A reasonable Solar Retail Plan in Texas?

[BioTech]

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.

We had a pergola and bolted the panels down directly to metal strips that was installed (on one of the pictures you can see it a little bit). Then the guy who made the racking bolts made a long strip to make the panels water tight (look at the first picture very bottom they are power coded black to match the panels). I still have to put some silicon on them but its water resistant not proof yet.


BioTech

[BioTech]

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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Yes thats my downfall for getting as much as i could on the roof. No space to get between. They do get dirty but i hope for rain at that point. I can walk on them but don't do it to much only when i have too.

BTW i sent you a link to my system to see the output.


BioTech

[t5800512]

Nice job! I can't see the pergola well though. What material is it made of? Wood?

I was thinking of getting a cheap carport installed, but I want to be able to walk on it so I can get around the panels for cleaning. We have a lot of birds, and trees. And it does not help that we feed the birds either.

[t5800512]

Hey BioTech, I did not get you link, but I think I have found and fixed the problem. Member emails was turned off in my profile. That must be the default, because I would not have set it that way.

[mudflap5]

Hello 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.

I'm in Grand Prairie also, and looking for a Rep. Checked with GM and Reliant, and not to impressed wit what they have to offer. Who did you end going with?

Thanks
Paul

[BioTech]

Green Mountain now gives you the credit the same month now instead of waiting a month.

BioTech

[t5800512]

Hi Paul, nice to meet you.

I'm currently with Green Mountain. But I don't like them because they slammed me. Long story, but I'm not actually on their solar plan, yet. I keep hoping to find something better. I have tried TXU, Reliant, and GM so far. Out of those three, I think Green Mountain looks the best. But over all, I'm still pretty disappointed.

I'm still waiting for my first billing cycle to finish. You first apply for an Interconnect Agreement with Oncor. Once that is signed by both, they will swap or reprogram your meter. Next they change your user profile with ERCOT, and then you have to wait a full billing cycle before your energy you put on the grid will show up. That is where I'm at at this time. My meter has been swapped out, and I can now go look at it and see what I have sent to the grid. But I can't see it anywhere electronically yet. For example, at smartmetertexas.com. Have you setup an account with them yet? Nice site because you can graph your electrical usages.

For the time being, I'm happy just offsetting some of my A/C costs. As you know, that can be substantial here in Texas.

So where are you on your Solar Project? Are you a DIY guy, or are you having it installed?

Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

[mudflap5]

For example, at smartmetertexas.com.
Have you setup an account with them yet? Nice site because you can graph your electrical usages.

"Yes."



So where are you on your Solar Project?

"Planning stages right now. I will probably havs someone install it, mainly because I do not want to deal with all the paperwork (Oncor, permits ect..). Once the system is installed, I may add to it later."

Are you a DIY guy, or are you having it installed?


"Yes"

Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

"Knowing what you do now, if you had to do it all over from scratch, would you do it again?"

[t5800512]

Yes, I would definitely do it again. And I would not change anything. I'm very happy with how mine came out. It will probably get old someday, but for now, I'm still checking my production daily and looking at how it is offsetting my A/C bill. For some reason, my A/C is running more this year. It is nice knowing that I'm producing most of the electricity to cool my house.

Don't be afraid of the paper work. It is really not that bad. I can talk you through it if you decide to go that way. Also, I have found a really nice lady at Oncor that has been very helpful. And you can save a lot if you do it yourself. But then again, BioTech had his installed and brought it in under what I paidfor mine. Mine was 1.4 to 1.5 dollars per DC watt. BioTech's was 1.24 after rebates and tax credits. Mine would have been less, but I missed the Oncor rebate (thinking it was all gone). If you have yours installed, you should see if you can find out who BioTech used for his installation.

[mudflap5]

Green Mountain now gives you the credit the same month now instead of waiting a month.

BioTech

Ya, but they are about 1.5/kw cents higher than I'm paying now (without a solar plan). That's the price you pay for going solar! I will probably switch to GM when the current contract is up.


Are you in the DFW area?

[mudflap5]

Yes, I would definitely do it again. And I would not change anything. I'm very happy with how mine came out. It will probably get old someday, but for now, I'm still checking my production daily and looking at how it is offsetting my A/C bill. For some reason, my A/C is running more this year. It is nice knowing that I'm producing most of the electricity to cool my house.

Don't be afraid of the paper work. It is really not that bad. I can talk you through it if you decide to go that way. Also, I have found a really nice lady at Oncor that has been very helpful. And you can save a lot if you do it yourself. But then again, BioTech had his installed and brought it in under what I paidfor mine. Mine was 1.4 to 1.5 dollars per DC watt. BioTech's was 1.24 after rebates and tax credits. Mine would have been less, but I missed the Oncor rebate (thinking it was all gone).

If you have yours installed, you should see if you can find out who BioTech used for his installation.

Sounds like a good idea.