Designing for Grid Independence Under NEM 1.0: My Tesla Hybrid Solar Blueprint

[docbrock35]

I use to like selling back on NEM 1 because it was fair. 16 kw up and down. Now it’s tilted in their favor. 54 cents/kw peak 21cent/kw off peak So when I’m producing throughout the day it’s off peak at the lower rate. During peak when I still have a surplus I let it run the house preserving the batteries until the sun goes down. Then batteries take over.

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[DJAlan2000]

I use to like selling back on NEM 1 because it was fair. 16 kw up and down. Now it’s tilted in their favor. 54 cents/kw peak 21cent/kw off peak So when I’m producing throughout the day it’s off peak at the lower rate. During peak when I still have a surplus I let it run the house preserving the batteries until the sun goes down. Then batteries take over.

I am doing the same... Here's a screenshot from Netzero showing yesterday's useage:

As you can see, During PEAK time, my 'used' (from GRID) was 0.0 kWh... But I EXPORTED -9.1 kWh during the same time(Peak)... My only use yesterday (VERY little as we weren't home anyway until after 5pm) was during 'partial peak' and 'off-peak'... Partial is at night (so can't export anything because solar is not getting any light), while 'off-peak' (SCE sometimes calls it SUPER off peak) is from 8am to 4pm in winter months (now)... BUT price right now for partial and off are the same... 24 cents... On a GOOD sunny day I can 'make' about 50 kWh right now... Bad days I only make about 15-20... (we get a marine layer here in mornings because we're only about 1.5 miles from ocean)

But LAST month we 'USED' 489.2 but 'EXPORTED' 521.9 (all from solar)... So, we end up with a 'Net Credit' of -$55.48 for the month... Of course that's just the 'energy costs'... Does NOT include all the fees, government taxes and such that comes on our SCE bill... I just looked and we were charged $36.89 last month for 'Delivery fees' and "NBC's" (nonbypassable charges) by CTC, NDC, PPPC and the Wildfire fund charge)...

So, we can't get out of THAT stuff, BUT we were also 'credited' $11.19 to our NEM balance, which I think we will be getting our 'annual' bill in Sept. it says (hmmm, I thought it was July... Oh that's right, it wasn't until late August before we were allowed to 'sell' to them).

Hopefully as long as we can keep the annual billing under $350 or so I will be VERY happy! A heck of a lot better than paying $350 a MONTH...

 

[DJAlan2000]

I think the utilities PURPOSELY make it confusing...

 

[docbrock35]

They do. And now it’s strongly in their favor with NEM 3. If I can’t get switched back to NEM 1 I’m planning on adding more panels. That is if the 30% fed tax credit still exists.

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