Solar power - WTF?

[garyfromterrace]

Isn't Terrace the place where refugees who are allergic to the sun go to live?

Hahaha. That's Rupert you bastard! And last I heard the allergic to the sun family was pale but happy

[garyfromterrace]

What happens to y'all when your roof starts leaking?

A loud źzzzzźzttttt noise?

[boarddad]

What can I say? The maggots deliver again. Thanks all - a whole bunch of good info to weed through here. Looks like it is far from a "no brainer" for my case but if the price came down a little more that could change. I'd be putting them on a back detached garage so no need for anything particularly attractive. If the solar roofs take off I could see the other options getting a lot cheaper to be competitive. That puts time on my side so I can explore and find a good contractor in the mean time.

[detrusor]

We put them on up here in PC and have had the $8 hookup cost since. We got nearly half back between the state and federal tax incentives. 5 year payback, 10 year warranty. Put enough up for an electric car in the future.

Some houses in our neighborhood are next to a year round stream...anyone know the legalities about f putting a small hydro generator to n the water? That would be Ass Kicking I reckon.

[bodywhomper]

A loud źzzzzźzttttt noise?

:P

That's not what I meant, though. If you install them on an existing roof, like an asphalt shingle roof and you get a leak in the shingles, say when the shingle job is 8 years old but the solar pane job is 4 years old, what do you do?

Pardon any and all ignorance in my question.

Signed, the guys with a leaky roof but no solar.

[wyeaster]

A loud źzzzzźzttttt noise?

hee hee!

[Skidog]

:P

That's not what I meant, though. If you install them on an existing roof, like an asphalt shingle roof and you get a leak in the shingles, say when the shingle job is 8 years old but the solar pane job is 4 years old, what do you do?

Pardon any and all ignorance in my question.

Signed, the guys with a leaky roof but no solar.

I think this is a good question. I would imagine if I were installing I would do roof at same time, but what added cost down the road is it to re roof when that time comes? Seems like a new roof would last longer than any 10 year warranties. Then the panels get replaced, but roof good for a bit longer then shits all off. 20 yr warranty would work though.

[Bobby Stainless]

https://www.tesla.com/solarroof

This and some LED lights, and your grow, will be almost free!

Wait... Am I in the "gro thread"?

[goldengatestinx]

Talk with your county cooperative extension. Ours has seminars a couple few times a year with good basic info, calculators to determine if it makes sense to spend more time to look deeper, etc. They'll also recommend companies and connect you with people who have done it already.

I'd love to do solar but with the low cost of power with our rural co-op west of Golden, it would take way too long for payback. Being 'off the grid' would be great but a $25,000 price tag is too much for right now.

[exsparky]

Talk with your county cooperative extension. Ours has seminars a couple few times a year with good basic info, calculators to determine if it makes sense to spend more time to look deeper, etc. They'll also recommend companies and connect you with people who have done it already.

I'd love to do solar but with the low cost of power with our rural co-op west of Golden, it would take way too long for payback. Being 'off the grid' would be great but a $25,000 price tag is too much for right now.

I've seen $100,000 "off the grid systems" wind/solar/genset/battery only put out 100 amps consistently. A good sized house should have 200.

I've had beers 2 years ago with 12 meter guys from xcel, none of them have solar on their houses.

I did the "green" mega walmart city at tower and I70. 2 of 3 solar companies failed prior to opening. One of the replacement systems burnt a hole through the roof you could stick 4 fingers in.

I've seen solar guys mount solar cells pointed east or west instead of south all over.

You might make your money back in solar, I never said you couldn't. There are a ton of risks and a lease could really come back to hose you.

[jackstraw]

My .02

Find an electrical contractor, not some solar specific company, as they actually understand all aspects of electrical work and will do the whole damn thing correctly. The problem is that there have been very few electrical contractors that have made the leap into installing solar in our neck of the woods, but I would think there are plenty in California.

I know Green Mountain Electric in VT is focusing on selling solar to their electrical contractors, so that would be another avenue to check on...your local electrical distributor. They might even give you some names and sell you LED grow lights

[Sirshredalot]

We put them on up here in PC and have had the $8 hookup cost since. We got nearly half back between the state and federal tax incentives. 5 year payback, 10 year warranty. Put enough up for an electric car in the future.

