Calculating total kWh used with SCE

[quicksilver8907]

So I already have solar installed but trying to figure out what my electricity would be without solar. We have Southern California Edison. Is it as simple as adding total of net generation and consumption or is my house pulling power directly from the panels that the power company never sees? Thanks for the help.

[ButchDeal]

So I already have solar installed but trying to figure out what my electricity would be without solar. We have Southern California Edison. Is it as simple as adding total of net generation and consumption or is my house pulling power directly from the panels that the power company never sees? Thanks for the help.

if you have net metering then yes you are doing some self consumption that the utility does not see in any way.
you would have to look at your inverter or other production meter to see total generated.
monthly generated minus utility bill generated plus utility bill consumed is total consumption.

[J.P.M.]

So I already have solar installed but trying to figure out what my electricity would be without solar. We have Southern California Edison. Is it as simple as adding total of net generation and consumption or is my house pulling power directly from the panels that the power company never sees? Thanks for the help.

Are you referring to what total consumption is in kWh per period, or mow much you would pay for electricity per billing period without solar and net metering ?

[quicksilver8907]

Either one just trying to estimate what my cost would have been had I not had the solar...

[J.P.M.]

Either one just trying to estimate what my cost would have been had I not had the solar...

You will need your total consumption - not net after solar contribution, and knowledge (some algotithm) of how SCE calculates a bill for the tariff you're on. Then use the two, total consumption and calc algorithm to calculate what your bill would have been if you were not a NEM cust.

Calc'ing a bill from a tariff structure is the PITA part, particularly if you're on T.O.U. My POCO has usage in 15 min. increments. I believe SCE may have something similar.

There are probably other ways to accomplish what you want. That method works for me.

[quicksilver8907]

So I need to know the total generation that my panels produce from the solar company specifically?

[J.P.M.]

So I need to know the total generation that my panels produce from the solar company specifically?

If I understand your question correctly, yes. You will need to know how much your solar array(s) generated for any particular period of time.

If you are on a tiered rate tariff, the totals of each for a billing period will be needed - the total system generation and your total (not net) electricity use.

If on a T.O.U. tariff, both generation and use as f(time) will be required.

[quicksilver8907]

Thanks JPM

[J.P.M.]

Thanks JPM

FWIW, you're welcome.

[Ward L]

I made a spreadsheet to track my SCE bills, power use, power export and solar panel kW generation. From there I calculate what my power bill would have cost if I did not have panels given my tiered pricing. That all seems to work pretty well. What doesn't work and annoys me is I don't understand my tracked charges. They show all the calculations on my bill, but I don't understand where they get the kW costs and how that is converted to a charge or refund at the end of my relevant period of 12 months. I suppose I could figure it out but I didn't want to put in the time necessary to figure it all out. I did oversize my system and get a little money back each year. I know that is not the most economic plan to sizing solar installs. I do calculate a 16% return on my investment which seems too high, but it sounds good so I don't worry about it....

[J.P.M.]

I made a spreadsheet to track my SCE bills, power use, power export and solar panel kW generation. From there I calculate what my power bill would have cost if I did not have panels given my tiered pricing. That all seems to work pretty well. What doesn't work and annoys me is I don't understand my tracked charges. They show all the calculations on my bill, but I don't understand where they get the kW costs and how that is converted to a charge or refund at the end of my relevant period of 12 months. I suppose I could figure it out but I didn't want to put in the time necessary to figure it all out. I did oversize my system and get a little money back each year. I know that is not the most economic plan to sizing solar installs. I do calculate a 16% return on my investment which seems too high, but it sounds good so I don't worry about it....

See the SCE rate tariffs as approved by the CPUC. Like I wrote, to do it right is a real PITA. I did it for SDG & E and that appears similar to SCE and PG & E.

[silversaver]

I'm sure you have your production monitoring from your installer. Net Metering is just like a simple calculation: you either get credit/debit from your account. SCE website has pretty good information for you already unless you want the micro details. I don't think a consumption monitoring is necessary since we are all base on SCE's data. The information you need is just a simple calculation.

If you must have the detail information, then get a revenue graded production/consumption monitoring.

For SCE, just simply switch to accessible view:

accessible view.jpg