Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

SnooDrawings7662 t1_j4weybh wrote

Reply to comment by Coincel_pro in Electrical costs are obscene. by uwuwotsdps42069

Yeah, and the rules for how the sizing is determined.. is rife for abuse.

The law allows you to install a solar array with which is 100% replacement production for average of last 3 years (or total of last year if you haven't live there for 3 years) -
but there is a "correction" factor multipled against the DC size of the array to calcualte it out.
So my "replacement' number was 10,500 kWh for the year.
but I was only allowed to put in a 8.7 kWh DC system - the "correction" factor is rougly 19% ... but my array has never made more than 8,800 kWH in a year.
E.g. I could have put a bigger system - but the "correction" limited what i could put up.

Solar is good, and believe it or Not - RI has some of the most generous Solar incentives in the country - but it could be a bit better still.

22

Rickshmitt t1_j4wftme wrote

It made me so mad when i got mine..the size of my system is based on...previous usage and not what i plan to do? Fuck the energy companies

16

SnooDrawings7662 t1_j4wjl6p wrote

To be fair - if you have a quote for new heat pump or electric car - you can get them to increase size - based on predicted usage - and then you have to document with them that you got the new heatpump, new electric appliance or new electric car within one year - but ... I didn't get a heat pump until a couple years later.

Solar was installed in 2018 - and i got a heat pump in 2020.

8

Status_Silver_5114 t1_j4wz3eb wrote

We pushed back and added panels to our quoted system for this reason. Solpower was fine doing this since we were willing to pay for it. Granted this was seven years ago and maybe the state rules have changed but ask your installer?

3

Rickshmitt t1_j4x7tp9 wrote

Oh i got mine years ago now. It was just such a red flag that the energy company controls what i want to install

3

Status_Silver_5114 t1_j4xt93m wrote

We were never told there was any limit - there’s what they recommend in terms of size. But it wasn’t framed in terms of a state rule and clearly we were able to go past that so it’s interesting your installer framed it that way.

1

uwuwotsdps42069 OP t1_j4wgr94 wrote

Yeah that was frustrating to hear. Solar based on historical usage, what a joke. I should be able to cover my entire roof in panels and excess goes back into the grid, but then RIE al would have to spend money to make it so the grid can handle two-way traffic.

11

jukeb0xhero84 t1_j4xeotc wrote

Somehow they can clear cut big areas of forest to put in solar panels, but limit the size of residential units? Corruption as usual… we get stuck paying the bill.

8