APS contract question

davidg35davidg35 Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭
in General Solar Power Topics #1
How long do I have to stay connected to the grid if I accept their payment to defray the cost of installation. I thought it was 7 years but not sure.
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  • BB.BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 31,070 admin
    edited June 2017 #2
    It really depends on your specific utility.

    If GT solar costs you ~$0.10 or so per Watt--How does that compare to the price of power in your area?

    And you have to look at how the utility bills for GT Solar... 10 years ago, the politics of "green energy" were really tilted to subsidizing the GT Solar customer.

    Today, many of those subsidies are being reduced, or in some cases, being eliminated all together (makes it economically nonviable--Such as Nevada), or like in Hawaii where they made GT solar "illegal" (for various business and engineering reasons).

    In California, you can still save money with GT Solar-But you really have to look at the rate plans (commercial or residential). At this point, in Northern California (PG&E), we have to use Time of Use metering. Which can make understanding and planning your energy usage a bit of a pain (with have off peak, partial peak, and peak during weekday spring/summer; and off peak and partial peak fall/winter/weekends).

    In general, it is better to work on conservation first (insulation, LED lighting, new high efficiency HVAC systems, laptop vs desktop computers, etc.). For many people with older homes that have never tried conservation before, it is possibly to save almost 50% of your utility bill through conservation.

    -Bill

    I guess you are in Arizona with APS?

    https://www.aps.com/en/globalservices/installers/Pages/resources-for-green-energy-installers.aspx

    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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