Some houses in our neighborhood are next to a year round stream...anyone know the legalities about f putting a small hydro generator to n the water? That would be Ass Kicking I reckon.

You need the Army Corps to sign off on messing with that stream, so you can file that under "Probably Not Happening." The guy who puts his stamp on those projects lives in the nearby and rides bikes - you may know him.

[detrusor]

Huh, I wonder how the other place in our neighborhood was able to put in the pond?

That was my understanding but looking at all the other stuff that had been done (like the dog swimming pool as well) made me wonder.

[iceman]

My .02

Find an electrical contractor, not some solar specific company, as they actually understand all aspects of electrical work and will do the whole damn thing correctly.

I really disagree with this. Connecting the solar system to the house and the grid is a simple matter. Figuring out the proper sizing and placement of a solar system and dealing with regulations, paperwork, tax incentives and whatnot is something most electrical contractors know fuck-all about. If you're worried about the connections have your own electrician come behind them but he'll be checking another electrician's work is all.

[irul&ublo]

..,you can file that under "Probably Not Happening." The guy who puts his stamp on those projects lives in the nearby and rides bikes - you may know him.

Is this him?

[jackstraw]

I really disagree with this. Connecting the solar system to the house and the grid is a simple matter. Figuring out the proper sizing and placement of a solar system and dealing with regulations, paperwork, tax incentives and whatnot is something most electrical contractors know fuck-all about. If you're worried about the connections have your own electrician come behind them but he'll be checking another electrician's work is all.

Well, I disagree with you! The bs paperwork is easy once you do it, that's why I said an electrician that has made the switch and focuses on solar. Plus, electricians are actually educated and have to stay educated with code updates etc. The solar guys are fly by night or large conglomerates that could really give a shit about anything but $$$.

It's not rocket science calculating the system, but if your putting it on your roof you better know the load capacity of said roof. That may be the biggest obstacle.

[Sirshredalot]

Huh, I wonder how the other place in our neighborhood was able to put in the pond?

That was my understanding but looking at all the other stuff that had been done (like the dog swimming pool as well) made me wonder.

I wonder whether those little improvements got permits or permission. That would probably be hard to duck with a little hydro generator. But I'm talking out of my ass. I'll ask next time I see homeboy who works for The Man.

[iceman]

I really disagree with this.

Well, I disagree with you!

We're probably both wrong.

[jackstraw]

We're probably both wrong.

I'm gonna go with we're both right.

[dunfree]

Huh, I wonder how the other place in our neighborhood was able to put in the pond?

That was my understanding but looking at all the other stuff that had been done (like the dog swimming pool as well) made me wonder.

People do shit all the time without permits.

[bodywhomper]

A lot of agencies can have authority on small hydro. FERC, Corps, EPA (or state agency with delegated authority), state water rights agency, state water agency, state utility agency, local agency controlling building, land use, stream banks, etc.

[panchosdad]

Some houses in our neighborhood are next to a year round stream...anyone know the legalities about f putting a small hydro generator to n the water? That would be Ass Kicking I reckon.

We put a hydro system in on a house I was general contracting. My recollection is you need quite a bit of head (elevation drop). We had about a 1/2 mile of stream with over 100' of drop, and that was enough to run a decent size generator. Running 24/7 it puts out a reasonable amount of power. I forget the specific numbers. Most expensive part of the project was running a half mile of pipe.

[detrusor]

Doesn't everyone need quite a bit of head?

[bodywhomper]

Give me rossignol or give me head

[frorider]

https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/...since-the.aspx

The dream of using the sun's abundant energy 24/7 took a major step closer to reality recently when utility company Tucson Electric signed a power purchase agreement last week for solar plus storage at a price of less than 4.5 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) over 20 years. That's less than half the price of retail electricity power and a price low enough to compete with natural gas, coal, and nuclear power head to head in wholesale markets for what some might call "baseload" power.

It's hard to overstate what a big deal this is for solar energy, energy storage, and disruption in the grid overall. This makes the market for solar exponentially larger, married with a massive storage market, and could eventually lead to a fundamental change in the way we think of the electric power industry. Investors need to make sure this trend is a tailwind and not a headwind, because the solar-plus-storage train is coming faster than anyone expected.