Distributed generation.
By Jerome Stocks | 06/16/09 | 01:30 AM EDT | 3 Comments
My June electric bill went from over $200. to just over $5. from 2008 to 2009. Why? Solar panels my friends! Solar panels! This is what "distributed generation" is all about.
My bill from 2008...
| A description of these charges is located on the "back of your bill". | ||||||
| Service/Rate Meter # |
Dates/ Meter Readings |
Meter Constant |
Therm Multiplier |
Total Usage |
Amount | |
| ELEC/DR | 05-08 | 06-09 | ||||
| #004... | 25511 | 26589 | 1 | 1,078 kWh | $98.40 | |
| Baseline Allowance 326 kWh | ||||||
| Baseline Usage 326 kWh @ $.02670 | ||||||
| 101% - 130% of Baseline 98 kWh @ $.04790 | ||||||
| 131% - 200% of Baseline 228 kWh @ $.11227 9/ 32 Days | ||||||
| Over 200% of Baseline 426 kWh @ $.13634 9/ 32 Days | ||||||
| 131% - 200% of Baseline 228 kWh @ $.11510 23/ 32 Days | ||||||
| Over 200% of Baseline 426 kWh @ $.13917 23/ 32 Days | ||||||
| DWR Bond Charge 1,078 kWh @ $.00477 | 5.15 | |||||
| Electric Energy Charge | ||||||
| Baseline - 326 kWh @ $.09887 | 32.24 | |||||
| 101% - 130% of Baseline - 98 kWh @ $.09887 | 9.69 | |||||
| 131% - 200% of Baseline - 228 kWh @ $.09887 | 22.54 | |||||
| Over 200% of Baseline - 426 kWh @ $.09887 | 42.13 | |||||
| TOTAL ELECTRIC CHARGES | $210.15 | |||||
And my bill from 2009.
| A description of these charges is located on the "back of your bill". | ||||||
| Service/Rate Meter # |
Dates/ Meter Readings |
Meter Constant |
Therm Multiplier |
Total Usage |
Amount | |
| ELEC/DR | 05-11 | 06-10 | ||||
| #004... | 33596 | 33613 | 1 | 17 kWh | $.29 | |
| Baseline Allowance 306 kWh | ||||||
| Baseline Usage 17 kWh @ $.01692 | ||||||
| Minimum Charge Adjustment | 2.91 | |||||
| DWR Bond Charge 17 kWh @ $.00491 | 0.08 | |||||
| Electric Energy Charge | ||||||
| Baseline - 17 kWh @ $.10684 | 1.82 | |||||
| TOTAL ELECTRIC CHARGES | $5.10 | |||||
You may not believe that man is causing "global warming" and you may love the idea of the Sunrise Transmission Line, but I'm a believer in saving money with my Solar Panels which I leased instead of buying and my return on investment has been from the very first month.
It's good to be part of the solution!!!
| 
|
3 Comments | Related Topics »
RECOMMENDED SITES
Comments
Thanks for sharing Jerome. Can you give us more info about your return on investment. As an example, you said you are leasing the solar equipment. What is the annual lease cost and 12 months of bills before you started the lease? What's the spread and what's the risk? Do you have any additional utility costs or maintenance costs? Have you determined the lifetime value assuming standard inflation for purchasing electricity?
- reply
|It's a 15 year equiptment lease with 0 down and they pay for the design and permitting. In my case payments of $115 per month with a 3% annual programmed increase. Monthly savings have varied since installation of the system last October, but it has always been a savings. I have no maintenance or added utility costs, and one of the reasons I like the program is that this is an emerging technology and after 15 years I can tell them to get their antique off my roof.
- reply
|Jerome I think it's cool that you went solar. I've been wanting to do the same. What is the name of the company that you are leasing from? I admit, I was shocked that your monthly bill was $200. I don't think mine has ever been higher than $50. But, I live in a 700 sq ft beach pad and don't have air conditioning or jacuzzi or pool or anything like that. I also have my dvd player, printer, stereo on a kill switch that I turn off at night so those things are not slowly sucking juice when not in use.
The coolest thing I've seen recently is Peder Norby's solar powered Mini Cooper.
- reply
|Post new comment