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      01-10-2020, 05:13 PM   #9
RickFLM4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 2000cs View Post
If you’re being paid $210/KWh for SRECs, that is quite a subsidy. Since you can afford $38k, you are able get a subsidy for the solar investment. Your less fortunate/wealthy neighbors, who don’t have the up front, get to pay for that subsidy. No free lunch, system wide. (This is also my complaint about subsidies for electric vehicles: financial benefits go mostly to the high-earners/wealthy)

Price of energy can be seen at PJM’s web site. Running in the high teens; so you can calculate the actual subsidy. https://pjm.com/

What are you paying for grid connection and non-sunny power (night, cloudy days)?

You might look at your pool equipment to see if a timer for the pump would make sense, assuming you don’t already have one. Most pools need 8-12 hours of filtering/day, and the pump is a big electric user, so it can make sense to do this. Otherwise, I don’t understand your bill being so high consistently.
My guess would be the 2 10 SEER a/c compressors, probably combined with heavy usage and / or high electric rates. Throw in some older hot water heaters and other inefficiencies (for example windows and doors), I think $500 is easily attainable. Our bill in South Florida during peak summer in a 2,645 sq. ft. under air home is around $350 with far more efficient a/c units , a pool timer, newer appliances and energy efficient storm windows and doors.

Every time I ask someone about maintenance costs of solar, I am told there are none. They may be low, but I don’t believe anything has zero maintenance costs. For those that have solar, what are the realistic costs to maintain it? How often do the panels require cleaning? Does anyone have it installed on barrel tile roof panels? If so, how do you deal with mildew on the roof tiles?
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