Solar Buyback Plans in Texas - Green Mountain vs. the competition

[solarintexas]

As many of you know, Texas doesn't have a solar mandate. Buyback programs are at the whim of the power companies who offer them to customers.
I've been lucky as I've been on Green Mountain's "Renewable Rewards" program for the past seven years. No limits to buyback credits, no monthly base charge and one-to-one pricing (buying/selling). Plus, credits roll over each month. I produce about 80-95% of my power with a medium-sized array, depending on the year. I use about 6000-6500 kWh annually (low energy home etc.).

Naturally, I am afraid that Green Mountain will, at some point, take this program away. I already noticed that they have replaced it on the website with "Renewable Rewards Perfect Match" which is, you guessed it, everything but "perfect." Rather, it limits the amount of buyback credits you can build, in particular in the spring or fall. I am still hoping that I am grandfathered into my current plan and that they'll leave me alone, but deep down I am afraid.

Does anyone have a sense of what's going to happen in Texas in terms of POCOs and buyback programs. There are some, but most either have a monthly base charge, limit the buyback and/or pay less for electricity fed into the grid. The Reliant Energy buyback plan was about the only other plan that looked pretty good. I just learned that it is no longer offered. All others (TXU, etc.) aren't really attractive to solar panel owners.

Just curious if anyone with ears on the ground knows more than me.

[Moneygrub]

I am in the same position. I have a Reliant Buy Back plan now that is true net metering and allows me to roll credits regardless of monthly usage. My plan is up on 11/19/21 and there are no more comparable plans. The best plan currently out there is the Green Mountain RR plan but it limits your monthly credit to the amount used from the grid which sucks. I would normally over product in the Winter months and I would draw down those credits during he summer when I dont produce enough solar to cover my usage.

[solarintexas]

Check out Rhythm Energy. Green Mountain just took my plan away, too. Rhythm is new in the market, and they are aggressively recruiting new customers. I am now on their 12 month buyback contract. Almost 17 cents per kWh, but if you make about 100% of your usage, then it won’t matter as it is one to one. So far works well! I got a $40 credit from the fall that I can burn off through electric space heating. My fear is that this plan won’t be available upon renewal in a year, but we will have to see.
Good luck!

[Moneygrub]

Rythm still has that plan available available at 16.9 cents with unlimited rollover but it is limited to customers with 20KW systems and lower. I have a 34KW system so I am going to be stuck going with the Green Mountain 12 month plan at 16 cents but will be limited on credits as they cant be higher than consumption for any month. Below is a Solar buy back listing all of the electric companies for Houston and they update it monthly. Blake

https://www.texaspowerguide.com/sola...k-plans-texas/

[Mike90250]

Sadly, buy a jar of vasoline, and prepare yourself !

And, if you think there are going to be short or extended outages, you may want to look at both an expensive battery and a backup generator, your average rooftop solar shuts down when the grid is down.

[solarintexas]

That's a huge system. Do you have a mansion plus multiple EVs? My system is only 5.9 kW STC.
I saw that Rhythm has a plan that gives you full credit minus the transmission charges without a limit to system size. Maybe it's worth giving them a call and see if they'd be willing to offer you the more favorable plan?

[theBunt]

Check out Rhythm Energy. Green Mountain just took my plan away, too. Rhythm is new in the market, and they are aggressively recruiting new customers. I am now on their 12 month buyback contract. Almost 17 cents per kWh, but if you make about 100% of your usage, then it won’t matter as it is one to one. So far works well! I got a $40 credit from the fall that I can burn off through electric space heating. My fear is that this plan won’t be available upon renewal in a year, but we will have to see.
Good luck!

tried with Rhythm. They are not taking new customers due to AT&T dropping the 3G network. The message says they would have to physically read each meter which would not be possible for them

Im going to check out Rhythm. Im with Reliant and they offer 14.4 with buy back at 9.5 Total rip off. Its just going to discourage people from buying solar

[sidpost]

Where I'm at in Texas, I get the local 7 cent commercial rate due to taking out the transmission charges from my rate.

[theBunt]

tried with Rhythm. They are not taking new customers due to AT&T dropping the 3G network. The message says they would have to physically read each meter which would not be possible for them

[solarintexas]

The Rhythm plan I am currently on is fantastic (1-to-1 trade, no monthly fee, etc.). However, I just saw that their current buyback plan is the same pared-down version that Green Mountain now offers. Well, that didn't take long, did it? My plan with Rhythm is 12 months which will end in October. I am curious to see what they will do. Probably trying to renew me under the not so favorable terms. At which point I will kiss them goodbye.

So, in other words, this initial good buyback plan has ceased to exist for new customers in less than a year since its introduction. I don't see any good prospects for the future. At least, Green Mountain's plan lasted for eight years. No really good options in Texas as of now. My system has already paid for itself, so I feel less anxious about it, but I know this will come as a disappointment to many people interested in solar. With the increase in price for equipment, solar power is not so attractive an option at the moment in my area.