Solar & NEM 3.0

[SKSolar]

Just wonder anyone has a Solar PV System under NEM 3.0?

I just received my 1st bill yesterday with partial Solar NEM 3.0. The bill gave me an insight to the differences between going solar and not going solar.

It was shocking to see how the PU Commissioners help the utility companies gouging residential PV homeowners for going solar.

While the utility companies pay you only about $0.03 for every KWH of solar energy you exported, they would charge you $0.23 to $0.62 for the same amount of energy you imported. And that is not enough. This is what they also do.
Suppose between 5:00 AM to 4:00 PM, you have exported 10 KWH to the grid and you also imported 5 KWH. You have an excess of 5KWH. But this is not how tyou get charged/paid.
Assuming the rate is $0.26 per KWH, they would charge you 5 x $0.26 = $1.30! Because you export 10KWH, you get 10 x $0.03=$0.30 back.
You need to pay $1.00.
They took your 5KWH and sell for another $1.30!
Anyone saw their NEM 3.0 bill similar?

 

[jaggedben]

Yup.

 

[jaggedben]

It's even worse than that. Last month the CPUC decided that the 0.03 cents (sometimes more) that you get for your exports can only offset the generation portion of your bill, which is like a 3rd of the the import cost. So let's say to modify your example above you imported 5kwh at 26cents and exported 20kwh at 3cents. $1.30-$0.60 should be $0.60 right? But no, because the $0.60 can only offset something like $0.40 for generation, so there's $0.20 left on the table they will never pay you.

The bottom line is from a financial perspective it isn't worth producing any solar that you can't either use immediately or store in battery for later. Well, at least until they convince the CPUC to let them raise rates again even higher, perhaps.

 

[ceb58]

I worked for one of the larger solar companies for a short time. Was sent on a call to make sure that the install was correct. The POCO the customer was on bought all he produced being measured through a demand meter. After I assured him it was wired correctly his comment was " you mean to tell me my power bill is still over $300.00, my solar payment is 160.00 a month and my credit is only $15.00" yep that's about right you should have read the contract and interconnect agreement before falling for some salesman's pitch of how you were going to help save the world and have a $0.00 power bill.

 

[curt swartz]

California requires solar for new construction projects but the customer gets very little benefit now.

You can install batteries to store the energy but that is another expense offsetting any saving you get from having the solar.

Lets not forget all the ad's on every news/media web site, Facebook, Nextdoor, etc. California Gov will pay for you to install solar. Not only does California not offer any financial incentives for people to install solar they charge a penalty in the form of sales tax on the systems. At least the federal government does offer incentives.

In my opinion it should be illegal to offer systems with power purchasing agreements. You either pay for the system upfront or get a loan to pay for it. 90% of the people choosing the PPA have not clue what they are really agreeing to. They just hear the sales person saying we will save you money.

I installed a 11.47KW system on my house, not to save the environment but to save on my power bills. I'm under NEM 2.0 but who knows how long before they take that away. I paid for the material and took care of the installation. Its MY system.

 

[SKSolar]

California requires solar for new construction projects but the customer gets very little benefit now.

You can install batteries to store the energy but that is another expense offsetting any saving you get from having the solar.

Lets not forget all the ad's on every news/media web site, Facebook, Nextdoor, etc. California Gov will pay for you to install solar. Not only does California not offer any financial incentives for people to install solar they charge a penalty in the form of sales tax on the systems. At least the federal government does offer incentives.

In my opinion it should be illegal to offer systems with power purchasing agreements. You either pay for the system upfront or get a loan to pay for it. 90% of the people choosing the PPA have not clue what they are really agreeing to. They just hear the sales person saying we will save you money.

I installed a 11.47KW system on my house, not to save the environment but to save on my power bills. I'm under NEM 2.0 but who knows how long before they take that away. I paid for the material and took care of the installation. Its MY system.

The NEM 3.0 was the product of the PU Commissioners. Those commissioners are looking at the interest of the utility companies. I don't really mind they pay me the 3 cents rate so long as offset my production first.
The bill I received yesterday also came with a Public Hearing Notice for residential rate increase of 10.6%!

Enough is enough, we should send a petition to Governor to fire the commissioners!!

 

[SKSolar]

It's even worse than that. Last month the CPUC decided that the 0.03 cents (sometimes more) that you get for your exports can only offset the generation portion of your bill, which is like a 3rd of the the import cost. So let's say to modify your example above you imported 5kwh at 26cents and exported 20kwh at 3cents. $1.30-$0.60 should be $0.60 right? But no, because the $0.60 can only offset something like $0.40 for generation, so there's $0.20 left on the table they will never pay you.

The bottom line is from a financial perspective it isn't worth producing any solar that you can't either use immediately or store in battery for later. Well, at least until they convince the CPUC to let them raise rates again even higher, perhaps.

I invested $18K together with a single Enphase battery. Look like my saving is $30 to $50 a month. My payback will be 20-30 years!

 

[Elect117]

Utility costs are only going to go up. The lower the bill is, the lower the budget to make repairs on an aging system is. Most of the poles and conductor for the primary are 30+ years old.

With solar effecting the meters, insurance agencies threating to pull fire insurance (like earthquake), and utilities not being able to meet their maintenance responsibilities, it was only natural that bills were going to go up. When a group is responsible for both the rates and the utilities maintenance responsibilities, you have to imagine they are going to agree to rates increase on middle class and up families if the utilities promise it will help them complete inspections and maintenance.

I am sorry that solar isn't what it once was, but the balance has to be restored to the force!