Solarpunk

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Community solar IS available. I'm planning on joining up. (slrpnk.net)

submitted 1 year ago by n0m4n to c/solarpunk

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I just discovered a solar project run by my electrical provider, that allows me to pay for a number of grids, and will offset my usage and electric bills. This is a multi-state large publicly traded electric company, not a fly-by-night outfit. Essentially, this is similar to having my own panels, and being plugged in to sell excess kWs, but the panels are in their solar farm, managed, and maintained by the electric company. The break-even is 12 years, and the life is 20 years. The breakdown risks are insured by them. The negatives are that at exactly 20 years, I would have to do it again.

You are the experts. Are there other risks that I do not see?

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[–] Fiivemacs@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

This isn't inherently a bad idea, but this is imo no different then 'donating' money to a grocery store who is giving it to charity. It's only in place to promote the company, give them tax breaks and cut backs while you pay for their infastructure.

Is you contract set to change whenever they deem they want to change it ? What's your ROI if you don't use their stuff and have your own panels capable of handling just your property with a bit extra to feed into the grid?

[–] n0m4n 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I see it set up as a co-op, with the electricity generated to "my" panels being applied to my usage, for 20 years. The numbers in my particular case actually break even at 4 years, but I am checking the numbers carefully. This is close to the too-good-to-be-true category, so I am looking at it carefully. My wife worked at this company for years, from a meter reader up to an exec position in accounting. The numbers are based on kW, not dollars. If I use more, I pay more, and less usage means refunds. This leans to their favor. They use rates that are low for their refunds. If I did it myself, there are added costs of batteries, an electrical shed, separate from my home, using land that I can use for other purposes, and my time, which has value. If I built this, it would come in at about the same cost for materials alone. I purposely overengineer my stuff. TMI alert. Climate change caused disasters has cost me two homes. (flood, then wind) My house "codes" are aimed to European standards, and intended to last for lifetimes. I am a natural disaster prepper. edited a phrase to make it cleared to understand.