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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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[–] Smokeydope@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Make sure to calculate potential net profit vs initial investment cost. The juice may not be worth the squeeze in the long run. Also, those estimations might be calculated based off lab conditions, the real world is not nearly as forgiving to solar panels. Expect not all of them to live full expected life. You are betting that they will last longer than initial investment cost, the electric company is betting that enough people will sign up to this with their own money so that they can lessen their own power consumption to save money (profit!). You are taking a mild risk for a very long term investment that may or may not pay out. They are taking zero risk beyond maintenance fees and making relatively instant profit.

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

Eleven panels are quoted as needed. I am buying 12, (if I buy in) and would get my fraction equiv to twelve panels in their total array farm. Their insurance, wear, and depreciation is not my problem, because it is priced into their panel array costs. $4800 is a one time cost. Payments are available, at 20% higher cost. (20% for financing is far more than I am willing to pay.)

Alliant (the company) wants to be "green", and are putting in wind farms and solar farms. They sold their nuclear plant and mothballed their coal plants, rebuilding to more efficient natural-gas turbines and co-gen facilities. (Elec and heat). They are putting in incentives for people to buy in to solar, in their pricing structure, IMO. More farms will be built. This will average out old array replacement and will presumably reduce their costs, as efficiencies increase.

I also get the satisfaction of getting my net energy to zero, and helping to fund an innovative energy initiative, while off-loading risk and another complex time suck. edited the company name. thx auto-correct for messing me up again, lol