Solar Panels After 1 Year: Are They Worth It?

[@humphrey]

I always wanted to know the answer to this so thank you!

[@maxking3]

The question is rather “Is it worth saving the planet?”

[@OcRefrig]

@@maxking3 no. that's not the question. Dude, She's saving $3,000.00 a Year on Electricity !!! in 4 years it's paid for it's self in Energy savings. after that she's permanently lower her Electricity bill by $3,000.00/year every year. Saving the planet aside. Her electricity bill EVERY MONTH is Lower by 1/2 what she would pay without the panels. Saving $300-$400 a Month is a Win in anybody's Book !

[@maxking3]

@@OcRefrig It‘s nice if you have short term amortisation. But even if it was a zero sum gane and she‘d just about break even. Isn‘t it worth doing the right thing to go CO2 neutral and save the planet in any case?

[@OcRefrig]

@@maxking3 Yes, of course. i'm definately for doing things that are More Environmentally friendly. $ do have to be considered though.

[@maxking3]

@@OcRefrig Tell your grandkids: „We effed up the planet, because saving it was not worth it. Dollars have to be considered!“

[@markdragovan9466]

If you have room on your roof, and the inverter can handle it, add a few more panels to lower your total electricity costs. Another benefit I noticed is the room below where the panels are installed dramatically dropped in temperature.

[@vlogginggamingandcoding]

But then she can't sell it back to the grid anymore because of the new laws.

[@grahamstefaan]

​@vlogginggamingandcoding buy enough panels to avoid pulling from grid and no more.

[@chrisboldon]

@@grahamstefaan It's not about panels, that's about batteries. The rules were changed to force people to purchase batteries.

[@Eponymous300]

@@vlogginggamingandcodingShe basically doesn’t sell any to the grid now because the system is undersized…and her usage is a bit high to boot. I suspect she could benefit from some time of day charging as well.

[@callmebigpapa]

@@vlogginggamingandcoding I personally use solar to cut my usage and dont sell back even though I can in my state.

[@AparnaJain1]

I live in Hawaii. We have 42 solar panels and a tesla wall. It’s quite helpful with the super expensive electricity here. They also buy back at a fraction of the cost that they sell it for. Without solar, our bill would be $700 a month. With solar, it’s closer to $150-$250. We run acs, heat hot tub and charge our electric car. So yes, for Hawaii definitely worth it.

[@Reddylion]

Nice, how many kilo watts, link to panels.

[@CBlocks]

short answer: yes

[@MrMlbfan6]

Not all scenarios

[@OcRefrig]

If You live in a Blast Furnace like Palm springs , California then Yes , cooler climates no.

[@je8884]

@@OcRefrigthey are actually more efficient when it isn’t too hot.

[@OcRefrig]

@@je8884 Good to know ! Maybe that's her issue in the summer on her stats. The Panels actually Quit Working in the summer & got Over heated. Maybe they thermalled out. Summer in Palm springs is Nuclear ☢️ hot !!!

[@je8884]

@@OcRefrig Sunny and 70 is awesome… sunny and 90’s not as much.

[@jeannine1991]

We’ve had solar for 7 years and we generally pay $0. Summer is typically around $15. CA beach city.

[@victoriagillerlain]

I've been waiting for this video for literally a year since you first installed them!!! So excited to watch :))

[@justwordme]

What you really need is a solar pool heater. Even if it’s just black hose laid on the roof and a small cheap pump.

[@Cat-qn1yw]

We use solar panels for our pool and it’s so great. But we got our panels from my sister in law, and free is the best!

[@brat32179]

Those work best in summer when most people don’t need additional heat for the pool (in Palm Springs). Ours has never produced enough warm water to actually heat the pool outside of summer because of the inconsistent sun and fighting the outside temps.

[@justwordme]

@@brat32179 a black hose works best in summer (if desired) and even spring or fall hot days cold nights. They also have vacuum tube rooftop water heaters that work year around even on cloudy days. With the costs she stated of a hundred plus for a weekend in additional gas prices to heat. A rooftop solar water heater would quickly payoff and give guests a better rate thus making the rental a more attractive option.

[@Tryp-j9d]

The pool heater SHOULD be used to COOL the HOUSE!!!

[@matthewtorchiana6418]

Growing up in Northern California in the mid to late 70's, my parents did install the solar heating for the pool and it was exceptional. Bare in mind, you still need a pump to get the water onto the roof, and depending on the installation and location, meaning where is the pool in conjunction to the pump and panels, you may find the cost comparable as the further away, the greater the drop in temperature when the heated water hits the pool. In those cases, the pump runs longer to reach the desired temp.

