TOU for SCE in Southern California analysis

[insaneoctane]

I'm not so sure I've been clear making my points. First, I have NO intention of keeping credits or making money. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure that's not even an option. Although I've build up a $200 credit with SCE, I'm not a net producer of energy and, therefore, would not be eligible for a cash payout. Even if I were eligible, it would be pennies on the dollars and that was never my intention with solar. But, now that I've gone to TOU-A, I'm finding I can build a credit even though I'm still a net consumer of energy because of *when* I make vs use energy. Anyway, I'm just trying to time using my credit properly, because if I don't use it up by the end of my yearly true up period it will just "go away" and that might be missed opportunities for me have used more A/C, leave my computer on and let it backup more often or at more convenient times, more dishwasher, dryer, washer etc. I'm just figuring this out. I think for my household and my weather, that a $200 credit is decent enough to relax a little. Nuff said.

[Alisobob]

I did not get solar to build credits. I got solar to use my A/C even more than normal, but not go broke doing it.


I still have about $180 in credits... I plan to use them all...

If I consume them.. so what?:

My annual SCE bill was right around $3400

If its $400 annually now , but I'm uber comfortable.... oh well.

[silversaver]

Have you done this before? Will you be able to use $600+ credit?

My first year with TOU-D-A. I have use less AC in June. Start July to September, I'll be using more and more ACs.(2nd graph is before 2nd EV kick in. 1st EV kick in 7/14 and 2nd EV kick in 3/15) Charging 2 EVs with one level 2 charger is difficult (time wise), so I might have to start the charger on off peak hours to get more sleep hours..... Aug 2014, I still pull 600+kWh from SCE after 1200+kWh produced from solar. We did have a cooler 2015 Summer and hope it doesn't go too hot. Yes, I think I will use up the credit by end of ture up period.

[insaneoctane]

So far so good. ready for Summer heat

Have you done this before? Will you be able to use $600+ credit?

[bcroe]

Conservation is good, I've done plenty. I know how many KWH a day each
major appliance uses. But like a video game, you can never actually "win".
Instead it evolves to diminishing returns.

Having invested in solar PV, its nice to know I can turn on anything I want,
and it won't show up on the electric bill. Having an older freezer here no
longer annoys me. No TOUs to deal with here, but haven't bought a KWH
in a year and a half. Propane refills are a once a year thing, at the lowest
summer prices.

Actually I have never even run the new heat pump to cool the house; guess
I should make sure that mode really does work. Opening some windows
during cool nights, the inside temperature has stayed in the 70s. Meanwhile
I'm running my neighbors air conditioners, helping the PoCo deal with the
peak, and getting credit for it. Till recently the PoCo used to double the KWH
rates June-July-August, for the AC they said. Never mind that my summer
usage didn't increase, but even that doesn't matter any more. Bruce Roe

[insaneoctane]

June update on my TOU-D-A plan. My bill ending 7/17 was -$110.93. It would have been ~-$36.68 on standard tiered (RATE-D), so TOU-D-A continues to rock for my household. I have increased my credit to a level to where I'm not sure if I should start using A/C more, quit worrying about running appliances like dishwasher and washing machine/dryer during peak hours.... I have a credit with SCE for $198.22 for my relevant period. This credit is giving me the opportunity to use A/C more than we ever have, I'm just not sure if I can start now, or wait for the hottest months coming (Aug/Sept). I've feeling using A/C more now is probably appropriate. I'm in new territory because TOU skews usage and because we are typically not A/C users much at all; but I'm now TOTALLY comfortable using A/C from 10pm to 8am (overnight) at $0.11/kWh. It's been interesting because I ran the A/C all night just recently and it doubled my kWh usage for the day (from 21kWh to 41kWh), but it was during Super off-peak and that is fine with me! The saga continues, thanks for listening!

[silversaver]

So far so good. ready for Summer heat

[insaneoctane]

May update on my new TOU-D-A plan. My bill ending 6/17 was -$91.03. It would have been ~-$42.65 on standard tiered (RATE-D), so TOU-D-A continues to prove to be a better plan for my household. I have finally created some margin in my account balance! I have a credit with SCE for $87.29 for my relevant period. I'm hoping to use A/C more than we usually have in the past to prevent a big give back of "credit" at the end of my relevant period. I will certainly not think twice about turning on the A/C past 10pm at $0.11/kWh. I think I'll have continued heavy credit at least through September, so I'm sort of guessing on how to time trying to use my surplus. Also, my usage is historically down. I attribute that to my solar and energy monitoring (Goodhart's Law) and I have done even further LED replacements and other small tweaks as LED lighting prices has continued to fall. The irony is that my conservation and low usage is pushing my ROI out

SCE tracked details:
sce2015.05.JPG

My kWh usage trend over last 7 years:
sce_usage_2015.05.JPG

[silversaver]

Not as good solar weather. Turn up your thermostat. According to some weather slug in S.D., NOAA long range says El Nino's supposed to be good through at least summer --->>> not as much sun in SO CA.

My ACs have only been on just a few time since Winter.... But I know I need lots credit toward 2nd half of year with TOU-D-A.


may 2015.jpg

[Alisobob]

Thanks for the numbers sensij...

[sensij]

[ATTACH]7091[/ATTACH]

FWIW, if I take those hourly numbers and create a full month of June from them, you would get the following charge for the month:

TOU-D-A: $56
TOU-D-B: $100
TOU-D-T: $6
Rate D: $47

I wouldn't suggest choosing a plan on the basis of cherry-picked data though... it would be better to take a full year's usage (or expected usage), drop it into the spreadsheet, and see how it all works out.

[Alisobob]

tou 4.JPG

This is exactly why I am going with TOU-D-T.

It aligns with my summer usage better.

I expect allot more days like this....

[rwb1921]

Not as good solar weather. Turn up your thermostat. According to some weather slug in S.D., NOAA long range says El Nino's supposed to be good through at least summer --->>> not as much sun in SO CA.

This is exactly what I expected. I go solar and year long winter will happen........no luck at all. If drought ends, I need to get some credit for it.

[J.P.M.]

We can hope... I'd rather have the water than the sun right now.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2015/jun/11/El-Nino/

I want both and I want them now !!!!!!!!!!!

[sensij]

Not as good solar weather. Turn up your thermostat. According to some weather slug in S.D., NOAA long range says El Nino's supposed to be good through at least summer --->>> not as much sun in SO CA.

We can hope... I'd rather have the water than the sun right now.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2015/jun/11/El-Nino/