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What a weird article. In places with net metering, it doesn't matter when you use it. In places (like CA, under NEM2.0), where you get credits proportional to
by rconti 4y ago
What a weird article.
In places with net metering, it doesn't matter when you use it.
In places (like CA, under NEM2.0), where you get credits proportional to when you generate, you're still better off charging your car at night because you're getting multiplier effect when you generate during peak hours and consume at off-peak hours.
Everyone says to buy a bigger system than you think you'll need because your consumption goes up slowly over time. We're a net consumer despite our solar. I've gotta say, having solar has done something of the opposite to me. It's made it clear that the power you generate is not really yours; if you're grid-tied, the more you get into the minutia of what you make when you generate, what you're charged when you consume, grid interconnection fees, tiering, lack of grid sync when the grid is down, etc, the more it becomes clear that owning rooftop solar is NOT generating your own power for your own use, it's merely an arbitrage scheme where you're really trading your rooftop real estate for cheaper power.
- jacquesm 4y agoNetmetering is on the way out in plenty of places though.
- tshaddox 4y agoWould the feeling change if you had a day’s worth of batteries at home?
- rconti 4y agoAbsolutely! It just wasn't worth the cost to me at say $9k+. For a couple thousand, sure.
- hbarka 4y agoEven with net metering and all you have is solar, it still does matter when you use grid power. California peak rates are 3 PM to midnight, and you’re not getting any offset when the sun is down and then you’re conscious about peak rates. The calculus only changes when you have solar production + battery storage. Then you have freedom.
- rconti 4y agoAgreed. The fact is, even with solar, generating way more than I consume during peak hours, I STILL want to conserve, because that means I get more credits for charging the car overnight. It's not really "free energy" during the day if using it means I end up paying more for what I use overnight.
- bushbaba 4y agoSeems like a great deal to me. I get the benefits of solar and none of the cost or downside of energy storage. I sometimes wonder if rooftop solar + fossil fuel generators is the future for electric micro grids in more remote areas. Probably cheaper than maintaining expensive distribution lines in fire prone areas.
- ok_dad 4y agoWhat’s the downside of energy storage?
- hamandcheese 4y agoCapital expenditure, even more space, a giant battery to worry about burning down your home.
- ok_dad 4y agoI get the cost isn’t always worth it; the burning part is solved by putting the battery away from the home or using the proper battery chemistry; and they’re not so big. I think it would be best to have a local community battery that covers a neighborhood’s needs rather than huge ones for a region or single home batteries.
- justinclift 4y agoWonder how feasible it would be to have non-battery energy storage technology in people's homes? eg huge flywheel or some such, maybe in a newly dug basement ;)
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]