New member from Iowa

[Cummins06TD]

I would say that there wasn't a single US Electric Utility that would be "doubling" their rates in the near future. Sure 5% to 10% increase but not 200%.

Now maybe in those areas that generate most of the electricity using coal, there is a chance of major rate increases. That would be due to either shutting down old facilities or having to install very expensive scrubbers in existing. But even with those changes the Utilities will never be allowed to double their rates. They have to get permission from a review board first even to raise the rates.

I apologize for the misinformation. I either understood it wrong or something last year when the guy was telling me about it at a wind project we did for them. Maybe that's what they proposed and got shot down, now they are proposing an increase of what would be about $10 a month which I'm sure will go through easy enough considering they haven't changed rates since 95. So the likelihood of a system working for me is pretty slim. I'll have to work out the math and weigh my options after I have it all figured out.

[SunEagle]

I apologize for the misinformation. I either understood it wrong or something last year when the guy was telling me about it at a wind project we did for them. Maybe that's what they proposed and got shot down, now they are proposing an increase of what would be about $10 a month which I'm sure will go through easy enough considering they haven't changed rates since 95. So the likelihood of a system working for me is pretty slim. I'll have to work out the math and weigh my options after I have it all figured out.

There is no question that in some states a pv system is worth it. Between the rebates and incentives. What really makes the case is Net metering. If the math works then by all means go for it. Don't jump in for fear of your power bill doubling.

From what I have heard, seen and read there are a lot of companies that use fear tactics by saying their Utility will have major rate changes so they can convince people to install the pv system now before their bills go through the roof. Most of that is totally false and is only a bad way of selling an expensive system.

Do the homework and check out before you make the leap. Some people have had great results with their pv system. Others will never get back their money.

[Naptown]

To properly size your system do the following
Determine the azimuth and pitch of the roof you will be mounting the system on.
If there is any shading We cant help you with that you will need someone with a pathfinder or Solmetric Eye.
Look at a couple of year's of bills (include the hot tub you may want to use it again)
Get an average KWH use on an annual basis. This is the number the system will be designed to.
Now go to PV watts and plug in a 1 KW system based on your location, tilt and azimuth.
Change the derate on the system to .83 from the default .77 or you will overssize it.
That will tell you what a 1000 watt system will produce in a year. Say it is 1400 KWH
1400 KWH is 1000 x 1.4 so for each watt DC you install you will produce 1.4 KWH per year. 1.4 is the production factor you are looking for.
Divide your average annual use by what ever the factor is you come up with and that will tell you how many watts you will need to zero out your electric bill.
It is almost never exact and the system will have to be tweaked a bit to account for inverter and panel sizes etc.

[Sunking]

if his rates double as projected.

Not a snowball chance in hell will his rates double. To say something like that just shows how ignorant you are. Electric rates over the last 20 years has only risen by 1.6% per year well below inflation. It has fallen 13% since 2008 nationally.

[SunEagle]

Not a snowball chance in hell will his rates double. To say something like that just shows how ignorant you are. Electric rates over the last 20 years has only risen by 1.6% per year well below inflation. It has fallen 13% since 2008 nationally.

I think Ian was referring to what Cummins06TD stated in post #9. I jumped all over that statement too saying no way that will happen anytime soon.

[Ian S]

It has fallen 13% since 2008 nationally.

Really?

[Sunking]

Really?

Ian you have a real problem reading charts and graphs. Your very own link tells you electric rates peaked in August 2008 @ 12.05, and dipped to 10.49 aka 13% drop. Are you blind, stupid, or Geenwashed? I don't think you are blind.

[Ian S]

Ian you have a real problem reading charts and graphs. Your very own link tells you electric rates peaked in August 2008 @ 12.05, and dipped to 10.49 aka 13% drop. Are you blind, stupid, or Geenwashed? I don't think you are blind.

Wow, now that's just dishonest. Are you seriously going to ignore the seasonal effect on rates? LOL! Well then I can just point to the huge increase in rates from January to August 2008, right?

In reality, there was positive annual growth every year since 2003. That growth slowed during the recession but never went negative.

[Cummins06TD]

Naptown- Thank you very much for the walk through on figuring that out. Should help me and any one else that's new to solar to make our calculations easier. The azimuth could be changed to any direction I would like to put it. If I did it i'd pole mount(or 2) a system. I haven't researched them very much but I assume the pitch is adjustable? If that's the case I could adjust the pitch on seasons to achieve the best angle for power production. Roof mount isn't an option for me because of a tree growing as a shade tree on the entire south facing roof.

Sunking- I'm in no way trying to start fights on this post but your jumping all over Ian for my mistake. If you'd read my post I apologized. We did a wind farm with 45 towers at 3.5Mw/ea for MidAmerican(who my provider is) and I had an employee tell me they were trying to double their rates over a period of time because of the high cost of all the wind generation. If you're not aware, Iowa is the second largest wind producing state in the country. I did research and found they are not raising rates that high and in fact its more like 10-12% in next two years. As I stated before they haven't moved rates since 95. A lot has happened since then and its pretty impressive they haven't changed rates in that long but as with everything prices always inflate.