I'm getting solar panels. I'll let you know how it goes in this discussion thread.

ethicalpaul · November 4

Last week I received Permission to Operate (PTO) from my utility, PSE&G

It took them almost a month to get around to emailing me that I had PTO from the point where they actually granted it.

Then I had to contact my solar contractor after a few days of nothing happening because apparently they don't check their email when it finally does come from the utility (both organizations are very very busy right now, to be fair, as people are scrambling to get installations done before the incentives were killed by…someone.

So production has begun and all seems good. Here is this Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday (today, partial):

11/2 was clear all day I believe, it was mostly cloudy yesterday, and today has started out clear. This shape will become very typical I believe, with it getting wider during the longer days of summer and narrower during the cold dark winter.

Here's the layout view, showing morning production. Afternoon will swing over to the west side of course:

hot_rod · November 4

time to replace that steam boiler with A2WHP😲

ethicalpaul · November 4

No, steam is too fun and easy

ChrisJ · November 4

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1870844#Comment_1870844

EBEBRATT-Ed · November 4

Yup!! Paul must be goin green on us!!!!

hot_rod · November 5

I'm in a good area for solar days, so my OV now has two heat pumps and an EV charger to provide for.

Looks like you have plenty of output, what do you have for loads in the winter?

ethicalpaul · November 5

honestly I don’t know my actual winter load but the panels should be about 100% of usage

I don’t have anything too big—EV car is about it. The HPWH uses very little and no heat pump heat in the winter

hot_rod · November 5

well your getting close to the shortest day lowest sun, so soon you should know.

Did the the installer run a simulation program, those are pretty accurate, telling you what to expect throughout the year.

You can find your usage history at the providers website, probably?

pumpcontrolguy · November 6

Thanks for sharing the update, cool to see all the info. I've always wanted to do solar since back in the day but it's looking like I'll be a forever renter so I don't think I'll ever get the chance

ethicalpaul · November 6

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1870947#Comment_1870947

My winter usage load is a very consistent 21kWh per day for Dec, Jan, Feb for 2024. My sunny day production right now in early November is 28kWh and cloudier days are about 20kWh so that is looking pretty good.

The installer seems to have run analysis on my usage vs my expected production. Those came out to my production would be 102% of my usage. I had to insert myself into this process to maximize the number of panels (I asked for non-symmetrical layout to maximize the panel count for example, and made suggestions for layout changes to maximize them).

Now I'm in the interesting position of hoping for more dramatic increases in electricity rates in order to shorten my ROI and make me happier about my decision to install these (I'm already happy).

kenjohnson · November 22

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1860336#Comment_1860336

If you do get a one-time reset of your yearly net metering reset, April is the month to have it reset. Then, you get max production over the summer before your winter heating season starts (assuming that you probably have at least one mini-split for heating).

ethicalpaul · November 23

thanks. I do get a single reset but I admit I’m not sure what it means to my scenario

kenjohnson · November 23

Apologies in advance if I am solarsplaining…

Basically, if you are on yearly net-metering you accumulate excess kWh production to your account to draw down when your monthly consumption exceeds your monthly production.

April is usually the month where (at least in the Northeast) solar PV production starts to rapidly increase (less cloudy skies, more daylight) and usage starts to decrease (for most) due to warmer weather. Therefore, you want to start the yearly net-metering accumulation in April because you are almost guaranteed to generate more in that month than you use, and this will also be true for May through September. Then, October (or maybe November) are the months with less daylight, more clouds, some snow on your panels, etc. that will reduce solar PV production, and you will want to draw down your accumulation during those months.

If you pick a mid-summer month or a winter month to start the net-metering reset (and new accumulation) you will either be accumulating a lot of kWh to your account later in the period only to just forfeit them or get paid minimally for them when the (summer month) reset happens or you won't have accumulation to draw down from and will pay for kWh for the winter months (winter month reset).

ethicalpaul · November 23

OK thanks for that explanation, I think I get it.

So the "bank" resets every year and I get to pick the reset time, and I want the reset time to be a time when there is no balance, is that about it?

hot_rod · November 24

Typically the designer/installer runs a simulation for you system. Shows what you expect vs what you use.

This is for a Thermal system, Valentin has PV sim programs.

Screenshot 2025-11-24 at 12.24.32 PM.png

kenjohnson · November 25

Q: So the "bank" resets every year and I get to pick the reset time, and I want the reset time to be a time when there is no balance, is that about it?

A: Yep, that's the short answer for yearly net metering if the utility allows you to make a one-time change to the net metering month.

I'm getting solar panels. I'll let you know how it goes in this discussion thread.

Comments

Categories