[@StephenOshea]

i appreciate how honest you are in explaining the true costs of solar systems and the savings

[@jerrypissonme]

You answered my question about going solar in Washington State. Many thanks Shelby!

[@dontbanmebrodontbanme5403]

4:20 - It's the other way around. Your panels worked great September 2024. The question is, why was your bill so low September 2023? Was no one in the house?

[@SFzip]

Nice catch 👍

[@ralfo1704]

probably not so much cooling and heating was needed

[@wt9653]

I live in Washington State. The solar is very worth it. During the months of May through October, I pay roughly $7 dollars per month. The months between November to April, I pay roughly $25 per month. It was a DIY with 3200 watts of solar panels and 15kwh of LFP batteries. My total cost after the Federal tax credit is less than $5,000. It's paid off after just 3 years. I just bought a Tesla model Y. I'll be basically driving for Free with solar (my solar produces more than the house uses 😊😂

[@ChuckvdL]

Wa is a mixed bag. If you have enough unshaded area, you can make it worth it in most places with typical ~10-15 cents /kWh prices. But there are a few counties here blessed with very very cheap electricity -such as Chelan county where residential is under three cents a kWh- that can really make it hard to pay back solar quickly compared to the existing cheap hydro power in those places.

[@ASSOpid]

@@ChuckvdL I live in Benton County. After looking at the cheapest solar systems it would take me about 15-18 yrs to make my money back. I would only be saving $7 -$12 per month on my bill. Makes more sense to use the money for better windows, better insulation, more efficient appliances.

[@Chris_at_Home]

So taxpayers subsidized your panels. Why don’t you buy them without getting handouts from others.

[@Chris_at_Home]

@@ASSOpid at the end of 15 to 18 years it will about time to replace everything. We pay between $100 and $150:a month for electric to our home. We use solar at our recreational cabin because it is 6 miles from a road or utility pole. I didn’t use other peoples’ money to do this.

[@ASSOpid]

@@Chris_at_Home ya it's just not worth it for me. Like you said by the time I'd recoup my money back the panels would have degraded and new tech would be available.

[@doodlethebeagle2078]

Having the Tesla battery wall gives peace-of-mind when Power Co. turns off electricity for wildfire weather. Flat fee bill, no more sticker shock

[@Meditations2024]

There's a lot of things to consider on that. The ROI, the potential fire hazard, and the other alternatives (generator backup). Some electric vehicles allow you to use them as backup batteries too.

[@multiwtk]

Remember that batteries don’t necessarily mean “Tesla” there are many other manufacturers and systems that are much MUCH more cost effective. Research

[@ecospider5]

It’s a much better choice than a generator. Especially with how safe home batteries are now and how many fires start because of improperly used generators.

[@CZsWorld]

Perfect for LA, unless the sky is covered in ash for some reason 😅

[@Kat-o1d]

!!!! 🤣🫵

[@Pavlogradski]

Shelby, hope you and family are fine and safe as well as your property

[@Kat-o1d]

😂

[@russstockman3477]

We love our solar/battery system. We haven't paid Comed(Illinois) bill since February 2023. We have two electric cars. The solar system produced 5.71 MHw last year. Our 12 panel and (2) Tesla power walls with all state and Federal credits cost is $18,000. It is great using the batteries at night. We have net metering so the banked credits during March - November cover the snowy times of December and January.

[@ConorLennon]

If you sold the house in five years, the (hopefully owned) solar system would add value to the home. Future buyers will realize that it saves 4k per year in electricity and that increases the amount they’re willing to pay. There’s plenty of academic published research on this, the value of the system essentially gets fully incorporated into the sale price.

[@jasoncork9661]

They would not save 4K a year because when you sell PG&E would put the new owner on NEM3 not NEM2.

[@iCANT_BELIEVE_YOU_SAID_THAT]

@@jasoncork9661 Yeah I heard something similar. I also heard houses with solar are a lot harder to sell.

[@Sam-mc2dk]

I live in southern california, Orange County specifically and I've had solar for about 6 years. Solar definitely helps with the bill but if feels like the electric company does everything they can to try and pay you the least for the energy you sell back to them. When I first had solar 6 years ago, the electric company paid me much more for my generated energy but it seems like through the years the rate they paid me has become less and less. I am glad I had solar installed because I can use as much energy as I want and since I have solar my bill really is not impacted much. So I would recommend solar. Nice video Shelby.

[@djp_video]

Holy crap! Your bills with solar are way higher with solar than mine are without solar, and my home is 3300 sq ft. The largest electric bill I’ve ever had was about $250 but most months it is $125 or less. And I live in a temperate climate with 100 degree days through much of the summer and below freezing for most of the winter… and have a zillion electronics running 24/7.

[@googiegress]

Just make sure you don't plug more than a billion electronic devices into each outlet.

