Solar Power Generation

  

click photo to enlarge		 We went to the local home show. I had been kicking around the idea of solar power for a few years. The local power company and the state combined are offering rebates of approximately 25% and the Federal government are giving a tax credit of 30% of the cost of installation meaning the consumer pays less then half the cost. I did all the calculations and am looking at about a 9 year return on investment without considering the increase in value of the house. It seems the power companies in CA are required to generate 20% of their power from renewable resources by the end of 2010.  Then the federal government is offering this 30% tax credit through 2016. So, why not...

click photo to enlarge		 The panels installed measure approximately 2-1/2 feet by 5 feet and I have 36 of them installed. They can generate about 35 kWh per day on a good day. A good day means a bright sunny day in the summer. When we have been very overcast my power generation has dropped to 21 kWh per day. In the first 4 weeks of operation I generated 880 kWh. This is more power then I use in a typical month. What happens is the meter spins backwards when you are generating more power then you use. One of the cool things about it is I am now green in my power consumption. I generate my power from the sun. I have been going out every night and writing down my power generation and the meter reading.

click photo to enlarge		 We are coming to the hot time of year where we will be running our air conditioner. During hot summer days I expect we will use more power then we generate so we will have small bills. My first electric bill included 2 weeks before it was installed and 2 weeks after it was installed. Our bill was $6.75. The system is sized so that over the period of a year we should generate approximately 100% of the power we use. It is really fascinating to me that this system, with no moving parts, makes enough power to operate our home. It generates power every day whether it is being used or not and whether anybody is home or not. If it is generating more then we use it sends it to the power grid and spins out meter backwards. At night of course the meter goes the normal direction.

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     The latest July bill just came so I am updating this page. The bill shows they owe me $19.07. Pretty cool.