Author Topic: Solar panels  (Read 19605 times)

Offline skyguy918

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Re: Solar panels
« Reply #40 on: March 14, 2019, 11:18:48 AM »
i think your getting ripped. I am getting 34 panels 390w each for 32k.
No comparison of 8 vs 34 panels. Completely different pricing structure - I was told as much straight out by one company. Is that $32k the system price or after incentives?

Offline cozmohoot

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Re: Solar panels
« Reply #41 on: March 14, 2019, 02:53:59 PM »
The company I went with initially quoted me 20 panels. After PickMySolar only offered 12 or 13, I went back and asked how 20 would fit. They sent their engineer (before signing any deal), he went up on the roof and decided he could fit 14. Based on that, I eventually got PickMySolar to procure quotes for 14 as well. You may not know for sure until someone goes up on your roof, but 6-8 is not a huge range and I doubt the math changes too much if you have to go smaller.

I did like Sunpower's pitch. My system has basically the same warranties, monitoring, etc. but Sunpower seems to have it all very streamlined - my company essentially subcontracted out most of the work, while I believe Sunpower has to be all in-house. If your specific installer closes, you're still covered by any other Sunpower installer. I believe they all give a first year production guarantee (I guess they cut you a check if it doesn't hit the mark), which I don't have. The main reasons I didn't go with them were cost (their best offer ended up being $18,542 for 14x327W vs $18,570 for 14x350) and the fact that none of them offered me higher output panels like you're getting (still not sure why they wouldn't use anything with higher output than the 327W).

I typed out a whole megilla analyzing your numbers, but decided that wasn't necessary. Bottom line, in comparison to what I got it doesn't seem like a great deal, but if that's the best that's out there, it definitely seems worth doing. Your breakeven (accounting for all incentives and ignoring their timing) at current electricity costs and no assumed cost inflation is still just 6.5 years, which is pretty quick and leaves plenty of life in the panels to make a profit over the longer term. Hopefully using a more established player like Sunpower will produce a much smoother installation and maintenance experience.
Thanks for taking the time.
I think I will try and get 1 more quote from a heimeshe place. So far I only got pickmysolar and 1 other.

Offline skyguy918

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Re: Solar panels
« Reply #42 on: March 14, 2019, 03:42:52 PM »
Thanks for taking the time.
I think I will try and get 1 more quote from a heimeshe place. So far I only got pickmysolar and 1 other.
Maybe PM Dave321 for his company ;D

Offline cozmohoot

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Re: Solar panels
« Reply #43 on: March 26, 2019, 12:52:23 PM »
I got quoted for 8 panels sunpower 370 2.96kw which will generate approximately 3700kwh per year.
20,100 -900 instant nyserda credit.
19k loan.
5700 federal credit tax return.
4800 NYS credit tax return.
3900 ny property tax abatement over 4 years.

Official cost after incentives is 4800.

Panels cover approx half my yearly usage so I will still have coned bill during summer months...

Thoughts?
Wonder if I can negotiate the price...

Interesting since the 3 quotes from pickmysolar said only 6 panels and this other company says 8.

I just got another quote and its much less.
I forgot the name of the panel but i think it was trine or something.
generates same amount (3700kwh).
total cost is 10,700
federal CR of 3200 (to be put back into loan)
state CR of 2600  (to be put back into loan)
prop tax abatement 2200 over 4 years.



Offline est

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Re: Solar panels
« Reply #44 on: March 27, 2019, 09:04:29 AM »
Any recommendations for nj?

Offline aygart

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Re: Solar panels
« Reply #45 on: March 27, 2019, 09:23:41 AM »
Any recommendations for nj?
For commercial I can help you.
Feelings don't care about your facts

Offline normathej

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Re: Solar panels
« Reply #46 on: March 27, 2019, 10:19:35 AM »
Any recommendations for nj?

+1
I am also curious to know if the "projections" that vendors give you are typically reasonably accurate, or if they have no resemblance to reality...

Offline est

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Re: Solar panels
« Reply #47 on: March 27, 2019, 10:23:49 AM »
For commercial I can help you.
Residential

Offline normathej

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Re: Solar panels
« Reply #48 on: March 27, 2019, 10:26:00 AM »
For commercial I can help you.

What roof size qualifies as commercial vs. residential?

Offline cozmohoot

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Re: Solar panels
« Reply #49 on: March 27, 2019, 06:21:34 PM »
I just got another quote and its much less.
I forgot the name of the panel but i think it was trine or something.
generates same amount (3700kwh).
total cost is 10,700
federal CR of 3200 (to be put back into loan)
state CR of 2600  (to be put back into loan)
prop tax abatement 2200 over 4 years.
What do you have to say @skyguy?

Offline skyguy918

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Re: Solar panels
« Reply #50 on: March 28, 2019, 11:03:07 AM »
What do you have to say @skyguy?
Hard to argue with half the cost. A few things though. The first quote I got from the company I went with was for 300w Trina panels. From my limited research, it seems like a real step down from something like SunPower or LG, but I encourage you to find out more details on the specific models being offered in the various quotes you get (start here - https://news.energysage.com/best-solar-panels-complete-ranking/). Some key differences may be the warranty (length, coverage, labor cost for replacement, etc.) and the expected degradation (what % of the initial production you can expect after 5, 10, 15, etc. years). Also find out what kind of inverter(s) (see here for an explanation of the different types - https://www.energysage.com/solar/101/string-inverters-microinverters-power-optimizers/) are included, and which monitoring system is included if any. I have microinverters and monitoring from Enphase, and I'm happy with it so far.

