SCE customers - how do you get a $0 bill?

[MikeInRialto]

Don't know, but if true all, the more reason to not oversize w/out knowing the consequences both good/bad. Check it out w/ SCE to confirm.

Will check into it, but TOU credits start over at end of relevant period without paying out if there are extra credits vs. Negative balance with straight net metering can earn $ at wholesale rate, is my understanding with SCE.

[FFE]

Someone posted about getting $ back with TOU. I believe with SCE, you don't get money back and at the annual true up, any extra credits get lost.

As far as I know, all of my net metering credits at the anual true up will be lost. However, SCE puts a CA Climate credit in the real money part of the bill according to what I have researched. I plan on avoiding most of the $10 minimum billing and hope that the credit exceedes what my bills are. If I manage it correctly, the credit will exceed the monthly charges and I can get a check back at my anual true up for the excess CA Climate credit.

I read some old information claiming that one needs to exceed both total net kWh and the $$$ part of the bill to get money back from the power company. I've also read that this no longer applies. I have no idea and did not research this since I have zero chance of having excess kWh for the year.

[silversaver]

Get a system to cover at least 90% of usage. Why? Save yourself time scratching head for saving. Your power consumption will increase as more power is in deman for most families. POCOs aren't stupid, they will come out with plans to make your solar less effective as originally planned. Getting a smaller system only save you pennies in long run vs, a larger system. Most people getting the solar not just to save money, but to use more electricity without paying the extra money. If you really want to save money, remove your home AC/heat unit, that will cut off your high Summer bills.AND live in a budget life. If you can do that, then you don't really need solar. Yes, live in a small apartment will also save you money too....Dont go expensive resturant...etc

extreme? yes, if you really looking for saving. What a wonderful life.

[J.P.M.]

Get a system to cover at least 90% of usage. Why? Save yourself time scratching head for saving. Your power consumption will increase as more power is in deman for most families. POCOs aren't stupid, they will come out with plans to make your solar less effective as originally planned. Getting a smaller system only save you pennies in long run vs, a larger system. Most people getting the solar not just to save money, but to use more electricity without paying the extra money. If you really want to save money, remove your home AC/heat unit, that will cut off your high Summer bills.AND live in a budget life. If you can do that, then you don't really need solar. Yes, live in a small apartment will also save you money too....Dont go expensive resturant...etc

extreme? yes, if you really looking for saving. What a wonderful life.

But life is not quite so all or nothing. It's often about choices and tradeoffs.

Living in a tent or a cave and living off the land is a choice that few people make.

Getting solar for an equal or better lifestyle while at the same time reducing the PERCEIVED expense of the electric bill - perceived because usually only the immediate monthly bill and not overall long term costs of solar vs. non solar is considered - is a choice. Oversizing a system is a choice. Not assuming future energy use will inevitably and uncontrollably increase and working in a mindful way to see that does not happen is a choice. What's often missing is the understanding and knowledge necessary to make informed choices.

[MikeInRialto]

Get a system to cover at least 90% of usage. Why? Save yourself time scratching head for saving. Your power consumption will increase as more power is in deman for most families. POCOs aren't stupid, they will come out with plans to make your solar less effective as originally planned. Getting a smaller system only save you pennies in long run vs, a larger system. Most people getting the solar not just to save money, but to use more electricity without paying the extra money. If you really want to save money, remove your home AC/heat unit, that will cut off your high Summer bills.AND live in a budget life. If you can do that, then you don't really need solar. Yes, live in a small apartment will also save you money too....Dont go expensive resturant...etc

extreme? yes, if you really looking for saving. What a wonderful life.

I have to say I agree! Go 90-100% of your usage. Why? Besides the aforementioned reasons, systems will degrade and not generate as much when new, in case your family grows or you get an EV, it's a lot more costly to add to your system later. And more importantly... if it generates 90+% of your usage - it will almost always generate 90+% of your usuage. Who knows how TOU rates will change over time.

Think of it this way.... what if the electric companies only credited your surplus at wholesale rates?

If I were the electric companies, I'd make it real advantageous with TOU rates for people with solar to go with smaller systems.... THEN, I'd change the rates and only credit back at wholesale rates . This way I would have prevented many customers from offsetting all their usuage, and regain profits that would have been lost. Give up 2-3 years of profit for a guaranteed 17-18 years worth of profit. Talk about a return of investment. LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS, OH MY!

[Steve C]

So I am waiting for my first bill since having a solar system installed. For better or worse, I chose to shoot for 100% when sizing my system and my only motivation was $$$. Since the install, my wife has learned a new phrase, "But we have solar!". This is the response I get when I ask her if she is in fact watching two TVs at once (in two different rooms), or Honey, why are all the lights on? If it wasn't so comical, I would be pulling my hair out. Hopefully she will soon grasp the the concept of conservation.

[DanKegel]

I wouldn't bet on it. I see the rebound effect (we have LED lights and solar panels now, so why worry about energy?) all the time at home.
It's really hard to sell people on intangible benefits.

My advice: let the wookie win. If the TVs are the old kind that get hot, well, maybe you could consider a cooler one (just make sure it's energy star 7, and remember ultra high res tvs use more energy, see http://www.nrdc.org/energy/files/uhd...rgy-use-ES.pdf ).