[@louibeale2387]

I love this! I work in solar in Central California, which might as well be a desert 🏜️ and your information is very, very spot on. You also didnt overpay! Which is literally so good! I cannot express how refreshing this. Your idea at the end that solar depends on your specific situation is awesome! Thank you for this

[@Kinkyoku778]

I hit $78k today. Thank you for all the knowledge and nuggets you had thrown my way over the last months. Started last month 2024. Financial education is indeed required for more than 70% of the society in the country as very few are literate on the subject.

[@Kinkyoku778]

It's essential for you to have a mentor to keep you accountable. Myself, I'm guided by Evelyn Vera. for years and highly recommend her I focus on her. To be honest, I almost didn't buy the idea of letting someone handle growing my finance, but so glad I did.

[@NoahTrevin]

Damn that's huge, how do you make that much monthly?.. I have been looking for ways to be successful, please how??

[@Kinkyoku778]

It's Ms. Evelyn Vera doing, she's changed my life.

[@Kimberlydeary]

⁠Oh I love that woman so much I started pretty low, though, $4000 thereabouts. The return came massive. Elijah is in school doing well, telling me of new friends he's meeting in school. Thank you Evelyn Vera, you're a miracle.

[@jorf6605]

⁠Wow... I know her too she is a licensed broker and a FINRA agent she is popular in US and Canada she is really amazing woman with good skills and experience.

[@millerpeter1991]

My cousins have a solar panel set through a program that NJ offers, last I heard was that their electric bill was less than $30. My goal with solar panels is to get off the grid entirely and live off of the stored energy provided by the solar panels and battery packs. Expensive. They also have solar panel windows.

[@DecoyVoice]

great breakdown, thank you for this!

[@JFabric500]

Next step, convert the pool pump to a VFD to reduce spikes from turning on and off. Will remove $40/month. Program the hot tub for peak heating times so it is constantly heated for no reason. Even adding foam to the cabinet helps a lot.

[@Eponymous300]

Yeah, she definitely needs to work on the hot-tub system. Keeping it hot when no one is there is nuts. I’d also love to know the AC settings.

[@Dave-gg6vl]

I can’t believe how expensive electricity is in California. In Sydney Australia I am paying 32c per kWh between 6am - midnight and 8c midnight to 6 am (for EV charging). We just got 45 440W panels installed for a total of 19.8kW worth of panels. We don’t get that much for feed in (5c per kWh) but still our bill for 3 months was $65. Pretty happy

[@OcRefrig]

Great video ! Shelby, i Would recommend Cleaning the Condenser of the Airconditioning unit EVERY YEAR in Palm springs. Palm springs is a sand box & that fine sand plugs up those carrier condensers creating a Less Efficient unit & can double Your airconditioning bill or more. also Shortens a/c unit Life drastically. ( Condenser is the Heat exchanger part of the unit on the roof / the Finned aluminum-copper. section that the fan draws air through ) I Would recommend Making sure your air conditioning is in tip top condition every year in Palm springs since it's a Huge part of Palm springs life & can have a Major Negative Effect on your electricity ⚡️ bill. Tips for saving money on A/c unit Electricity --- 1) Blow Condenser backwards on the roof , Blowing the sand out of the Condenser coil with a High pressure Co2 Bottle & Hose. 2) Check Run Capacitor Micro farads - every year. 3) Replace Air Filter - Every year at a Minimum. probably more being palm springs. maybe every 3 months in palm springs. never let air filter get more than 50% blocked 🚫. every % of blockage = % of more electricity used. Check T/d on unit. This can be done by you anytime also. check temperature difference between the Air going in the Return vs the Air coming out of the Supply Air vents. ( Basically room temp vs air coming out temp.) should be 18-25 degrees. 20 degrees being the Norm. 15 or less being unit needs serviced. Service the Airconditioning unit on the roof right BEFORE the Summer to optimise savings. Jan , Feb or march. recommended. Shelby - Here's a Video idea for You - More efficient air Conditioning system ? is it worth it ? install awnings on the Doors - to reduce heat load. Tint the Windows - to Reduce Heat load. Give me a shout out in one of your videos if you use any of my ideas. thanks. take care. Oc.

[@richierich087]

In Australia, we get terrible feed in tariffs (selling electricity back to the grid). Electricity companies charge us anywhere between 26c per kWh up to 36c per kWh (maybe even more) to buy electricity from them. When we sell our solar electricity back to the grid, they only pay us between 3c per kWh up to maybe 8c per kWh. It all depends on which electricity company is being used and the exact location where someone lives in Australia.

