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SolarCity

Ducky_Fresh

Ducky_Fresh

Treasure Hunter
Joined
Aug 28, 2002
Location
South Bay
Moto(s)
Virtual Moto
Name
Ev
Anyone get panels from Solar City on their house?

What rate did you pay?

I'm looking at a 20 year lease deal, with $0 down. The rate is $0.175 per KWH or so. I get in to tier 3 & 4 during the summer months. I want to say peak usage is 950, while winter is lower around 500-600.

So the savings is there and I would lock in the rate (which increases at 2.9% over the 20 years), which matches inflation, etc.

Any thoughts are welcome!
 
I think there's barfers who work there :dunno

Search Solar?

or maybe ask Roundboy.
 
Used to work there...so did Augustiron but I believe he left recently...Erosinc knows another guy who he says did the same job for half the price but that would be a pay up front and not a finance.

You should check if your bank would do a loan and look for a cash deal? Otherwise you are locking into whoever they choose to finance the loan or if they finance themselves etc. they aren't a bank so just do your full scope and due diligence of everything that is out there and look for all your options.

that's my 0.02

other than that Solar City is a decent company. Make sure you lock in the scheduled installation date and ask what panels they are using.

There are big companies and there are smaller companies.
Cost of Panels varies on the quality of the panel.
Cost of installation and the rest can vary company to company.

You want somebody that will do it clean and skillfully without taking too long and without jerking you around.

Get multiple bids and decide who seems to take care of every aspect from the scheduling to the delivery of the quote to the customer service of the people you speak with.
 
Op, you could pay around 8 cents a KWh if you purchase the system. To do this you would need some cash or equity.

The main risk I see with a lease;
Selling your home down the road. Will potential buyers be interested in signing a contract with your Solar Co, or will they look for less complicated purchases? Will a bank want to loan on a house with a loan already in first position.

These lease companys sell this stuff like candy, they have all the answers but only time will tell, I guess.
Solar City is probably as good or better than the rest for leasing, but I understand they are booked out 6 maybe 9 months so don't be in a hurry.

I will impart on my Barf brothers some insider info which will help you make your decision easier. You can analyze you bids using this formula.

Total cost of system/KWh produced over 20 years= X
The lower the X the better or cheaper the system.

If this info is not readly available on the proposal or the salesman makes finding it difficult than you should move on. GL
 
I'm ok on the lease option. And I'm working with Alex as he is also my friend. But being friends sometimes makes business tricky. Mostly looking for direct feedback on SolarCity and what to keep a look out for specifically.

I've considered the bank aspect on it, but feel like it will be commonplace soon. Plus, if the rate is actually lower, then its all good and may increase the desirability of my home. But I'm not banking on it..

There is some FUD and spin around PG&E rates going up, but I am also in sales and live in the present. But I will have to assume Tier 3 and 4 rates will go up, while Tier 1 & 2 will remain protected. So, if my house has a peak in usage, I may pay a little premium to prevent getting in to 3 and 4 altogether, but also may not max out Tier 1 and 2 consumption that is allowed (300 & 99 kwh).
 
Ducky_Fresh said:
Anyone get panels from Solar City on their house?

What rate did you pay?

I'm looking at a 20 year lease deal, with $0 down. The rate is $0.175 per KWH or so. I get in to tier 3 & 4 during the summer months. I want to say peak usage is 950, while winter is lower around 500-600.

So the savings is there and I would lock in the rate (which increases at 2.9% over the 20 years), which matches inflation, etc.

Any thoughts are welcome!
Click to expand...

Dont you want to get down to the lowest tier 1 rates?

I don't know how people go above tier 1 in the first place. I could add a EV and I would still be in tier 1, I think.
 
Ducky_Fresh said:
Anyone get panels from Solar City on their house?

What rate did you pay?

I'm looking at a 20 year lease deal, with $0 down. The rate is $0.175 per KWH or so. I get in to tier 3 & 4 during the summer months. I want to say peak usage is 950, while winter is lower around 500-600.

So the savings is there and I would lock in the rate (which increases at 2.9% over the 20 years), which matches inflation, etc.

Any thoughts are welcome!
Click to expand...

Dont you want to get down to the lowest tier 1 rates?

I don't know how people go above tier 1 in the first place. I could add a EV and I would still be in tier 1, I think.

The system should cost $5.30/Watt installed. I would pay with cash, but then again I only need ~2KW, to be net zero for the year.
 
Why the lease? You're young and could potentially be in the house for decades. Why not just buy it and take the fat tax credit/rebates....unless those aren't as much anymore?

My dad dropped about $12k for a system. Think he said 25% was a tax credit. His ~$200 PG&E bill went to nill. That rate should take a little over three years to pay for itself.
 
I was looking into these for a while.

Not answering your question but wanted to bring up something that was said to me when looking.

You get far more productivity if you have a south facing roof
As opposed to east/west.
 
Ask specifically for American-made panels as it generally doesn't.increase cost. I'm on my phone and will type more later, but I worked in their contracts department.
 
Mine faces south actually. But north facing is apparently the best because rates change at 2pm. Not 7am. So my electric car rates go up and my solar doesn't kick in.

You never get out of tier 1? What are you, poor???

My house always gets out of tier 1. Every month of the year.

I think I'm going to do it and sign up for like 600 kWh and bank on pge rates going way up.
 
Last edited:
EjGlows said:
Ask specifically for American-made panels as it generally doesn't.increase cost. I'm on my phone and will type more later, but I worked in their contracts department.
Click to expand...

Good advise.

Ducky_Fresh said:
Mine faces south actually. But north facing is apparently the best because rates change at 2pm. Not 7am. So my electric car rates go up and my solar doesn't kick in. WUT?
You never get out of tier 1? What are you, poor???

My house always gets out of tier 1. Every month of the year.

I think I'm going to do it and sign up for like 600 kWh and bank on pge rates going way up.
Click to expand...

Killroy1999 said:
Good advise. :teeth I engineer solar module equipment for work.
Click to expand...
Yes
 
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