[MikeInRialto]

So I am waiting for my first bill since having a solar system installed. For better or worse, I chose to shoot for 100% when sizing my system and my only motivation was $$$. Since the install, my wife has learned a new phrase, "But we have solar!". This is the response I get when I ask her if she is in fact watching two TVs at once (in two different rooms), or Honey, why are all the lights on? If it wasn't so comical, I would be pulling my hair out. Hopefully she will soon grasp the the concept of conservation.

I'm sure your bill will be significantly lower, but maybe not as low as you how. My first bill was a double bill - SCE sent my bill and a partial of the next one starting me on a clean slate worth solar. My bill total charges for last month $12. I was on track for $1 bulk this month and then I turned the electric hot tub on - now estimated bill is $7.

Before going solar I was penny pinching electricity. I sized my system so I could pretty use AS MUCH AS I WANT. I'll keep an eye on things but this summer my thermostat will not be below 76 degrees. Last summerer I suffered a few days . NOT THIS YEAR!

So even if your wife goes crazy with electricity - what's the worst damage it can cost you now? I figure if I key my AC on 24/7 my bill might be $50 fir the hottest summer month vs. $200 with about 10 days of suffering by not using it.

So I am GUILTY of going solar so I could use more and pretty much have a $0 bill - I already went LED bulbs, variable speed pool pump, and when AC goes out i will go to a DC ductless system.

[J.P.M.]

So I am waiting for my first bill since having a solar system installed. For better or worse, I chose to shoot for 100% when sizing my system and my only motivation was $$$. Since the install, my wife has learned a new phrase, "But we have solar!". This is the response I get when I ask her if she is in fact watching two TVs at once (in two different rooms), or Honey, why are all the lights on? If it wasn't so comical, I would be pulling my hair out. Hopefully she will soon grasp the the concept of conservation.

What you're seeing is due to the law of perceived consequences which is a corollary of the law that your standard of living rises to meet (or exceed) your income.

[MikeInRialto]

....Happy wife - happy life (or at least the opposite is true)

[malibu3105]

I know everyone says that SCE only pays .06 per kWh, but I am in my second month and just got my April bill from SCE. See screenshot, seems they are going to pay me for delivery and also for generation. So more than .06. I like what I see. No A/C running yet, which will make a difference, but for now I am making $$$.

[J.P.M.]

I know everyone says that SCE only pays .06 per kWh, but I am in my second month and just got my April bill from SCE. See screenshot, seems they are going to pay me for delivery and also for generation. So more than .06. I like what I see. No A/C running yet, which will make a difference, but for now I am making $$$.

But not as much as you seem to think, and probably not the most cost effective use of the assets used to oversize the system.

That negative $ amount is against future use. You will not see it as cash. You will see any excess generation payments at the reimbursement rate, currently something less than $0.04/kWh and variable. Also, note and perhaps check it out: You may need to ask for that payment, however much it turns out to be, as a check, otherwise, they may simply roll the excess forward to the next year, or erase it completely.

Perhaps a good example for those reading this thread of why some suggest understanding how billing works before taking the solar plunge.

[FFE]

However, SCE puts a CA Climate credit in the real money part of the bill according to what I have researched.

Well, SCE changed the way they pay out the CA Climate credit. It is now in the energy charges and is no longer "Real Money." So I will be paying about $50 per year to SCE instead of getting a $10-20 check.

malibu3105 SCE gives you the full $$ credit on the excess you produce toward your annual true up. Like you mentioned the A/C will cut into the balance you have accumulated. However, at the end of your 12th month if you have excess credit you will not get the balance you see. If you have excess kWh you may get $0.04 per kWh but I have not researched this.

[sensij]

Well, SCE changed the way they pay out the CA Climate credit. It is now in the energy charges and is no longer "Real Money." So I will be paying about $50 per year to SCE instead of getting a $10-20 check.

malibu3105 SCE gives you the full $$ credit on the excess you produce toward your annual true up. Like you mentioned the A/C will cut into the balance you have accumulated. However, at the end of your 12th month if you have excess credit you will not get the balance you see. If you have excess kWh you may get $0.04 per kWh but I have not researched this.

CA Climate Credit is real money. Just because they may present it differently on the bill, it doesn't change the bottom line.

If you've got a reference for the change you think occurred, I wold love to see it. The Poco's don't run that program though, it is state mandated.

[FFE]

CA Climate Credit is real money. Just because they may present it differently on the bill, it doesn't change the bottom line.

If you've got a reference for the change you think occurred, I wold love to see it. The Poco's don't run that program though, it is state mandated.

I am not 100% certain, but SCE used to put the credit in the monthly charges section. Now they put it in the tracked charges. Those are the ones that reset to zero on your 12 month cycle. Once again we will have to wait till someone posts their experience to find out if SCE later credits it back to the customer or if it gets lost. If you look at the bill malibu3105 posted it shows the CA Cllmate credit in the tracked charges just like my bill. Hopefully someone with SCE, on a TOU, and is a net kWh user will end their 12 month relevant period soon and post how it turns out.