[@co40517]

20.000 USD for an 8 kWp system on a flat roof with super easy installation? A 400W module is available for around 60 USD, that is 1200 USD Inverter maybe 1.300 USD A bit for cables and the (very cheap) roof installation. 3000 USD material costs. 5.000 USD should have been the max price.

[@asdfhun]

The inverter sells for $2200+ and it needs 20 optimizers (one for each panel) around $80-100 each. That's $3800-4400 in total just for the inverter and the optimizers.

[@Morimikmo]

wow, you got very expensive electricity here. At Finland we can got our electricity about 0,15 dollar/kWh.. so you got lot faster those savings with solar panels.

[@yakuzaboss1988]

great video and keep it up love your airbnb videos

[@ThisIsTechToday]

That break even period is insane!! It doesn’t make sense in Texas. It would take me over 20 years lol

[@HomeWorkouts_LS]

Why 20 years? She said hers will pay for themselves after about 4.4 years.

[@gumballdegree]

You live in Texas?! Me too! Let's meet up sometime

[@bhbaker220]

My service provider in Texas is Entergy and they petition the Public Utility Commission to approve their solar buy back from net metering. The first year was about $0.05/kWh buyback while they charge about $0.13/kwh. Last year they got approval to lower the buyback to $0.03/kWh. They have a cost avoidance calculation they go through for approval which turns out to be about the average wholesale price due to all of the solar and wind in the state. So net metering takes a long time to pay out. I’ve shifted to an off grid inverter and batteries. The batteries, while they have come down are very expensive and add to the payout. Probably about a 10 year payout overall and I put the system in myself. Costs are constantly coming down so it makes more sense economically today.

[@gumballdegree]

@@HomeWorkouts_LS I'm willing to bet it's because our electricity rates are so much lower. I think one of her graphs showed that she was playing $0.40 per what? We're only paying like 10 or 11 here. And our bills here are usually $200 or less. So getting solar will probably save us a little over $100 a month. That's probably why it will take 20 years or more to break even

[@atlanticx100]

Why not use a heat pump for the pool and hot tub? Also it would be able to reclaim to heat from the AC in theory. Great video!!

[@steveklumb806]

We have a heat pump on our pool in Palm Springs. its the biggest one you can get too, 140k BTU. In the dead of winter it can't keep up to heat the pool. and the nights are too cold. Thus we gain about 7 degF during the day when the heatpump is running, but loose about 8-10 deg F at night. The pool heatpump does work good in the bridge season, which is May/June, and Oct/Nov. But even then you loose 4-5deg at night and it takes 4-5 hours to gain that back during the day when the heat pump runs.

[@atlanticx100]

@@steveklumb806 Thanks, I keep forgetting about how cold it gets there at night. I assume its like any arid areas.

[@ricardoalarcon5858]

If you already have the inverter, and everything, you should try to maximize the amount of solar panels, use all available space, you can even use a terrace and solar panels. Also there is a special reflective painting that you paint your roof so i don't heat up as much, and keeps the house cooler. For me it's was around 2°C (around 3-4°F) that's a lot of savings in AC just for painting

[@jk_isf]

She's really on point with analyzing just like her old video comparing what you get in LA vs Irvine.

[@dflet03]

This is the best explanation of solar on KZbin

[@frankb1]

You have a great voice.

[@jeroenklvr]

20k for 20 panels? Shocking! This can be a lot cheaper!

[@vroor32]

Ok, a lot cheaper how? Present your option so we can judge

[@MrSteeDoo]

@@vroor32 DIY

[@asdfhun]

@ The inverter + the optimizers, + the 20 solar panels are around $5k in Europe. Probably that's why 20k seems very expensive for a lot of people, because 15k for the rest (labor, permits, electrical components, the mounting rails, clamps, concrete blocks) seems a "bit" excessive. From a european standpoint. But Europeans don't know the US prices. She has an 8 kW system. What she paid per kW is what my DIY 4 kW system cost me (everything included, even things that shouldn't). And that's kinda shocking (even if i take into account that her inverter is a top of the line, and mine is a cheap chinese one).

[@ecospider5]

Yes just install it yourself and don’t get permits. It’s really cheap. You will never connect to the grid so the system is kind of useless. But it’s cheap

[@asdfhun]

@@ecospider5 I got permit for my system from my power distributor and it i's connected to the grid. I just bought everything and installed it myself. So i saved on the labor (would have been around 30%+ to my total cost), and the solar company's margin on the sale (another 25-35%).

[@ralphpetry1745]

I live in Canada and have had solar for a while. Even though my payback period is about double yours, it has been more than worthwhile. A good solar company will tell you if it is worthwhile or not and will give a pretty good estimate of what it should produce so make sure you know who you are dealing with/get multiple quotes etc. It also minimizes the impact of future rate increases as who has ever seen utility companies reduce the price of electricity over time - lol!

