Hi from Chicago area, NW burbs

[Snipely]

Hi all,
I recently joined the site. I likely have one of the more unorthodox systems possible but forging ahead anyway. Originally installed in Dec 2016 in 20 degree weather and snow, it was 5.5 kW that I just expanded to 7.0 kW due to shading being a bit more than I expected. The expansion was an interesting process and a long story with lots of twists and turns. My system has 6 east, 2 south and 12 west panels. I am one of few residential customers in Illinois that has Com Ed's hourly pricing combined with net metering. I drive a Volt and charge at night to take advantage of the lower spot rates between midnight and 5 am.

I'd love to know who else is on hourly rate and happy to share any stats that would help others.

Cheers,
PB

[Ampster]

Hi all,...........

I'd love to know who else is on hourly rate and happy to share any stats that would help others.

My peak rate in Northern California is $0.52/kWh in summer and $0.38/kWh in winter. I also am able to charge my EVs at super off peak rates of $0.15/kWhr.

We have another poster here from Illinois and he also has panels facing several azimuths. While some would say that is not ideal, he is able to harvest energy from the sun over a long period of time. Did you increase your inverter size or just the panels? Do you know what size your inverter is for that 7kW in panels?

[bcroe]

Hi all,
I recently joined the site. I likely have one of the more unorthodox systems possible but forging ahead anyway. Originally installed in Dec 2016 in 20 degree weather and snow, it was 5.5 kW that I just expanded to 7.0 kW due to shading being a bit more than I expected. The expansion was an interesting process and a long story with lots of twists and turns. My system has 6 east, 2 south and 12 west panels. I am one of few residential customers in Illinois that has Com Ed's hourly pricing combined with net metering. I drive a Volt and charge at night to take advantage of the lower spot rates between midnight and 5 am.

I'd love to know who else is on hourly rate and happy to share any stats that would help others. Cheers, PB

Am located just west of the Rockford airport here, would like to hear more about your
hourly pricing and if it is optional, or an advantage to you. I am 7 years out of touch
with the latest rules, and am over 10KW so probably different rules apply. Here the
PoCo and I just trade KWH back and forth annually, no money exchanged. If I use
more than I generate they will charge for that, but I usually do not. If the year ends
with a surplus (1 April), they keep it and set me back to zero.

Panels facing multiple directions here allow inverter operation at clipping for up to
8 hours a day, depending on season and clouds. Bruce Roe

[Snipely]

Hi Ampster,
We kept the same inverter, an SE5000A. Those rates in CA are stunning, and I'm confused about the reimbursement structure there. The spot rates in Illinois on the BESH rate change every 5 minutes, but are typically very low in the off hours, at times 0 for small periods of time.

[Snipely]

Hi bcroe,
I can tell you that I earn more per kWh for export than I pay for import (about 3.5 cents vs 2.5 cents, on average). Do you have Com Ed? I had a zero bill for the first time in April, but I thought it's the April bill where the true up happens, meaning any power carried over from April 1 - April 30 usage as a credit would be zeroed as a charge on the May bill. I can't even find what a surplus true up would look like. I'm not sure 10kW systems would be treated differently for billing. I think that only applies to the current reimbursement via the SREC block program.

[bcroe]

I am on Com Ed. About the last thing on the bill is MISCELLANEOUS Net Metering Excess Gen Rollover
0kwh for 1 Apr, 1072kwh for 1 May. I annually use about 21,000kwh for heating and cooling 2 buildings,
4000kwh for other electrical needs. Bruce Roe

[Snipely]

I assume you're commercial not residential? I've never seen such a line item but will look for it on my May bill.

[bcroe]

I assume you're commercial not residential? I've never seen such a line item but will look for it on my May bill.

Under CHARGE DETAILS it says Residential. Bruce Roe

[J.P.M.]

I assume you're commercial not residential? I've never seen such a line item but will look for it on my May bill.

Bruce just might have the only residential array that's visible from outer space.

[Snipely]

I am on Com Ed. About the last thing on the bill is MISCELLANEOUS Net Metering Excess Gen Rollover
0kwh for 1 Apr, 1072kwh for 1 May. I annually use about 21,000kwh for heating and cooling 2 buildings,
4000kwh for other electrical needs. Bruce Roe

Hi Bruce, that is a lot of power consumption! How big is your array exactly? Did you have credits going into your April bill that were zeroed out? As far as I can tell, there is no true-up for ComEd hourly rate customers. My bill was issued on April 26, and it's allowing me to carry over a dollar credit into May. It's the first time I've had this happen (my total bill was $-1.65). Prior April bills, I've exported more kWh than imported, but my fixed costs were not offset below zero from the differential. The hourly rate carries over $, not kWh and if you size your array just right, you can have $zero bills year round, in other words, offset your fixed delivery costs in addition to supply costs. I hope to carry credits this year at least into January. We'll see.

--PB

[bcroe]

Hi Bruce, that is a lot of power consumption! How big is your array exactly? Did you have credits going into your April bill that were zeroed out? As far as I can tell, there is no true-up for ComEd hourly rate customers. My bill was issued on April 26, and it's allowing me to carry over a dollar credit into May. It's the first time I've had this happen (my total bill was $-1.65). Prior April bills, I've exported more kWh than imported, but my fixed costs were not offset below zero from the differential. The hourly rate carries over $, not kWh and if you size your array just right, you can have $zero bills year round, in other words, offset your fixed delivery costs in addition to supply costs. I hope to carry credits this year at least into January. We'll see.

--PB

PB, here is a pic of the array. The primary objective is to avoid entirely the service charges
AND the fixed charges when subscribed to a service (like the nat gas line here). Both of
those costs seem to be on an ever rising scale, no matter how efficient I might be.

In avoiding heating and air conditioning charges, I do remain connected to the PoCo and
pay only their fixed costs. Not bad considering what it makes possible. At reset the end of
March I had a surplus under 20% more than I needed, but that might be consumed in a
severe winter. Meanwhile the HVAC plant has been improved so much that I can now heat
and cool 2 buildings, I hardly dared hope for that when the solar started operation.
Bruce Roe

Ap18PV1.JPG

[Snipely]

Wow, that is impressive. I assume the farthest array by the tree line is south facing?

[bcroe]

Wow, that is impressive. I assume the farthest array by the tree line is south facing?

I will not fix the mis spells today, or it would go into moderation. Right, the farthest are facing
south. Soon the A frame E-W panels went up to lengthen the production day, and deal with
our clouds. No bell curve here, the inverters may run at max for over 8 hours straight under
sun, and twice the usual output under clouds. After 4 years of figuring out how to fix what was
wrong with these, the new array (facing E) on the left went up. It needs a twin facing W, and
fewer S facing panels, not a priority just now.

There used to be a pretty rough woods near the fence, with my neighbors cooperation I
took all that down to the walkway I was standing on here. Now it is a rough lawn back to
the walkway, easily maintained with my riding mower. Trees are not allowed on my lot line.
Bruce Roe