Our latest solar installation - great price now on solar systems

We have just finished a solar electric (PV) installation in Sanbornton and want to help more people install solar power. Below are pictures of the installation. You may be wondering why there are two panels “missing” from the rectangle. They are not missing, just delayed. New Hampshire’s rebate program only covers systems up to 5kW: if your system is bigger, you don’t qualify for a rebate. So, without the two “missing” panels, this system is 4970 watts. Once the rebate check comes through, there are no hindrances to adding to the system, thus, the two “missing” panels can be put in to create a full rectangle. The other picture shows the inverter inside the building. The inverter is on the left and leads to the fuse box on the right - this installation was in a barn. The line leading out of the fuse box on the right carries the solar power produced to the electric meter in the main house – where, on a sunny day, the meter runs BACKWARDS, reducing your electric bill!

 

Solar has been coming down in price, and with the rebates increasing – solar power is now cheaper than electricity from the power company, assuming you have a good solar orientation. Look at the chart below: whatever size system you install, you will be getting at least $10,000 more electricity out of it than if you bought the electricity from the power company.

GREAT PRICES ON SOLAR ELECTRIC SYSTEM 

FANTASTIC REBATES – FEDERAL AND STATE

$8.50 a watt installed!    Price on 2kW, 3kW, 4kW & 5kw!

2kW                          3kW                           4kW                           5kW

Cost of system ¹           

$17 k                        $25.5 k                  $34 k                        $42.5 k

Rebates ²                       

$11.1 k                    $13.65 k                $16.2 k                     $18.75 k

Cost after rebate           

$5.9 k                      $11.85 k                 $17.8 k                    $23.75 k

Value of electricity Produced ³

$12.4 k                    $18.5 k                   $24.7 k                     $30.9 k

¹ Flat roof-mount system on roof not more than two stories above ground. Solar Panels guaranteed 25 years. Ground, post, and tilt-mounts extra. Custom choice of panels, inverter, etc. available for small additional cost.

² 30% from US Government covers entire cost of purchase and installation. $3 a watt  (max 2kW)  from State of NH requires pre-approval of site by PUC. NHEC customers can get an additional $3,500 rebate from NHEC.

³  Assumes cost of electricity remains level over next 40 years. If cost of electricity increases, value of energy produced may be two to five times the amount shown here!  Assumes full  sun exposure, .77 derate factor

A brief word about “value of electricity produced”: We cannot see the future (well, not officially at least), so we calculate the value of the electricity the system produces at today’s prices, i.e. as if there will be no change in energy prices over the next 40 years. For comparison, electricity prices in New Hampshire have DOUBLED over the PAST TEN YEARS. So what happens if over the next 40 years, the price of electricity from the power company cumulatively doubles. That means the amount of electricity cost your system saves you doubles – with a 2kW system, you save $24,800 of electricity instead of just $12,400.  Now spending $5,900 to save $12,400 (or $24,800) makes sense to me! If your site only gets sunlight 90% of the day instead of 100% (which is what the figures presume), the value the system will produce is 90% of the number listed here, i.e. $11,100 instead of $12,400. $11,100 for an investment of $5,900 still sounds like a smart deal to me!

If you are a customer of NHEC, you can qualify for an additional $3,500 rebate from NHEC. So for an NHEC customer getting a 2kW system installed, your final cost would be $2,400….for $12,400 of electricity (minimum, based on full sunlight). I can’t think of any good reason any homeowner with a reasonably good solar exposure wouldn’t want to go solar now. If you are interested, call, email or come in for a talk and I’ll show you what is possible.

 

Posted on September 2, 2009 by Malik Haig