[@itsnotme07]

That's awesome Shelby! Thanks for sharing!!

[@DailyElectrician]

great video with real numbers, thanks i've always wondered this!

[@user-sx6eu4rg2x]

Great video! I can't believe it's been a year already, time flies!

[@MrRMB1]

Great video! For high electric bills it may make sense. Our electric bill avg is $150 per month, so solar would be a silly invenstment for me. Plus, in PA we avg 57 sunny days per year.

[@venom5809]

Wow that huge savings. Also your electricity rates are crazy, where I am in Michigan it's 16 cents a KWh max.

[@chasegentile7517]

whoever was the rep they hooked you up. They sold you at $2.50 per watt that’s really good for california

[@MrSteeDoo]

Still way more than it needs to be but rich people can afford to pay retail.

[@richardwagner3317]

One of your best investments so far. Very smart.

[@hurmuzainol]

Now is the best time to buy a solar system because prices have dropped significantly in 2024 and are currently a quarter of what they were in 2023. Both battery prices and panel prices have become cheaper.

[@MrGriff305-d3u]

I have a new 1100SF apartment in north Florida with great insulation. My electricity bill is between $80-$130 depending on time of year. I have no solar. Living efficiently is key for me .. Plenty luxurious amaneties and my indoor temp is always between 68 and 74

[@carolschneid]

Always a good day when Shelby posts!

[@jbponzi1]

WOW! Energy is high in CA. I live in Wisconsin, so Summer is not a good indicator, though with AC continuously, for example, July 2024, we used 960 kWh for $194 total.

[@millions-in-motion]

March & April are always the best months because the ☀ is now high in the sky, but it's not hot yet. Lots of PV generated, but not much AC used yet.

[@t10mcg]

You can always look back on the bills and also compare how much electricity you used. Not just the final prices. I think adding that column to each year would give a little more detail and understanding. Thanks for the follow up video!

[@thegzak]

Holy sh*t, not to spoil the exact numbers but I’m blown away by the results!

[@johnpalmer5131]

Another upgrade you may want to consider are solar powered heat pumps (eg EG4 or EcoSolaris) which connect directly to your solar array.

[@BSG74]

Great information. I have solar panels on my home and I've seen a good difference in my monthly bill. Living in the desert communities like in the video, every home should consider having solar panels installed. Mostly always sunny throughout the year and the energy needed for the summer months, solar panels can only help reduce your energy cost.

[@LindsnDarth]

A coworker just told me last week that he was able to order everything for his solar system directly from China for under $6,000 and then pay a contractor around $1,500 to install. This was after getting a $20,000 quote from a solar company (he used the detailed specs from their proposal to order his equipment). I might be doing the same soon. Just an FYI for people looking to trim down the initial costs.

[@exploringfindeverything]

Shelby, what a terrific vlog today. What an incredible savings. It looks like if you had doubled the system it would have gone down to just the connection costs. Are you tempted to add more panels? I really loved this vlog!

[@carolschneid]

The location on the roof for this is very cool, makes the video

[@mylesgray3470]

It’s wild that your post solar bill it what I’m paying on average in Seattle without solar for electricity including all electric appliances, heat pump, a small greenhouse, and electric car charging. We have no gas service.

[@JakobFischer60]

European here with half the sunshine you have. Solar in the desert is a no brainer. Sun shines, you need AC. Get a battery for the hours in the evening. Why is the cost so high? A 450KW pannel is about 50 dollars, inverter max. 2000. A 10KW battery should not cost more than 4000 Euros/Dollars.

[@Ritcheyyy]

Overpriced like crazy, I made myself a system with 20kWh VW ID modules, 16 kWp solar, and 9000VA inverters Victron for less than 15000 eur.

[@ecospider5]

Permits and installation costs

[@anthonyboland]

Yes solar is worth it. I Iive in australia and we have solar and batteries, and our bills are 0.

[@differentmoves]

Great video! Good info graphics. Just one small thing, it's a bit hard to model but panels do decrease energy production over time, so smaller systems don't save as much over time since you will have to take more from the grid each year. Definitely something to consider when sizing your system, and you can always add batteries later. We added a battery 3 years in. Also if you don't have the house yet, believe it or not, the direction it faces is super important! Found that out the hard way 😭

[@johnnywang206]

That is wild. We run AC in TX 7 months of the year and our bills are half that. With solar and batteries we don’t pay an electric bill at all.

[@HabaneroTi]

I'd like to know about solar installations that collect and use the sun's heat as well as whatever electrical energy they capture, to heat water and the building inside and perhaps even generate additional electricity via steam turbines and such. Better yet, ones with small wind turbines on the roof to tap that as well. All in tandem with heat pumps and super-efficient insulation and passive heating/cooling windows. With all of these you could probably supply most of the electricity, cooling and heating that a house needs even in Alaska, except for maybe a few months in the dead of winter.

