See the net or a book store.

If shading is a big issue that array placement mods can't address sufficiently, a SolarEdge system may be an option. Micros would be my last choice.

If it was me, I'd read the book, and then analyze my energy use and reduce loads as much as lifestyle permits before I did anything and thus reduce the necessary array size, maybe even to the point that shading could be avoided altogether and thus making a string inverter a no brainer, at least in my book.

BTW, Sunpower is good stuff, but overkill in terms of fit for purpose. Kind of like buying a Mercedes as a grocery hauler when a Ford is as fit for purpose. Solar PV is an appliance, not a lifestyle.P All equally sized arrays in the same location and orientation using quality panels, installed by competent vendors will produce about equal annual output for as long as most folks will own them, Sunpower's and anyone else's. the 15-30 % Sunpower premium gets you bragging rights and not much else, in spite of the Sunpower hype about "most efficient" and "lower annual degradation" and other red herring stuff.

[foo1bar]

The costs seem higher but I'm guessing that it is about average here in the SF Bay Area. Does this seem right?

Which part of bay area?
I'm in Santa Clara / Cupertino area so I have suggestions for that area, but if you're in Oakland or something they probably won't want to travel that far.

[ktriv]

foo1bar : any suggestions for installers/system cost for Sunnyvale/Cupertino ? I'm looking at a basic 5/7kw system for our home.

[solardreamer]

I'm also leaning toward using the LG panels but can't figure out whether to go with micro-inverters or hybrid. Any thoughts?

There doesn't seem to be many reports of problems for recent versions of Enphase or SolardEdge optimizers so lots users for both. So, either should work fine. I have Enphase for about 2 years now and have seen no problems so far. One thing that seems better about Enphase is the monitoring web application and service API which can be important if you want to use other monitoring tools/services like pvoutput or your own custom monitoring.

[foo1bar]

foo1bar : any suggestions for installers/system cost for Sunnyvale/Cupertino ? I'm looking at a basic 5/7kw system for our home.

IF your bill is low enough Sunwork out of milpitas. They are a nonprofit and use volunteers for a lot of the labor for an install, so they keep their costs low.

Otherwise I have fairly good experience on a commercial install with Suns Up out of Santa Cruz. (They've taken longer to get the install done than I would have like - half of that is weather and they need to get back here to finish up some stuff, but I think their price was pretty good)

[foo1bar]

I have Enphase for about 2 years now and have seen no problems so far.

2 years isn't very long.
Enphase used to have issues with some of their older products.
In theory those problems are behind them.
I think we'll really have to wait until about 10 years out to know.

One thing that seems better about Enphase is the monitoring web application and service API which can be important if you want to use other monitoring tools/services like pvoutput or your own custom monitoring.

I have solaredge and I had it sending data to pvoutput.
I decided I wanted to have consumption on pvoutput too. So I installed a TED5004 and I'm just using that now.
I think any of the main inverters can send data to pvoutput.

[sensij]

I think any of the main inverters can send data to pvoutput.

SMA can't. The $700 SMA Webbox would, but for that price, it is cheaper to put in a 3rd party system. It has been discontinued.

The big difference between SolarEdge and Enphase with respect to data access is that Enphase data can be directly reviewed on the LAN, while SolarEdge requires WAN to view it through their cloud server. For both, the PVOutput data comes from the cloud.

[tkripala]

I am in the Los Altos/Sunnyvale/Cupertino area and have spoken to 4 installers, Two for Sunpower and two for LG's. On a cost/W, the LG panels with either Enphase micro-inverters or SolarEdge DC Optimizers come in between $3.38 - $3.50/W. I've not had much luck trying to get below that in this area. I'm leaning towards the SolarEdge with the SE7600 inverter. I like that this inverter has support for the Tesla Powerwall in case I decide to add a battery-backup in the future.

[solardreamer]

SMA can't. The $700 SMA Webbox would, but for that price, it is cheaper to put in a 3rd party system. It has been discontinued.

The big difference between SolarEdge and Enphase with respect to data access is that Enphase data can be directly reviewed on the LAN, while SolarEdge requires WAN to view it through their cloud server. For both, the PVOutput data comes from the cloud.

Another difference is that Enphase provides 5-minute interval data while SolarEdge provides only longer (15-minute?) interval data.

[solardreamer]

I decided I wanted to have consumption on pvoutput too. So I installed a TED5004 and I'm just using that now.

As another reference point, I use the Rainforest Eagle to get consumption data on pvoutput and it has worked well with Enphase.

[solardreamer]

I am in the Los Altos/Sunnyvale/Cupertino area and have spoken to 4 installers, Two for Sunpower and two for LG's. On a cost/W, the LG panels with either Enphase micro-inverters or SolarEdge DC Optimizers come in between $3.38 - $3.50/W. I've not had much luck trying to get below that in this area. I'm leaning towards the SolarEdge with the SE7600 inverter. I like that this inverter has support for the Tesla Powerwall in case I decide to add a battery-backup in the future.

I had similar consideration but ultimately decided the option for potential future Tesla Powerwall is lower priority compared to other factors that are more likely to have actual near term impact. My decision to go with micros turned to be right for me because about a month after the installation was done I discovered one of panels was significantly under producing due to seasonal shading change and it was easy to see with panel level monitoring and easy to change the panel location with micros to correct the problem. Also, I have panels facing 2 directions which is another factor for choosing micros. As for Powerwall or any other battery backup (e.g. Enphase AC battery), I see less value in them now because of their high cost and limited capacity/life compared to propane generators for power outages (haven't had significant one in over 10 years) or PG&E NEM for load shifting.

FYI, I used Green Power Installers (https://www.solarreviews.com/install...llers-reviews/) and I believe they serve your area.

[sensij]

Another difference is that Enphase provides 5-minute interval data while SolarEdge provides only longer (15-minute?) interval data.

Solaredge also provides 5 minute data.

[solardreamer]

Solaredge also provides 5 minute data.

That's correct. Just rechecked https://pvoutput.org/help.html#autoupload-solaredge to confirm the difference is in the pvoutput auto upload interval (5 minutes for Enphase and 15 minutes for SolarEdge).

[sensij]

That's correct. Just rechecked https://pvoutput.org/help.html#autoupload-solaredge to confirm the difference is in the pvoutput auto upload interval (5 minutes for Enphase and 15 minutes for SolarEdge).

PVOutput accepts 5 min auto-upload data from SolarEdge for donators (<$10 annually). See the system in my signature.