New Home - Buy or PPA - Sunstreet - Lennar

[CruzinRob]

I am new to solar and purchasing a new home. It is a Lennar and the solar system is with Sunstreet (part of Lennar). I am going to be purchasing "Solar Power Your Home for Dummies" but have not yet. I have the option of purchasing the system with a 20 year warranty or doing the PPA with a 20% discount on the power it generates.

The system is a 3.965 kw system and the house is about a 3789 sqft house. They say the system is designed to provide 50% - 70% of the energy needed for those house, but, I have no idea what is needed. I would want to add on to the system if I do purchase it to provide 100% power needed.

The current plan is to stay in the house 20 years or more. Reading other posts here I know this system is overpriced, but, there is not other option and we are moving forward with this house. Not knowing much about solar yet does this system sound like it would provide 50% - 70% of the power and is adding another system to get to 100% something that can be done?

Also, should we purchase the system for $15,820 (3.965 kw system, $3.99 per watt) or do the PPA. We can always purchase it in the future for a 3% per year reduction.

Thank you for your thoughts and feedback!!

[azdave]

I would buy nothing if those are the only choices. You really haven't told us enough about your situation for anyone here to make a recommendation. Let's start by at least telling us where you live. I can guess USA and maybe somewhere in California.

Adding onto a solar array later is almost always a bad choice and certainly more expensive than buying a properly sized system the first time. I would never, ever, lease a system. Plenty of my friends who built homes to live in for 20 years or so have moved in less than 7. Please don't lease a system. You'll thank me when you move in a few years.

[CruzinRob]

I would buy nothing if those are the only choices. You really haven't told us enough about your situation for anyone here to make a recommendation. Let's start by at least telling us where you live. I can guess USA and maybe somewhere in California.

Adding onto a solar array later is almost always a bad choice and certainly more expensive than buying a properly sized system the first time. I would never, ever, lease a system. Plenty of my friends who built homes to live in for 20 years or so have moved in less than 7. Please don't lease a system. You'll thank me when you move in a few years.

Sorry, I am in Northern California!

[JSchnee21]

Welcome! Many people never expect to move when they buy a new home, but unfortunately, for many, life tends to intervene. Certainly never get a PPA/Lease.

But that purchase option is no good either:

1) Too expensive $4/W. Should be ~$2.75 to $3.25 / W (DC STC).
2) Too small. A 4kW PV on a 3800 sq ft home is all but useless. UNLESS you have all gas appliances, don't use the air conditioner, don't have a pool pump, and will never get an EV.

Many new developments (in California) are starting to do this. Yet another "up sell" tactic to pad the developer's margins. Given the legislation requiring solar now in CA, you may not have a choice other than walking away -- or suing.

I'm not a litigious person, but I hate being told that I have to do or not do something that someone else thinks is good for me. But, I fear you may be left with 3 choices:

1) suck it up
2) walk away
3) or sue for a waiver to install your own PV system within 365 days of title transfer, etc.

Alternatively, you could threaten to walk away (which probably carries no weight given the demand for housing in the USA) and try to negotiate a bigger, cheaper system. Or make them eat the cost somewhere else.

Good luck!

-Jonathan

[Yet another Yeti]

3'800 sqft gives me around 350 sqm , and at the sunstreet com webpage
they picture complicated roofs on small propery .

South facing solar of 4 kW is good enough at sunny locations ,
adding to the North side later would make sense if slope less than 25 degrees .

East-West is another story .

Overall , it appears , that 12*300+ W panels will be deployed on a 600V
string inverter .

Adding solar later will need another or more powerfull inverter , and scaffolding .

Norms might change and the main electricity panel not be able to house
more special meters , if newer norms demand those .

[J.P.M.]

Maybe what you don'tr want to hear, but I can't add much to what Asdave wrote except to say you are getting lied to and screwed big timein this deal in what looks like many ways.

If it was me I'd neither add that PV option to the house purchase or worse yet, do a PPA or a lease - that'll just add insult to injury.

Answers to your questions in the order asked:
1.) Not easily/hard to say - read the Dummies book.
2.) If it was me, neither. But since you've stated the intention to move forward without any options, it matters nothing what others think.

Good luck.