[@oby-1607]

Not enough videos on how solar power can save on your electric bill. Looking at your long term savings, you could easily buy a battery to help save even more money when the sun goes down as I am sure we all don't turn off our electricity then. Excellent video on this topic and is convincing me to go this route.

[@Yanquetino]

Good for you! We've had our array for 14 years, and driven an EV for 13 years. The solar has generated 189,543 kWh, which has almost entirely powered our home and EV. We've only imported from the grid 342 kWh in all that time. My one complaint about the utility is that, in March every year, it swipes any unused kWh we've "saved" in our account, and we have to start "saving" them all over again. We have therefore "donated" to the grid about $957.84 worth of kWh, which they then turn around and sell to our neighbors at the full rate -even though they've done nothing to generate the power.

[@saverioconca6303]

Fantastic video! Clear and to the point…

[@finned958]

If you own a battery, you can use the power during peak periods and evenings to further reduce your electricity bill to get to zero. Tesla also has VPP, virtual power plant, where you can participate to sell more power back to the grid during high demand times. I’m getting one installed. Since it’s NEM 3.0, it’s better to use up all energy rather than expect to sell.

[@ohary1]

I had my solar panels installed in December 2023, and turned on in the beginning of January. I had an electric bill for only January and February, but since then, I have not had a bill. I still have some credit left, but not much. Possibly just enough to get me through January. In my state (Massachusetts) the rate is high, but does not vary. I get a 1:1 credit for overproduction, which is great. They also apply my overproduction credits to cover membership fees. So, yes, I do not have a bill at all. My system is going to take about 6 years to pay for itself, then no more loan (which is slightly more than what my average monthly bill was).

[@FionaMcIndoe]

Very informative video Shelby

[@ItsKimJava]

Love this!

[@conradfuller6697]

Excellent and informative video Shelby. I have a battery on my solar system and have experienced a truly massive drop in my electricity costs. I urge you to get the battery too! 😊

[@Awol991]

Maybe not possible with an air-bnb, but the best thing would be to coordinate the pool pump and heater with solar panel. Have the pool pump/heater turn off between 10pm and 9am. Should still get enough circulation from the pump.

[@ForestToFarm]

I live in South Carolina. My son and his wife and two children live here. Even with all six of us our power bill is at most a little under $300 per month and a lot less in spring and fall. Maybe $3,000 all year. Plus our power company will not pay anything for excess power produced. The only good reason to go solar here in my opinion would be for energy independence. However additionally I feel like energy costs will go way up as inflation takes hold in future years. There are so many people and the population in our area is exploding at an astronomical rate. All things considered it may pay off to go solar in the long run. Then take into consideration that maybe some of you would want a back generator. That could cost you $10,000 give or take depending on how much you want to generate. The operating costs are very high on those large generators as well. Drop that cost off the solar system because you will be producing your own power and provided the solar system is working you will still have power when the power company is down. In our area if you go solar installed via the power company then you don’t have batteries and you will not have power when the standard grid is down. Pretty lame to have solar but no power if the grid is down if you ask me. In my situation I am seriously considering installing an off grid solar system that provides heat/ac via a mini split, power to the frig and freezer and then maybe to the TV and computer when the power grid is down or when it’s working. I will operate with those solar panels for the things connected via solar as long as everything is working properly. If my solar would happen to go down I could flip it all over to the power grid so sort of a reverse backup I guess you would say. I would have a generator type panel that could be switched from solar to grid power with the flip of one switch/ breaker. In addition to the above system I plan to install I will have a smaller portable generator that could supply any additional electrical needs such as the washer and dryer or the oven. It would only run when needed as opposed to the whole house generators that consume large amounts of fuel even as you sleep and little to no power is actually being used. Lots to consider when contemplating whether or not to go solar. In my situation going partial solar lets me reduce the cost of power from the power company and have a limited amount of power when the grid is down without having to do anything. We recently went through 11 days without power when hurricane Hellene hit our area. For me personally a small 5000 watt portable generator was all I needed to get by. However having to tend to it multiple times a day and having to keep fuel available is a challenge when there is total devastation all around you. Nothing is a perfect solution so you just have to decide what level of expense for power outside of the grid is best for you. Having my 1 year old and 5 year old grandchildren living here increases the amount that I am willing to pay to ensure their comfort. Terry

[@byronpyles996]

This is a huge success. I've heard so many people say they can't get their solar working well enough to make a difference.

