What is the best solar panel?

[bcroe]

What state do you live? Just curious. Illinois here. I get RECs for every MWH of power I generate even if that power never goes back into the grid, and dollar for dollar with net metering.

Every time I ask about RECs in IL, it goes nowhere. That was never the original idea,
I wanted to be free of the monthly connect fees that keep rising, and fossil fuels that
rise a lot more.

Not a bad deal here in IL for my operation, The PoCo and I traded KWh back and
forth, no money involved to get my summer generation saved for winter heat. If
I have a surplus at the end of the solar year (was 30 March), the PoCo keeps any
surplus for free, which is what it cost me to generate it. Bruce Roe

[organic farmer]

What state do you live? Just curious. Illinois here. I get RECs for every MWH of power I generate even if that power never goes back into the grid, and dollar for dollar with net metering.

I live in Maine.

[Mike 134]

Photovoltaic panel manufacturers change all the time, the models they make change, the sum efficiency changes all the time. Any panel you are told, today, is the best, will be obsolete tomorrow.

I live in a state where nobody 'pays' you anything for using solar power. If I were to feed electricity onto the grid, the power company is not under any obligation to pay me anything. There is no method for me to make any money from my solar system.

Solar power can give you independence, but as a source of electricity it is safely among the most expensive sources of electricity.

Do not think of solar power as saving you any money.

What state do you live? Just curious. Illinois here. I get RECs for every MWH of power I generate even if that power never goes back into the grid, and dollar for dollar with net metering.

[organic farmer]

For a person who live in California, and use Edison, and need about 8kW,
what is the best solar panel and how much we can save money by using the panel?
How much do we have to pay for the panel after rebates and incentives?
We might purchase one small house. If we can save $$$ money, we want to install the panel before California change law which pay less money to people.

Thank you.

Photovoltaic panel manufacturers change all the time, the models they make change, the sum efficiency changes all the time. Any panel you are told, today, is the best, will be obsolete tomorrow.

I live in a state where nobody 'pays' you anything for using solar power. If I were to feed electricity onto the grid, the power company is not under any obligation to pay me anything. There is no method for me to make any money from my solar system.

Solar power can give you independence, but as a source of electricity it is safely among the most expensive sources of electricity.

Do not think of solar power as saving you any money.

[sabersix]

I'm glad you are asking about purchasing a solar system. As you have experienced, a lease (or PPA) is not the best return on investment.

I have a 5.7kW system I purchased in 2015 for $21k ($14K after tax credits). I calculated that in six years the savings would pay for the system and save $60k over 20 years. This is under NEM 1.0, so is a bit longer now under NEM 2.0. As you said, you are aware that CA is looking for a NEM 3.0 that will be even less friendly.

My recommendation is to purchase your system. Panels are commodities at this point, so no real advantage of one brand over the other. Biggest decision comes down to microinverters or string inverter which should be decided by the amount of shading/orientation of your roof. Look for about $2.50 per kW before tax credits.

[ADADJlSEJ]

For a person who live in California, and use Edison, and need about 8kW,
what is the best solar panel and how much we can save money by using the panel?
How much do we have to pay for the panel after rebates and incentives?
We might purchase one small house. If we can save $$$ money, we want to install the panel before California change law which pay less money to people.

Thank you.