Solar Panel Quote - Texas.

[iandowny]

Why solar edge and Enphase?

The Original proposal changed from being SolarEdge to EnPhase. No SolarEdge anymore. Due to group procurement the installer is doing, I guess.

[Naptown]

Why solar edge and Enphase?

[iandowny]

Ok, back after fixing on the solar provider. Here is the final proposal.

The size is around 30 percent of my total usage (I have a Nissan Leaf now), so, no over production.

System Size (kW DC) 2.94kW
System Sell Price 11,671.80
Estimated CoServ 2014 Solar Rebate 5,000.00
30% Federal Investment Tax Credit 3,501.54
TOTAL System Investment: (After estimated ITC and Utility Rebate) 3,170.26
Total Due Axium Solar 11,671.80

Of course, this whole proposal is contingent upon CoServ giving 5K rebate. Assuming there are no surprises, this is coming to about: $1.07/watt DC.


SCOPE OF WORK: 2.94 kW Solar PV System:
1. Grid – tied photovoltaic system
2. Twelve (12) Talesun TP-660M 245 watt polycrystalline solar modules
3. Twelve (12) Enphase M215 micro-inverters
4. Snap n Rack solar mount racking system
a. Flashed L-feet, for water tight installation
b. Mid clamps, end clamps, splice kit, rail covers, rail ends
5. Installation of electrical wiring and conduit according to the National Electric Code
6. Engineering, permits, installation, and inspections
7. Operation and Maintenance manual
8. Soladeck flashed junction box for roof penetration
9. Five-year warranty on Axium Solar's installation labor
10. Twelve-year manufacturer's warranty on SolarEdge inverter
11. Twenty five-year warranty on Enphase micro-inverters
12. Twenty five-year production warranty on the solar modules, up to 20% degradation
13. Use taxes INCLUDED


Too much?

[Ian S]

So, what you mean is to go here:

http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/calculators/pvwatts/version1/US/Texas/Fort_Worth.html

and then, put a DC rating of 4.0 (for Eg and put the 'DC-to-AC Derate Factor' as somewhere like 0.8 and then see if the maximum 'AC' energy generated PER month is closest to my monthly usage? And then adjust the DC rating accordingly?

Because PVWatts gives you production each month, start with a low DC power so that for every month, your usage is higher than estimated production - and gradually increase DC power until you get to the first point where one of the months of the year, the production matches the usage. My point I guess is your minimum usage wouldn't necessarily correlate with the appropriate point on your production curve. I would also say that you might consider increasing the power even to the point of a little overproduction in one month if that meant you could utilize that extra power/production for the other 11 months.Hope that makes sense.

[iandowny]

Wouldn't it be better to compare your monthly production (using PVWatts calculator) with your monthly usage and adjust nameplate power in the calculator to get to the point where there is only one month in the year that production rises to a level that fully offsets usage. You would probably want to use a higher derate factor than the default for the PVWatts calculator.

So, what you mean is to go here:

http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/calculators/pvwatts/version1/US/Texas/Fort_Worth.html

and then, put a DC rating of 4.0 (for Eg and put the 'DC-to-AC Derate Factor' as somewhere like 0.8 and then see if the maximum 'AC' energy generated PER month is closest to my monthly usage? And then adjust the DC rating accordingly?

[Ian S]

Looks like you just answered my questions in the previous post.

Size it to generate less than 70 percent of your least month's usage.

Wouldn't it be better to compare your monthly production (using PVWatts calculator) with your monthly usage and adjust nameplate power in the calculator to get to the point where there is only one month in the year that production rises to a level that fully offsets usage. You would probably want to use a higher derate factor than the default for the PVWatts calculator.

[iandowny]

Looks like you just answered my questions in the previous post.

Size it to generate less than 70 percent of your least month's usage.

[iandowny]

In other words you give the excess power away to the electric company which is all profit for them and you will get a bill no matter what each and every month. they make money from your money and equipment and does not cost them a dime investment. It is all on you.

That was what I could understand from the document. Although, that is not the impression the installers gave me when discussing about it. But, so far as net metering goes, does it mean that I get to use up all the electricity I generate over a billing period?

If so, I should come out ahead if I size my equipment where I will consistently generate less than what I consume in any one billing period. Right?

