Home solar panel system opinion

[gvl]

How reliable is the 18k over 15 years SREC estimate? A quick search reveals that SRECS are fairly volatile and are likely to further decline with the proliferatioan of solar. Also how far back did you look to estimate 3.2% annual electric rate increase? If these assumptions do not hold over time you may end up with an oversized system which may be just marginally better than just paying your POCO.

[downshift00]

Yes the estimation is for the amounts of SRECs to go down over the 15 years, for example year 1 - $1980, year 5-$1470, year 10-$1035, year 14-$658, year 15-$73. These SRECs only last for 15 years by law I guess. Yes they are volatile, when they first started in 2009 they were trading at about $700 i guess. The more people that have solar the less the amounts become I think?

I didn't go back far as I don't have that data to see how much it has increased over the past 10 years for example. The rates don't seem to go down that's for sure haha. If I keep it a 1% increase a year which is being generous I think, the costs are still 38k for elec company vs 26k for solar with the srecs. Remember this is for 20 years. After that the elec company payments are 22k for years 21-30 where at that point the solar would be free energy right?

How reliable is the 18k over 15 years SREC estimate? A quick search reveals that SRECS are fairly volatile and are likely to further decline with the proliferatioan of solar. Also how far back did you look to estimate 3.2% annual electric rate increase? If these assumptions do not hold over time you may end up with an oversized system which may be just marginally better than just paying your POCO.

[gvl]

Just as an exercise run the numbers for a system that only covers the higher priced tiers for your usage. While it likely won't look as good in the best case scenario it will provide a better balance between the risks and savings.

Also shop around more, I suspect you can do better than $3.7/watt on a 10kWh-ish system.

[downshift00]

Also keep in mid that this usage is based on 1 person in a 2200 Sq ft house. Thus usage will inevitably go up if I have another person living here with me at some future point in time.

Yes I am looking to see what other systems cost. What seems to be the best price for systems nowadays per Watt?

Just as an exercise run the
numbers for a system that only covers the higher priced tiers for your usage. While it likely won't look as good in the best case scenario it will provide a better balance between the risks and savings.

Also shop around more, I suspect you can do better than $3.7/watt on a 10kWh-ish system.

[gvl]

Yes I am looking to see what other systems cost. What seems to be the best price for systems nowadays per Watt?

It seems that a larger system gives a better $/W ratio in general. Here in SoCal about $3.10-$3.20/watt for a 10kW system is doable, not sure about NJ.

[downshift00]

Ok so it's about 5k higher for the system I've been quoted. I'll have to see what a couple other companies quote at.

It seems that a larger system gives a better $/W ratio in general. Here in SoCal about $3.10-$3.20/watt for a 10kW system is doable, not sure about NJ.

[gvl]

And that is before the incentives, just to make sure...

[downshift00]

Right that's what I figured.

And that is before the incentives, just to make sure...