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+--- Thread: HECO to increase grid tie fees for solar customers (/showthread.php?tid=14377)
HECO to increase grid tie fees for solar customers - terracore - 08-28-2014
http://www.kitv.com/news/solar-users-may-see-bills-increase/27767044
Proposal to increase the grid tie fee to $71 on Oahu. With no ceiling in sight. Anybody know what the "proposal" is for the Big Island?
One of the reasons I haven't pursued grid-tied solar is reading stories of other communities where their grid-tie fees have increased close to the point of what they were paying for regular grid electricity years ago. If it can happen anywhere, it can happen everywhere.
RE: HECO to increase grid tie fees for solar customers - Kapohocat - 08-29-2014
The other reason grid-tie or net metering doesnt seem viable now is that when no power from Helco, the net metering systems were down too unless there was a battery backup installed.
RE: HECO to increase grid tie fees for solar customers - Royall - 08-29-2014
sounds like it is just easy money for Helco.... Add fees but keep everything the same... Poor/low income people just don't stand a chance.
RE: HECO to increase grid tie fees for solar customers - bluesboy - 08-29-2014
just curious, how much cheaper is it to grid tie instead of go off-grid? isn't it just the price of batteries and a charge controller?
RE: HECO to increase grid tie fees for solar customers - Lee M-S - 08-29-2014
the quotes we got were about half price
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RE: HECO to increase grid tie fees for solar customers - kalakoa - 08-29-2014
Assuming a 25-year service life on the PV: 71 x 12 x 25 = $21300.
A battery bank of 8 x L16HC is roughly $3000 at today's prices; further assuming an 8-year replacement cycle, that leaves $12300 for the actual PV panels, charge controller, wiring, inverter, etc.
Now remember that's just the "grid tie fee" without any actual usage.
RE: HECO to increase grid tie fees for solar customers - VancouverIslander - 08-29-2014
$71/month is insane. Now, this is HECO on Oahu, and although they are owned by the same parent, has HELCO made any announcement of a similar strategy? My power costs at my cottage are in the range of $20-30/month as we use very little electricity at all.
RE: HECO to increase grid tie fees for solar customers - terracore - 08-29-2014
The other aspect of the article is that they want to pay less for the energy produced by the solar arrays. Between the high grid tie fees and reduced compensation, solar may no longer be a financially viable option unless the user is willing/able to afford battery storage.
RE: HECO to increase grid tie fees for solar customers - bluesboy - 08-29-2014
quote:
Originally posted by kalakoa
Assuming a 25-year service life on the PV: 71 x 12 x 25 = $21300.
A battery bank of 8 x L16HC is roughly $3000 at today's prices; further assuming an 8-year replacement cycle, that leaves $12300 for the actual PV panels, charge controller, wiring, inverter, etc.
Now remember that's just the "grid tie fee" without any actual usage.
Given those numbers, it's the same price to buy an off-grid solar system as it is to pay the $71/month helco fee - not to mention the cost of the grid tied system - not to mention the state/federal tax credits.
It seems like the numbers are overwhelmingly in support of the individual consumer purchasing their own grid tie system.
Isn't this obvious though? The cost of maintaining the grid, the cost of oil and coal, which is running out, the cost of maintaining a fleet of service vehicles and all the overhead with running a utility company. Nobody that uses helco is really complaining about the cost of power, they're complaining about the cost of keeping that business alive.
RE: HECO to increase grid tie fees for solar customers - bananahead - 08-29-2014
completely offgrid with batteries is very easy and simple... I dont know why all of you tie into the grid with these pseudo solar power systems
all you are doing is fronting Helco alot of electricity and they are charging you a flat monthly rate back... you are not in control of your power... and they are making $$ off you in long run
an off-grid system is simple, you have alot of basically unlimited power while its day time (sunny or not), and use the power that was trickle charged into your batteries all day, for power at night... the next day they recharge again, etc. etc.
you really dont need many batteries, I have only 2... I have propane for stove, hotwater, and fridge thus dont need any more than 2 batteries in my small place with 2 people...
my very large heavy golf cart style batteries are listed (new) at over $900 ea, but I got them for $100 ea. because they were wrong type for the original purchaser (powered a street sweeper machine I was told), were returned and now had cosmetic flaws on outside case (scratches and sticker damage)... and Interstate Batteries in Hilo was just trying to flip them fast... so I got a deal... they were 2 months old when I got them, they should last me 6+ years like my last group.
I know some of you with larger homes would have a far larger higher quality system, but in reality if you are 2 people like we are, you should use roughly the same power as we do, ie a TV once in a while, stereo sometimes, charging stuff, computers, lights at night, a clock or 2, some appliances at dinner, etc.
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save our indigenous and endemic Hawaiian Plants... learn about them, grow them, and plant them on your property, ....instead of all that invasive non-native garbage I see in most yards... aloha