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Case could help shape future of Texas rooftop solar power
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If I had a big solar array (which I plan to do eventually) and the power company succeeds in the rate hike, I'd be tempted to get even more panels, a bunch of powerwalls, maybe add some wind turbines, and a fuel generator as a last resort to just get off the grid. Or look into alternative storage mechanisms like the compressed air concept you posted earlier.
Of course all this comes after the house is paid off.
Of course all this comes after the house is paid off.
It is happening faster here in Australia.
Power here costs about double what most US members have posted.
Petrol, (gas), is about 4x your price.
The government here is too busy contemplating its collective navel to think about incentives for electrification of the fleet.
The more the power suppliers put the price up, the more people hit the threshold for solar to be cost effective, the faster they race toward forced change.
Yeah, we'll win, but it's painful in the meantime.
With no discounts available, I paid more for my second hand 2012 Volt than most of you paid new.
I still love being an early adopter.
Most here have no idea what a Volt is, or is about.
Power here costs about double what most US members have posted.
Petrol, (gas), is about 4x your price.
The government here is too busy contemplating its collective navel to think about incentives for electrification of the fleet.
The more the power suppliers put the price up, the more people hit the threshold for solar to be cost effective, the faster they race toward forced change.
Yeah, we'll win, but it's painful in the meantime.
With no discounts available, I paid more for my second hand 2012 Volt than most of you paid new.
I still love being an early adopter.
Most here have no idea what a Volt is, or is about.
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4,146 Posts
I think that the approach the power companies have to take is to ensure that revenues are such that the grid can be maintained. If revenue decreases, rates must increase since grid costs are fixed (or increasing). Private solar generation of power is almost an adversarial element for the power companies. Too many customers reducing their grid electricity consumption and the power companies are doomed. Rate increases, tariffs, fees, etc. are ways to forestall the move to solar.
Llninja has the right idea, if solar is the desired goal. He should take a long look at expenses for up-keep of his independent system over 30-40 years and compare them to his payments for grid power. They might be more in the long run. I don’t know.
Nice to know that our brothers in Australia are driving Volts. 8^) (...some of them, anyway).
Easy solution -- Spin off the power distribution network from the generation companies, and have them bill separately for the services that they each provide. Distribution company gets monthly (or more reasonably -- daily) charges for connection to, and generation companies get to share in a net-metered pot of money from connected customers.
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Sorry for my obtuseness... how is what you describe an easy solution? One of those companies will feel the effects of lack-of-sales due to solar competition. That company will eventually fold. The other company will no longer have a customer for the grid and that company will fold.
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They're just following OK and AZ actions...
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/new-fees-may-weaken-demand-for-rooftop-solar/
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I'm pretty certain I will not see an ROI on solar. Illinois electricity is too cheap and i would need to see rates double AND power generation drop in half AND get all the fed and state benefits to see an ROI. What is more likely is an LWI play (LLninja wants it - step 1, pay off the mortgage, step 2 pay taxes, step 3 feed my face, step 4 buy whatever I damn well please).
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I'm guessing that El Paso Electric has failed to separate power purchase costs from local transmission and infrastructure costs. Reading deeper into that article it appears that this was really a general rate hike with non-solar customers seeing a 9% increase as well as the "doubling" the rates for solar customers.
Utilities really need to separate the cost of their distribution infrastructure from the cost of the product (water, electricity, gas, etc.). Then everyone who's hooked up gets to share the cost of the distribution but those who don't use as much product will see lower bills.
Utilities really need to separate the cost of their distribution infrastructure from the cost of the product (water, electricity, gas, etc.). Then everyone who's hooked up gets to share the cost of the distribution but those who don't use as much product will see lower bills.
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