Calling All DIY'ers....What is Your Cost of Production?

[CA_Tom]

If you change this to "INSTALL your own solar system" I'd agree.

Both are acceptable terms IMO.
Either way it's putting in place the components to make up the solar system.

"built" doesn't imply that you've done anything with the internals of the inverter or panels.
I'd say it's similar to "I built a shed".
(which is used for everything from building pre-fab sheds to building a shed from dimensional lumber or bricks or cement blocks)

[Sunking]

My advice is if you can turn a torque wrench, read a multimeter, drive a nail, scale a ladder, shoot a line, set a level, understand the NEC,

Sounds easy huh? It usually takes a person two years of a trade schools and 5 years of apprenticeship to get a decent grasp of electrical codes. Some never get it.

[Mike90250]

...... Just because a project is complicated does not mean you should be intimidated by it. My advice is if you can turn a torque wrench, read a multimeter, drive a nail, scale a ladder, shoot a line, set a level, understand the NEC, then you can build your own solar system and get it approved from your local POCO and AHJ.

If you change this to "INSTALL your own solar system" I'd agree.

[CA_Tom]

Wow, that's pretty good. Who is the utility? I thought that area was PG&E.

They're relatively small.

http://siliconvalleypower.com/index.aspx?page=1954

PG&E is most of the area around here. I think all the cities surrounding mine are PG&E.

[sdold]

Wow, that's pretty good. Who is the utility? I thought that area was PG&E.

[CA_Tom]

Where are you getting $14,000 of subsidies? I know this is CA but really?

Yes really.

From the electrical utility provider I get a rebate of $1.75 / "AC watt" (PTC wattage x inverter efficiency)
Wattage will be derated for shading as well.

And 30% off the remaining amount (Federal income tax credit that most people are already familiar with.)

With those, I expect it to be ~4 years for this to be a net gain to the household.

Rebate was approved in the past month - so I need to get the install done before too long. (I think it's a 1 year window)

[DanS26]

130 years of waiting so far without much improvement.

I could be wrong, but my gut tells me the wait is not much longer.

[DanS26]

I think this makes the figures misleading.
My un-subsidized initial cost will be ~$18,200.
My net outlay will be ~$4100 ($6100 if I include $2K for maintenance over 25 years)



Power generation is estimated to be ~10300 kwh/year

So $6100/235604kwh = $0.0259/kwh

Lower if I have better power than estimated. (I'm trying to be slightly pessimistic)

Higher if I have equipment failures (inverter, panel, power-edge optimizers, etc.)

Where are you getting $14,000 of subsidies? I know this is CA but really?

[sdold]

Why is your net cost so low? Does your city or county have incentives? I only have the federal 30%

[CA_Tom]

I'd really like to know how low some of you really handy DIY'ers can go with their grid tied solar installations. But I'm only interested in only one metric..."cost of production".

This is how its calculated:

1. Determine your net cash outlay for equipment and outside labor. Net includes any offsetting rebates and incentives you received in cash from local, state or federal entities. But on the other hand include future maintenance costs and inverter replacements over a 25 year period.

I think this makes the figures misleading.
My un-subsidized initial cost will be ~$18,200.
My net outlay will be ~$4100 ($6100 if I include $2K for maintenance over 25 years)

2. Determine your total kWh production over a 25 year period. You can do this by using the PV Watts tool. Derate your system by .0071% a year for panel efficiency loss (ie ~3/4 of one percent).

3. 1. divided by 2. equals "cost of production" in cents per kWh.

Great metric everyone should know about their system. For you guys that finance or lease, the calculations are a little more involved since you have to use present value analysis, but it can be done.

What say you......

Power generation is estimated to be ~10300 kwh/year

So $6100/235604kwh = $0.0259/kwh

Lower if I have better power than estimated. (I'm trying to be slightly pessimistic)

Higher if I have equipment failures (inverter, panel, power-edge optimizers, etc.)

[Sunking]

The best minds in the world are working on a solution so I don't have to rely on the grid for that capability. I sincerely hope they are quick about it. Go Elon and all your minions........

130 years of waiting so far without much improvement.

[DanS26]

We have have a few posts on this site, especially from knowledgeable individuals, that tell newbies that solar is a bad investment. That is true if you go about it without a good understanding of the costs and returns.

I'd like to tell the true DIY'ers that solar is viable.

If you have to pay someone to do the research and implementation of what you want to do, solar wise, then yes it can be a bad investment and a waste of your money. If you have to depend on the government to make your project a reality then wait and wait and wait........

I'm convinced that there are a lot of handy guys out there that can do it. It is not rocket science, but you do have to educate yourself and understand electrical theory and especially the NEC code.

I know the trade guys do not like DIY'ers and their unions lobby the state legislatures for privileges. I can understand that, there is a lot of hack work out there. But really all these barriers do nothing but create additional costs to the solar industry.

I see a lot of DIY guys come on this site and get discouraged. Just because a project is complicated does not mean you should be intimidated by it. My advice is if you can turn a torque wrench, read a multimeter, drive a nail, scale a ladder, shoot a line, set a level, understand the NEC, then you can build your own solar system and get it approved from your local POCO and AHJ.

[DanS26]

_{What do you do when there is no sun, winter comes, and night falls?}

Right now I use the grid as my battery bank and I pay $37 a month for that privilege.

The best minds in the world are working on a solution so I don't have to rely on the grid for that capability. I sincerely hope they are quick about it. Go Elon and all your minions........

[sdold]

5.3 cents

[Sunking]

_{What do you do when there is no sun, winter comes, and night falls?}