[@ralphpetry1745]

The only time I have heard of this happening is when the solar company is less than reputable and ends up selling a system that is overpriced and poor quality to someone that lives in an area where it doesn't make sense in the first place. Solar is an area where you definitely may have to kiss a few frogs before you find the prince who cares about more than making a sale - lol!

[@byronpyles996]

@@ralphpetry1745 Good insight. I was informed by 1 or more that the company they used was shady and ended up dropping off the face the earth.

[@zr2ee1]

As far as batteries i've been looking at modular systems like the bluetti and ecoflow. Not only can you take them with you if you move but you can build them yourself over time and use them for shop / off site projects, and camping. Biggest discounts seemed to be just before Black Friday

[@Epic3032]

my household here in Australia, we have a 8KW system, plus invereter, months later we installed a tesla powerwall 2....but our bills started to drop soon we had Solar...but we got the 15kw battery installed now, so keen to see our bill next month We're currently in Summer...but keen to see what we'll get in Winter.

[@akalina]

Thanks for sharing. I'm considering getting solar in Colorado.

[@360milliondollars]

Batteries would store the energy for peak hours so that it cut cost way more doing on a schedule... but to each their own... I guess we not mid maxing shelby.... got to mid max....LOL

[@ShelbyChurch]

I know so true I might get some

[@wora1111]

Try to Monitor your energy usage through the hours of the day, not just per month. Then you can see at what times you import energy and at what times you feed into the grid. Monitoring closely is rather cheaper and helps a lot in optimizing. German laws are more like FEM 3.0 but I was able to reduce the bill to one-third of last year's cost. And we have less sun in the winter (but a small battery). Energy usage from the grid in the summer is down to zero (including nights).

[@joykish7342]

Great video Shelby 💛

[@therondellsheridan]

check to see if it was overcast in September. As you know Cloudy and over cast days produce less solar energy.

[@asdfhun]

The consumption was super low for September in 2023, not the generated power in 2024

[@lyracian]

It is interesting seeing the different in another country. I am in the UK and have not paid an electricity in the two and half years I have had solar. The export rates have been dropping every quarter though so we will see how much longer that keeps going. Since I do not have AC I make a lot of money in the summer that will then cover the winter bills.

[@Courtney-Alice-Gargani]

It's worth it if your bill is high. I heard in some states they're really not free. You still pay for it and use that cost as an income tax deduction.

[@JP-nf7ek]

You can claim 30% of the costs of the solar system and batteries on your federal taxes and it carries forward if you can't claim the entire credit in a single tax year. Makes the high up-front costs a lot more manageable.

[@megmoore335]

Another invaluable aspect of the solar panels will be during fire seasons or wind events when there are precautionary electricity grid shut-offs. Your Airbnb customers will not end up booking and then not having electricity during their stay.

[@speedking98]

Excellent commentary and analysis! Thanks! Ugly roof is a small price to pay!

[@Eponymous300]

Uh, do you think it looked good before?

[@speedking98]

@@Eponymous300definitely! We have many homes where we live that jumped on the solar panel craze back in 2014 here in Canada and entire street now looks horrible…there’s small solar panels now that looks like tiles so the roofline can look somewhat uniform but it’s not economically feasible yet…

[@Eponymous300]

@@speedking98 I meant specifically her flat roof with AC on it. Likely it was basically invisible before the install, as it still is.

[@kingrofty]

Great video, very informative. The roof makes it very easy to clean the solar panels, just don't know if I like the way the solar panels just "lay" on the roof.

[@jafo1701]

I have 6 years on my panels. And no noticeable loss of power generation. I'm sure it's declined but given variables in power production due to weather i haven't seen a difference. My inverter did fail last fall though. Took about two weeks to get it replaced. It was under warranty so just cost me labor and diagnostic costs. I also live in Iowa, so during the winter the panels can be snow covered a lot of the time along with over cast days, so that may factor in for longevity as the panels aren't active obviously when snow covered, so they won't degrade as fast.

[@KillTheFear]

I love this lady's videos.

[@mowcowbell]

The payback time for me in Oklahoma would be much longer as electricity runs .14 cents per kWh. I don't do summer pricing, so the price is the same year round and the same during the day vs night. I have been testing solar battery generators and a couple of solar panels that I can setup in my backyard. I do gather enough electricity during the day to fully charge the solar battery generator.

[@riceball777]

I also in so cal and got solar in 2017. So was a great purchase. It’s a no brainer for any home owner in California. Ever home owner in California should. It solar unless they plan to sell and more in the next 7 years.

[@Tashas_Travels]

We have solar at work and it's great, in times of blackputs, we still have electricity and our electricity bills are now less and we keep the geyser on 24/7 and have hot water 365 days a year. So even for my own house that I'm building I'm putting solar as well and i will have a borehole too for water incase of water outages and also to just get off grid with that too.

