Hey how's it going ? I'm looking at a 8 kw solar edge roof top system .No batteries .It's net metering .Looking for honest opinions .And any comments from people that mite already be using solar .
As long as the government (we taxpayers) are paying for most of the costs of the system, and the utilities are forced to pay retail for the overproduction, a solar array can be an OK investment as long as you can afford to pay for the entire installation and don't end up paying it over time. The net metering will go away though, as soon as a critical number of solar systems are installed as it is being paid by the people that don't have solar and if there get to be too few of those the utility will go broke. net metering will end well before that happens. When net metering ends people that are paying their systems off over time will have larger costs than if they had done nothing. Also keep in mind that the entire system will likely have to be replaced if you reroof, so it is not advised on an older roof.
Cool new roof last yr. And system will be paid for at end of installation. So when net metering goes away. Can a install batteries ?
You can install batteries, but when you factor in the maintenance and the fact that they have to be replaced every few years they rarely pencil out as an advantage. Generally the only time a solar system is cost effective (without the subsidies) is when it offsets air conditioning as there is some correlation between air conditioning use and when the panels are working. Utilities are also moving to a system where there will be a significant monthly fee charged to people who only use their power when their systems are the most taxed, like during bad weather. This makes sense as the utility cannot delete even one power plant, or let one person go, even if everyone had solar as during bad weather they have to supply everyone just as if the solar didn't exist.
You don't say what state that you live in or how much sun that you might get to justify solar panels. That would be helpful.