[Sunking]

That's what it sounds like to me. I don't think we've ever had the occasion to deal with CoServ, but most of our customers are buying about 50-75% of their lowest month's usage anyway, so overproduction isn't an issue.

That is what I have been trying to tell him and others around TX. They do not want to hear it. Letem learn the hard way with their lost cash. No better teacher than loosing money.

[AirWindSolar]

In other words you give the excess power away to the electric company which is all profit for them and you will get a bill no matter what each and every month. they make money from you rmoney and equipment and does not cost them a dime investment. It is all on you.

That's what it sounds like to me. I don't think we've ever had the occasion to deal with CoServ, but most of our customers are buying about 50-75% of their lowest month's usage anyway, so overproduction isn't an issue.

[Sunking]

http://www.coserv.com/Portals/0/PDFs...ion_Manual.pdf

"2) For QF ≤ 50 kW where the Member desires to export power:
a) For power produced in excess of on-site requirements, the Member will be compensated by netting the Member’s kWh generation against the Member’s kWh consumption, referred to as “net metering.” The Cooperative shall bill the Member for the excess energy supplied by the Cooperative over and above the energy supplied by the Member during each billing period according to the Cooperative’s applicable retail rate schedule.
b) When the energy supplied by the Member exceeds the energy supplied by the Cooperative during a billing period, the monthly charge and/or minimum bill of the retail rate schedule shall be billed by the Cooperative in addition to the monthly metering charge, and the excess energy shall be provided at no charge to the Cooperative.
c) The Member shall sign an interconnection agreement in form and substance acceptable to the Cooperative.
d) In addition to all other charges, the Cooperative may bill the Member for any additional facilities charges as determined by the Cooperative and appended to the interconnection agreement.
e) The Cooperative may, at its sole discretion, purchase power from an NQF as described in this section."

In other words you give the excess power away to the electric company which is all profit for them and you will get a bill no matter what each and every month. they make money from you rmoney and equipment and does not cost them a dime investment. It is all on you.

[AirWindSolar]

This thread that I started before leads me to believe that I have net metering

http://www.coserv.com/Portals/0/PDFs/Distributed_Generation_Manual.pdf

"2) For QF ≤ 50 kW where the Member desires to export power:
a) For power produced in excess of on-site requirements, the Member will be compensated by netting the Member’s kWh generation against the Member’s kWh consumption, referred to as “net metering.” The Cooperative shall bill the Member for the excess energy supplied by the Cooperative over and above the energy supplied by the Member during each billing period according to the Cooperative’s applicable retail rate schedule.
b) When the energy supplied by the Member exceeds the energy supplied by the Cooperative during a billing period, the monthly charge and/or minimum bill of the retail rate schedule shall be billed by the Cooperative in addition to the monthly metering charge, and the excess energy shall be provided at no charge to the Cooperative.
c) The Member shall sign an interconnection agreement in form and substance acceptable to the Cooperative.
d) In addition to all other charges, the Cooperative may bill the Member for any additional facilities charges as determined by the Cooperative and appended to the interconnection agreement.
e) The Cooperative may, at its sole discretion, purchase power from an NQF as described in this section."

[iandowny]

You pay less than 10 cents per Kwh, no Net Metering, and no local incentives. Invest the money for 10 years and retire off it.

This thread that I started before leads me to believe that I have net metering

http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showthread.php?10606-SolarLease-quotes-Please-advise&p=74317&viewfull=1#post74317

And I will not jump in if POCO is not discounting the system by 5K like they said they did this year.

[inetdog]

Yes, the provider B has the power optimizer in the mix. I didn't understand your question mark. If you are suggesting that regular inverter won't cut it for that size, I wouldn't know at all. The inverter suggested for the 31 panels is SolarEdge SE6000A-US (not sure if that would be enough with the power optimizer.

If you put 31 panels in series, you will have too high a voltage for most inverters. (i.e. 31 x 30v =930v, while the maximum input voltage for the inverter is 500v.)
And you cannot divide 31 up into smaller equal-length strings.

[iandowny]

255 watt panels x 31 panels = ?
The only way to do 31 panels is with the optimizers or a power1 inverter.

Yes, the provider B has the power optimizer in the mix. I didn't understand your question mark. If you are suggesting that regular inverter won't cut it for that size, I wouldn't know at all. The inverter suggested for the 31 panels is SolarEdge SE6000A-US (not sure if that would be enough with the power optimizer.