Hello from San Diego

[AMCSquared]

Thanks to an incredible deal with a Prius Plug-In (about 32% off of MSRP after Toyota, California, and Federal rebate/credit), I am looking at getting solar so that I can charge it. Stupid SDG&E made it not worth while to charge at the current $0.35+ kWh Tier 3 and 4 rate. In case anyone is interested, $0.35 * 3.3 kWH / 11 miles = $0.105 per mile. At 50 MPG * $0.105 per mile, it would be $5.25 electrical cost per equivalent gallon of gas to break even!

Always looked into Solar every year or so. However, thanks to this forum, I see that a non Sun Power system can now be had for $3.5 to $3.75 per watt. That makes the payback for my usage at 6 years or so (SDG&E raising their Tier 3/4 price "helps" too). Already started getting quotes from local installer. I will post another message on the appropriate sub-forum for advice later.

[inetdog]

Hello AMCSquared and welcome to Solar Panel Talk!

I am glad for you for two things:
1. You are trying to offset such an incredibly high marginal rate for EV charging. Although that is also sad.
2. You are asking questions before spending money.

Looking forward to your questions in topic forums.
One thing to start with will be deciding how much of your bill you want to offset. In your case a small peak shaving system will have the highest rate of return but may not give the highest total return.
Also be sure to consider the Time Of Use (TOU) rate schedules you may be able to leverage, since you are most likely to be charging the car at night.

[J.P.M.]

Thanks to an incredible deal with a Prius Plug-In (about 32% off of MSRP after Toyota, California, and Federal rebate/credit), I am looking at getting solar so that I can charge it. Stupid SDG&E made it not worth while to charge at the current $0.35+ kWh Tier 3 and 4 rate. In case anyone is interested, $0.35 * 3.3 kWH / 11 miles = $0.105 per mile. At 50 MPG * $0.105 per mile, it would be $5.25 electrical cost per equivalent gallon of gas to break even!

Always looked into Solar every year or so. However, thanks to this forum, I see that a non Sun Power system can now be had for $3.5 to $3.75 per watt. That makes the payback for my usage at 6 years or so (SDG&E raising their Tier 3/4 price "helps" too). Already started getting quotes from local installer. I will post another message on the appropriate sub-forum for advice later.

Check into SDG & E rate tariff sheets. Particularly EV-TOU. Between midnite and 0500 the charging rate for an EV is at about tier 1 - ~$.16076 in summer, ~ $.17174 in winter. Some other restrictions/conditions apply. This may change the economics for you some. Look carefully before you leap, particularly about how you will be charged and options available form SDG & E. It ain't that simple.

[AMCSquared]

Check into SDG & E rate tariff sheets. Particularly EV-TOU. Between midnite and 0500 the charging rate for an EV is at about tier 1 - ~$.16076 in summer, ~ $.17174 in winter. Some other restrictions/conditions apply. This may change the economics for you some. Look carefully before you leap, particularly about how you will be charged and options available form SDG & E. It ain't that simple.

Thank you.

I did check their other rate schedules. EV-TOU requires a separate meter and I don't want to spend potentially $1k to $2k to install that (along with separate panel, 240V run, 240V charger, etc). I know, the meter is "free", but electrician to do the work is not. If I had a Tesla or Leaf or Volt, I would consider that. At 3.3kWh per charge for the Prius, I would never re-coup the cost of the install.

There is also EV-TOU-2 which does NOT require a separate meter. This means the whole house usage is all measured by the same meter. They want over $0.44 per kWh during peak summer time (noon to 6pm), this does NOT work out for us. It would cost over $5 an hour to run our AC during summer afternoon (both weekday AND weekend). I already ran my past usage # to Bidgely.com and if I maintain my past usage pattern (and without charging the Prius), I will be paying $150 more a year for the privilege of using EV-TOU-2 schedule.

Yes, I will look into TOU (specifically DR-SES) after I have some solar data to see if I should switch to that. Being paid at $0.44 per kWh during afternoon may make sense depending on how much I can produce.

Getting the Prius is not the only reason I am getting Solar. I am normally already at Tier 3 and 4 even before charging the car. Thanks to the new $0.35+ kWh Tier 3 and 4 rate SDG&E is imposing (plus the plunging of Solar price), my ROI went down from about 9-10 years to about 6-7 years. That pretty much crossed my ROI threshold.

It never made any sense for me to get Solar at $5 to $6 per watt with SDG&E charging $0.27 per kWh. However, at potentially $3.50 to $3.75 (before 30% federal credit) at $0.35 to $0.38 per kWh, it totally makes sense.

BTW, this is before SDG&E sucks us rate payer for the cost of retiring "Dolly Parton" nuclear power plant at San Onofre. You know the reference if you are local to San Diego / Orange County.

[J.P.M.]

Thank you.

I did check their other rate schedules. EV-TOU requires a separate meter and I don't want to spend potentially $1k to $2k to install that (along with separate panel, 240V run, 240V charger, etc). I know, the meter is "free", but electrician to do the work is not. If I had a Tesla or Leaf or Volt, I would consider that. At 3.3kWh per charge for the Prius, I would never re-coup the cost of the install.

There is also EV-TOU-2 which does NOT require a separate meter. This means the whole house usage is all measured by the same meter. They want over $0.44 per kWh during peak summer time (noon to 6pm), this does NOT work out for us. It would cost over $5 an hour to run our AC during summer afternoon (both weekday AND weekend). I already ran my past usage # to Bidgely.com and if I maintain my past usage pattern (and without charging the Prius), I will be paying $150 more a year for the privilege of using EV-TOU-2 schedule.

Yes, I will look into TOU (specifically DR-SES) after I have some solar data to see if I should switch to that. Being paid at $0.44 per kWh during afternoon may make sense depending on how much I can produce.

Getting the Prius is not the only reason I am getting Solar. I am normally already at Tier 3 and 4 even before charging the car. Thanks to the new $0.35+ kWh Tier 3 and 4 rate SDG&E is imposing (plus the plunging of Solar price), my ROI went down from about 9-10 years to about 6-7 years. That pretty much crossed my ROI threshold.

It never made any sense for me to get Solar at $5 to $6 per watt with SDG&E charging $0.27 per kWh. However, at potentially $3.50 to $3.75 (before 30% federal credit) at $0.35 to $0.38 per kWh, it totally makes sense.

BTW, this is before SDG&E sucks us rate payer for the cost of retiring "Dolly Parton" nuclear power plant at San Onofre. You know the reference if you are local to San Diego / Orange County.

You're welcome.

I'd respectfully suggest you get quotes from reputable installers and continue to take your time.

Sounds like you're more on top of situation than lots of others.

FWIW, AB 3237 mandated rate restructuring may influence EV rates some as it will everything else over the next 2-3 yrs. or so.

The San Onofre urine spewing contest is just beginning. I'd guess some of it will be buried in rate restructuring.

Eyeball on the ZZZ bra look of the plant every time I drive by. What were they thinking ? Ya gotta know.

[kmm]

Thank you.


BTW, this is before SDG&E sucks us rate payer for the cost of retiring "Dolly Parton" nuclear power plant at San Onofre. You know the reference if you are local to San Diego / Orange County.

I know, the top of towers just begs to be painted with red paint.

[J.P.M.]

I know, the top of towers just begs to be painted with red paint.

Hey ?!? That's my wife ! (No, on the left - not the far right, or the background)