As you can see from the links above, EnergySage is a great resource in general. Might be worth reading through their whole Solar 101 section.

If the choices end up being just the 2 systems you gave details for here, I'd have a hard time paying double, even if it's a markedly better system. I assume the lower quote came from a non SunPower installer. Maybe ask them for a higher end quote - something with LG/Panasonic or similar panels and SolarEdge/Enphase or similar inverter system? It for sure won't be as cheap as with the Trina, but it come in lower than SunPower at a price point that's worth the upgrade over Trina.


Offline davidd75

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Re: Solar panels
« Reply #51 on: March 28, 2019, 02:16:15 PM »
any tips or anything else I should know regarding selling solar SRECS.  Which company should I use, should I wait to sell multiples etc...  or are the differences negligible?

Offline Coinguy

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Re: Solar panels
« Reply #52 on: March 31, 2019, 04:31:01 PM »
Are there any other companies besides for powerlutions that service NJ?

Offline aygart

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Re: Solar panels
« Reply #53 on: March 31, 2019, 05:27:07 PM »
Are there any other companies besides for powerlutions that service NJ?
Residential or commercial?
Feelings don't care about your facts

Offline shmaltz

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Re: Solar panels
« Reply #54 on: March 31, 2019, 06:22:40 PM »
Are there any other companies besides for powerlutions that service NJ?
I spoke to the owner of green revolution, which services New Jersey - he seems very competitively priced, knowledgeable, and easy to deal with in general and in terms of working out payments.

Offline davidd75

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Re: Solar panels
« Reply #55 on: April 01, 2019, 09:32:15 AM »
whom should I use to sell SRECs?

Offline cozmohoot

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Re: Solar panels
« Reply #56 on: April 01, 2019, 08:22:38 PM »
Hard to argue with half the cost. A few things though. The first quote I got from the company I went with was for 300w Trina panels. From my limited research, it seems like a real step down from something like SunPower or LG, but I encourage you to find out more details on the specific models being offered in the various quotes you get (start here - https://news.energysage.com/best-solar-panels-complete-ranking/). Some key differences may be the warranty (length, coverage, labor cost for replacement, etc.) and the expected degradation (what % of the initial production you can expect after 5, 10, 15, etc. years). Also find out what kind of inverter(s) (see here for an explanation of the different types - https://www.energysage.com/solar/101/string-inverters-microinverters-power-optimizers/) are included, and which monitoring system is included if any. I have microinverters and monitoring from Enphase, and I'm happy with it so far.

As you can see from the links above, EnergySage is a great resource in general. Might be worth reading through their whole Solar 101 section.

If the choices end up being just the 2 systems you gave details for here, I'd have a hard time paying double, even if it's a markedly better system. I assume the lower quote came from a non SunPower installer. Maybe ask them for a higher end quote - something with LG/Panasonic or similar panels and SolarEdge/Enphase or similar inverter system? It for sure won't be as cheap as with the Trina, but it come in lower than SunPower at a price point that's worth the upgrade over Trina.
Does this answer?...

Trina 375W panels and SolarEdge invertor with optimizers, SolarEdge comes with monitoring. 


Offline skyguy918

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Re: Solar panels
« Reply #57 on: April 02, 2019, 10:37:28 AM »
Does this answer?...

Trina 375W panels and SolarEdge invertor with optimizers, SolarEdge comes with monitoring.
It answers the part about what type of inverter system you'd have - a single inverter with power optimizers on each panel. So basically, the equipment being used is definitely a big part of the difference in cost between the SunPower quote and this one. It's still probably a better price overall, but it's not completely apples to apples. The SolarEdge system is probably nearly as good as what you'd see out of a micro-inverter based system, with similar long warranty and monitoring. As far as the panels, you'd have to ask about the specifics of warranty and performance for the exact models being offered to you in each quote. As an example, my LG panels are warranted at 95% of the initial power output over the first 5 years, with the warranted output dropping .4% each year until 25 years (88.4%). This is considered industry leading, and I think SunPower's is very similar. Trina's warranties are not that extensive. I've seen some where they guarantee only 90% over the first 10 years, and then dropping down to 80% from 10-25 years. I think some may even have less than that.

Offline davidd75

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Re: Solar panels
« Reply #58 on: April 02, 2019, 01:35:28 PM »
Has anybody tried selling their Srecs directly to the energy producers instead of going through a broker or aggregator to save on broker fees etc...?

Offline cozmohoot

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Re: Solar panels
« Reply #59 on: April 02, 2019, 05:48:21 PM »
It answers the part about what type of inverter system you'd have - a single inverter with power optimizers on each panel. So basically, the equipment being used is definitely a big part of the difference in cost between the SunPower quote and this one. It's still probably a better price overall, but it's not completely apples to apples. The SolarEdge system is probably nearly as good as what you'd see out of a micro-inverter based system, with similar long warranty and monitoring. As far as the panels, you'd have to ask about the specifics of warranty and performance for the exact models being offered to you in each quote. As an example, my LG panels are warranted at 95% of the initial power output over the first 5 years, with the warranted output dropping .4% each year until 25 years (88.4%). This is considered industry leading, and I think SunPower's is very similar. Trina's warranties are not that extensive. I've seen some where they guarantee only 90% over the first 10 years, and then dropping down to 80% from 10-25 years. I think some may even have less than that.
manufacturer production garantee is one half of one percent every year for 30 years. 

We offer a full 10 year warranty that includes labor the manufacturer offer warranties up to 25 years and production 30 years




Thanks again for the help!