11-25-2017, 08:53 AM
"I'm always amazed that more people don't have solar here"
With the exception of our solar hot water system, we invested in conservation instead. Our electricity bill is usually right around $100. Unless the rates change dramatically, the "pay off" for a grid-tie system is probably longer than what's left in my life span. And besides, Hawaii will be 100% "renewable" grid electricity by 2045 anyway. Or so they say. Two of the things that many people overlook in the "pay off" is the grid tie fee and that you'll be paying more property taxes because the solar system increases property value (aka, some government eventually gets those solar credits back). It's not a huge sum but in our case the grid tie fee alone is ~20% of our bill.
I'm betting, or at least hoping, that either (or both) the cost of energy storage plummets dramatically or that the price of solar cells drop (or efficiencies rise at current prices) and then I can get an off-grid solar system that matches my financial situation and energy requirements.
With the exception of our solar hot water system, we invested in conservation instead. Our electricity bill is usually right around $100. Unless the rates change dramatically, the "pay off" for a grid-tie system is probably longer than what's left in my life span. And besides, Hawaii will be 100% "renewable" grid electricity by 2045 anyway. Or so they say. Two of the things that many people overlook in the "pay off" is the grid tie fee and that you'll be paying more property taxes because the solar system increases property value (aka, some government eventually gets those solar credits back). It's not a huge sum but in our case the grid tie fee alone is ~20% of our bill.
I'm betting, or at least hoping, that either (or both) the cost of energy storage plummets dramatically or that the price of solar cells drop (or efficiencies rise at current prices) and then I can get an off-grid solar system that matches my financial situation and energy requirements.