In southern California Edision's electrical territory the summer time-of-user peak rate is 52 cents a kilowatt hour and the off-peak rate is 28 cents per kWh.

For example, if you use 1000 kWh a month and build a solar system to make half that amount (500 kWh) you will only save about $300.00 a year. This leaves you with about $2100 a year in electrical bills. If you build a system that makes 1,000kWh a month then your bill goes to zero.

Each one KW of solar panels in Southern California generates 150 kWh a month on average. Each KW costs $10,000 installed before rebates and $7,500 after rebates and tax credits in California. A 3KW system will generate 450 kWh a month and costs $18,000 installed after rebates and credits. So the above example of the 1,000 kWh a month user with a 3KW system has a 60 year payback period. The 6KW system at twice the cost has a 15 year payback period. That's if electrical rates don't ever rise...

Why is this happening?

The CA Solar program is currently like a wolf guarding the hen house. The utility companies hate consumer solar and are using their lobbying power to derail solar anyway that they can. Besides sneaking in outrageous rules, I have direct experience with utility companies telling my clients that they'd be crazy to go solar.

When I started my solar business in 2000 one of the solar-old-timers told me to prepare for the roller-coaster ride of the rebate program. He stated to me that the big players will do everything they can to get rid of new players. He was right and I am glad I listened and planned accordingly. In fact he told me that back in the seventies solar was so controversial that a professor at a US university was fired for promoting it. It seems the pressure came from the Oil companies that were big sponsors of the school.

The California goal is 1,000,000 solar roofs in 10 years. To date there has only been about 20,000 solar installations -- only 980,000 to go.

Solar works. The warranty on solar panels state that the panel will be producing at 80% of what it is doing today in 25 years. The panels will drop about 1% a year thereafter. So in 50 years your solar panels will be producing at 55% of what they are doing today.

Please take a moment to Call the governator of California and tell him that he needs to quickly change this time-of-use rule. The governor's office number is: 916-445-2841.

Email This Article

Related Links
California Solar Rebate program
All About Solar Energy at SolarDaily.com