A reasonable Solar Retail Plan in Texas?

[t5800512]

BioTech,

My bad, I was actually thinking of the smartmetertexas web site, not Ercot. I had set up a login on smartmetertexas, but it broke when I activated my system. I checked it every day for about a week, and there were no readings. I just looked at it again, and it seems to be recording again. Interesting that it shows 0 (zero) for readings what should/will show power to the grid. Keep in mind that my meter has not been replaced or reprogrammed yet. I need to look at it more closely now that it is working again.

I found the zigbee website one time when I was looking for monitors for my smart meter. To be honest, the website is confusing because they have so many products. I just looked at it again, and I still don't know what product monitors the smart meter. Will you explain what it is and now it works. I'm sure already that I will have to get one. I think the comparisons are very interesting.

Hey, I really appreciate you sharing so much with me. There are some really great guys on this forum. I really find it useful that you have a similar system as mine (only three time my size), and that we are both on Oncor.

[Sunking]

So you purchased a 10.2kw system with micro inverters for the list price of $3.04/watt and parlayed that down to $1.24/watt after rebates and tax incentives.

I do not believe a word of that especially in TX.

[BioTech]

As for ziggbee i bought the rainforest eagle http://www.rainforestautomation.com/eagle. You can see you meter readying at any give time by hitting its web site or use wattvision. Then have that push my reading to wattvision http://www.wattvision.com. Then on top of that i link enphase enlighten and wattvision to pvoutput.org to see a good picture of all the energy in-flow and out-flow. I have an issue still with my ziggbee device as it does not show the out-flow. They are working on getting a firmware from Oncor for my meter to correct that issue.

One thing if your on Oncor make sure you get the rebate registered before you buy your system.

BioTech

[BioTech]

I do not believe a word of that especially in TX.

Believe what you want I have the receipts to prove it all.

BioTech

[SunEagle]

I do not believe a word of that especially in TX.

The price seemed pretty low to me which is why I brought it up. But hey who knows maybe the Contractor wasn't looking to make any money off of the system.

Like I said if I could get the same price here in Florida I would sign up now.

[BioTech]

The price seemed pretty low to me which is why I brought it up. But hey who knows maybe the Contractor wasn't looking to make any money off of the system.

Like I said if I could get the same price here in Florida I would sign up now.

I guess the biggest driver was the Oncor rebate (http://www.takealoadofftexas.com/ind...solar-pv-homes) mixed with the federal credits. When we first started we only wanted to do a 6.5 KW system but pushed it up when we found the Oncor rebate.

BioTech

[megalo]

I wish I had room for 10 kW here in Missouri - they pay $2/watt up to 10 kW, and $5 (used to be $50 ) for 10 years' worth of SRECs up front.

[BioTech]

I just did the numbers again and it came out to 1.28 per watt. I was a little off on the total after federal. Total after all credits and rebates was $13,159.20. and reducing our 200$ electric bill we break even in 6 years or we prepaid for the first 6 years. Either way you want to look at it. I like to say we prepaid for 6 years of electricity at todays rates and then get it for free after.

[t5800512]

Ok, I'm learning a lot here... But I originally started this thread to find out about Texas REP's and there surplus energy buy back rate plans. Has anyone found a plan that will meet or beat what Green Mountain has? It is 11.2 cents per kWh at 500 and they buy back at full rate up to 500 kWh, and then half price after that.

TXU will pay 7.5 cents per kWh, but you have to find your own retail plan, and I can't find one that is reasonable. TXU is one of the highest energy retailers (in my opinion).

Reliant has a buy back plan, but their rates were so high that I did not even consider it, and now I can't remember what it was.

Are there any other Texas/Oncor REP's that offer SPPA's that I have missed? I keep hoping that someone will jump in with one that I have not heard of that is not intent of taking advantage of us.

[SunEagle]

I guess the biggest driver was the Oncor rebate (http://www.takealoadofftexas.com/ind...solar-pv-homes) mixed with the federal credits. When we first started we only wanted to do a 6.5 KW system but pushed it up when we found the Oncor rebate.

BioTech

No question the Oncor rebate made a good thing better. But the starting price for a 10kw system is usually in the $45k to $50k range not $31k. I don't know what equipment you got but you got it for a very low price.

[BioTech]

No question the Oncor rebate made a good thing better. But the starting price for a 10kw system is usually in the $45k to $50k range not $31k. I don't know what equipment you got but you got it for a very low price.

I will admit the panels are cheap Chinese Eoplly, but I figured i can replace them very easy if they fail. Then I have 215w enphase with enlighten. Also in two arrays, one at 30 degrees and other flat. They did use a different type of racking (cheaper and faster to install) which I liked better due to each panel is laid and locked to each other. Also my second array is above my porch and is used as shade and the roof.





BioTech

[SunEagle]

I will admit the panels are cheap Chinese Eoplly, but I figured i can replace them very easy if they fail. Then I have 215w enphase with enlighten. Also in two arrays, one at 30 degrees and other flat. They did use a different type of racking (cheaper and faster to install) which I liked better due to each panel is laid and locked to each other. Also my second array is above my porch and is used as shade and the roof.

BioTech

Sounds like a nice installation. I would like to see some pictures if possible.

[BioTech]

IMG_1066 (1).jpg

This is only one i have with me. I need to get a better view due to the second array in the way.


Before we had the second array on the porch installed:

IMG_0950.jpg

BioTech

[t5800512]

Yep, I screwed up by not getting the Oncor rebate. I had read somewhere that the rebate money was gone in the first two weeks of the offer. So I did not even give it a second thought. That rebate money (I read about) must not have been Oncor's.

My system will come in between $1.4 and $1.5 per kWh after the Federal Tax credit. I could have done better, but I chose an expensive panel rated at 17.1 percent efficiency, micro inverters and the UniRac mounting system, which I decided was the best. I did all the research, planning, bid requests, and installation my self. Believe me, I earned every penny I saved. All things considered, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. My LG 280 watt panels seem to be a good match for the Enphase M215 microinverters. How if I just could figure out where to put the second half of my system.

BioTech, I need to know more about how you put up your panels as a roof over your porch. I have been thinking about doing something similar over my drive way. Something like a carport.

[t5800512]

BioTech, very impressive system pictures. So far I have two rows with space between them so I can walk completely around them. Good thing too, because I have to clean bird poop off at least once a week. I had the space for the walk way anyway because I could not fit more panels on that south facing roof no matter how I arranged them.
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