One Year – Let’s Run the Numbers

July 21, 2005 by · 7 Comments
Filed under: Solar Energy 

This is the first anniversary of the first successful meter reading by PSE&G after activating the panels.  That means that we can run the numbers.

All values are kWh.  This year’s date is 7/21/2005 – last year was 7/21/2004.

Inverter 1 This Year:  4279  Last Year:  677  Total Inverter 1:  3602

Inverter 2 This Year:  3544  Last Year:  565  Total Inverter 2:  2979

Total Solar Generation:  6581

Meter Out This Year:  8724  Last Year:  1365  Total Bought:  7359

Meter In This Year:  4823  Last Year:  564  Total Sold:  4259

Net Metering Purchase:  3100

Total Electricity Use = Total Solar Generation – Total Sold + Total Bought = 9681

Solar Generation Percentage = Total Solar Generation / Total Electricity Use = 68.0%

Our installer predicted that we’d generate 2/3 of our usage.  He was pretty much dead on – the real numbers are just a smidge better than that.  Additionally, we reduced our utility demand by that much – reducing utility pollution.

When it comes to dollars, we actually did better than these numbers show.  PSE&G rates increase above 600 kWh per month in the summer.  Our usage allows us to avoid going over 600 kWh net purchase per month, avoiding the higher rates.

Our savings works out this way:

Green Mountain Energy Supply Charge: $0.07508 / kWh

PSE&G Delivery Charge:  $0.0.30305 / kWh (the lowest rate – it’s higher above 600 kWh in the summer and higher in the winter as well at $0.0384/kWh)

Total Rate:  $0.10539 / kWh

Our Savings:  $693.57 for one year

That would produce a 23 year payback but with the added $1251 from the sale of the SREC, it’s a 8.5 year payback.

And the air is cleaner.