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I have a 1kW solar panel battery storage system which I use to power my computers and servers. I installed it a couple of years ago to help mitigate the $0.37 k
by hwstar 11y ago
I have a 1kW solar panel battery storage system which I use to power my computers and servers. I installed it a couple of years ago to help mitigate the $0.37 kWh top tier rate that SDG&E charges.
In California, a minimum charge was introduced and will be $10.00 starting in 2016. I suspect that this charge will be jacked up in increments till it is a significant fraction of the monthly bill.
If this does indeed play out, then the only option will be solar with localized energy storage, and disconnect completely from the grid.
California also will be flattening the rate curve at the Utility companies request to combat solar installations in the next 1-2 years. Users in the first tier will be paying more, the other tiers will be combined into one and be at a lower rate than the current top tier. In 2019 there is a plan to move everyone to time of use pricing. Once time of use is mandated, it may be too expensive to remain connected to the grid.
- RealityVoid 11y agoWhat you're saying does not make sense from the utilities point of view. Why, if they have superior competition, would they make themselves more uncompetitive? Besides, centralized energy systems have certain advantages that household operations do not have. Maybe even better ones will arrive once solar becomes more accessible. SO it makes sense that they will stay at least as competitive as off-grid systems.
- tired_man 11y agoCan't keep customers? Then charge the ones you do have even more to make up for that shortfall. Businesses trying to keep their outdated business models alive do that sort of thing all the time. Just look at the music and movie industry's continued flailing as they try to keep CDs/DVDs profitable while their customer base wants files that they can play on _any_ device they own, not a physical copy or some DRM-laden crap that forces them to use it on one system.
- tired_man 11y agoThat's San Diego Graft and Extortion you're talking about, right? This movement is going to put the skids under the home solar company's pitch that you'll be able to feed electricity back and sell it to the power companies.