SDGE raising TOU-2 rates!

Just got in the mail a notice from SDGE saying the TOU-2 rates are going up. On peak rates going up from .37 KWH to .44 KWH and again in August. The off peak went up a cent to .20 KWH and super off peak is at .16 KWh. Mofos at SDGE are really hammering TOU users. I did the math and if I stayed as a regular customer my rates are about the same without having to be cognizant of the peak time (12-6pm including weekends). Usage for me is about 800 kwh per month since I got the Leaf. Anyone else want to gripe about SDGE?

44 cents is a great selling price..... Get 3kW+ of solar on the roof already

*sigh* I wish I can get solar. Right now the math on solar doesn't add up either, especially if I'm not planning to be at my home for 15-20 years.

After the first 12 months mine is looking like 5, maybe 6 year payback on a 3kW system.
It is easier than you think.

If you don't mind me asking smketter, how much did you pay for your system, and where are you? I live in San Diego, and we get plenty of sunshine here.

smkettner said:

After the first 12 months mine is looking like 5, maybe 6 year payback on a 3kW system.
It is easier than you think.

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5-7 years is pretty typical payback on solar nowadays. It really doesn't make sense not to do it!

wongfeihong187 said:

*sigh* I wish I can get solar. Right now the math on solar doesn't add up either, especially if I'm not planning to be at my home for 15-20 years.

Click to expand...

I don't know about anybody else, but if I were buying a house, I would pay more for one equipped with solar.

That is, I believe much of the added value of an installation generally translates to a higher appraised and potential selling price of a house especially since the tech is so in vogue right now. I don't have any numbers to support this... but I bet they are out there.

ehunter said:

wongfeihong187 said:

*sigh* I wish I can get solar. Right now the math on solar doesn't add up either, especially if I'm not planning to be at my home for 15-20 years.

Click to expand...

I don't know about anybody else, but if I were buying a house, I would pay more for one equipped with solar.

That is, I believe much of the added value of an installation generally translates to a higher appraised and potential selling price of a house especially since the tech is so in vogue right now. I don't have any numbers to support this... but I bet they are out there.

Click to expand...

That's what I've heard as well. However the upfront costs is what killing me on owning one. Well as the prices go down and technology advances on solar, I'm sure all new homes will have it as part of a "standard" option, rather than an "upgrade".

wongfeihong187 said:

ehunter said:

wongfeihong187 said:

*sigh* I wish I can get solar. Right now the math on solar doesn't add up either, especially if I'm not planning to be at my home for 15-20 years.

Click to expand...

I don't know about anybody else, but if I were buying a house, I would pay more for one equipped with solar.

That is, I believe much of the added value of an installation generally translates to a higher appraised and potential selling price of a house especially since the tech is so in vogue right now. I don't have any numbers to support this... but I bet they are out there.

Click to expand...

That's what I've heard as well. However the upfront costs is what killing me on owning one. Well as the prices go down and technology advances on solar, I'm sure all new homes will have it as part of a "standard" option, rather than an "upgrade".

Click to expand...

But even with upfront costs you get so much back that it helps make you want to buy now and reap all the benefits now. When the prices drop and everyone has them, there will be no incentives. I know of no investment that you get all your money back virtually guaranteed in 7 years and then it just lines your pockets for at least another 18 years and more than likely 50 years. And this all assumes that energy prices don't go up, which they will.

I am glad I got my permit and application in when I did. The only power station in the city which is a dirty coal burner had a fire inside a few weeks ago and the plant was completely shut down. 6/6 offline. It is now at 2/6 operating but it will take at least 2 years for it to become operational and pretty much as soon as it is back online, they will need to shut it down because it doesn't meet regulations on pollution output thank goodness. And they haven't even started the process of building a new replacement plant even though they have known for years that this plant would be shut down in 2016... Rates went up 20% after the fire all at once. Next month they will go up another 5% to 10% ontop of that and won't come back down until after all generators are back online according to the utilities and even then they say the rates will only go down slightly. I mean someone has to pay to build the new plant!

All 10KW of solar are now on my roof, just waiting on the city and utility inspectors to A-OK it.

wongfeihong187 said:

However the upfront costs is what killing me on owning one. Well as the prices go down and technology advances on solar, I'm sure all new homes will have it as part of a "standard" option, rather than an "upgrade".

Click to expand...

Yes many new homes have solar panels as an integral part of the roof rather than a structure built on top of the roof, lowering costs and simplifying maintenance.

As for upfront costs there are a number of companies that install and own solar panels on your roof with an agreement to buy your electricity from them at a fixed price for a number of years, after which panel ownership turns over to you. Basically they put in the investment and take the risk and reap part of the benefit of solar power, and you get to lock in a reasonably low electricity rate immune to future rate increases.

walterbays said:

wongfeihong187 said:

However the upfront costs is what killing me on owning one. Well as the prices go down and technology advances on solar, I'm sure all new homes will have it as part of a "standard" option, rather than an "upgrade".

Click to expand...

Yes many new homes have solar panels as an integral part of the roof rather than a structure built on top of the roof, lowering costs and simplifying maintenance.

As for upfront costs there are a number of companies that install and own solar panels on your roof with an agreement to buy your electricity from them at a fixed price for a number of years, after which panel ownership turns over to you. Basically they put in the investment and take the risk and reap part of the benefit of solar power, and you get to lock in a reasonably low electricity rate immune to future rate increases.

Click to expand...

I am not a big fan of leasing. Instead of you reaping max value, the lease company is the one who skims your hard earned dollars.

Here is an article released today on Bloomberg about how a lease can actually scare buyers of your home away. Summary, a lease scares buyers away, a purchase does the opposite. If you dont have the money for a purchase, fight tooth and nail and find it !
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-23/rooftop-solar-leases-scaring-buyers-when-homeowners-sell.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Check out this company that is getting ready to go into production of a solar cell that collects twice the light over a typical day. This is going to continue to significantly drive down the costs down further. I am guesstimating this is 2 years away from availability though.
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/board.aspx?board_id=5152" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Leasing solar is great, but I'm not planning to stay at my home past 10 years. And I heard that the next home owner has to qualify for taking over the lease? Anyway I'm hoping prices and technology advances in the next three years (that's when my leaf lease is up) to permanently consider solar.