[@tummas1980]

How can the bill be this high? Are you charging your electric cars also?

[@JasonTaylor-po5xc]

We had solar in Orlando, Florida - my only regret is not getting them sooner. When we moved to Colorado, that was the first major improvement to the house. In Colorado, I am somewhat limited by the maximum size of the system by my utility - so I'm only covering about 50% of my bill. Either way, my system cost more than double of yours (about $42k).

[@KimFeustel]

Check for the systems efficiency at higher temperatures, it goes down by a lot when it’s hot outside. That’s why you will produce more electricity in spring/autumn than in summer. It’s a mystery why there is so few solar systems on private homes in California if your electricity is so expensive. Im happy that we usually don’t have peak pricing in Germany as consumption is usually billed annually and the analog electricity meters just measure the total consumption (but you will pay 1/12 of the last years usage monthly).

[@Eponymous300]

Efficiency drops only by a couple of percentage points with heat. Typical values are 0.3%-pt per degree C, or 0.16 per degree F compared with 25/77. So at 157F, that’s a 12% drop and of course that doesn’t last all day. I don’t think she gave output numbers, but spring is high net because it’s not too hot but the sun is out. Also July has lower irradiance values than June or August due, I imagine, to weather. Haze, maybe? But that will lower it despite the longer days.

[@amadeusb4]

59c power is INSANE! That's got to be the highest in the nation. It looks like the ROI on a solar install is still quite long, like over 10 years?

[@scott6252]

If you had some battery backup you would save a lot more and it's so great when the power goes out.

[@millennialx9044]

Have the windows checked for drafts and they should be double pane, and have the insulation in your home inspected especially the ceiling those may be areas causing energy leakage.

[@ShaneTheGeek]

For those saying to add to the system you can only add a minor addition 1KW or 10percent of your system (I think whichever is less). So essentially any addition greater than 2x400w panels on her 8KW system doesn't jeopardize the current NEM 2.0 status. However any major additional sell back beyond norms will likely trigger a system inspection from the utility who will then gladly adjust your tariff to the newest agreement. Adding 800 watts to the existing system would further reduce bills down likely another 5-10 percent which would probably be worth it. If you wanted to reduce it further you would want to install a separate system under NEM 3 that utilizes a battery to offset TOU (time of use).

[@PYehl1]

I put in a 15kwh system here in Ohio in May 2023 - we have not had ANY electric bill since the day they were installed - the credits we generate in summer covers all winter usage. We figured ROI for 9-10yrs. This was an investment for the future. But man your electric rates... our normal bill was $220 prior to solar and we have a farm with 4 outbuilding all with electrical usage. So far we have generated 34 Mwh - with net export of 8.8Mwh.

[@hermancm]

You ain’t kidding about the power being high there, summer rate is $0.37-$0.59 per kWh where where I live in NW Wisconsin it’s $0.123 kWh all the time, delivered plus it costs $13 a month to be on the utility. I have a modest 3.6 kW array that charges my EV and supplies much of my household use too. Solar doesn’t work as well up here as it does further south but I did it anyways just because I thought solar is cool.

[@Eponymous300]

This is why putting a timer on the hot tub, if there isn’t one, would help. You don’t need it running midday when prices are super high.

[@HansKeesom]

I suggest that after 5 years you start adding some more solar again to get rid of the remainder. Not that much, maybe like 30% extra panels.

[@JesseWatford-qe9sv]

Thanks a ton for your videos! Crypto education is exactly what the world needs right now. I don’t think buy and hold is a wise investment strategy anymore. Not too diluted, and to a certain extent, follow Sophia’s trading ideas and signal tips for your portfolio’s growth and aggressiveness. She’s not only taught me what the cryptocurrency trading world looks like, but she’s also given me a secret to boost my finances. Buying crypto and waiting for the price to soar is not the best way to invest in the market, but buying and trading is. Sophia Haney’s trade signals do the heavy lifting, generating competitive returns for crypto traders and investors in the form of money and peace of mind. Time in the market vs. timing the market. If you keep that mindset as an investor, you’ll stay calm during the storm! Within a few months, I was making a lot more money and have continued on that same path…

[@JesseWatford-qe9sv]

I can’t reveal too much here, but I’m learning from a really great person named ‘Sophia E Haney’. She’s been in the industry for over two decades and knows a thing or two. I highly recommend checking her out online.

[@JesseWatford-qe9sv]

Use her name to quickly conduct an internet search.

[@JesseWatford-qe9sv]

SHE’S MOSTLY ON TELEGRAMS APPS WITH HER NAME.

[@JesseWatford-qe9sv]

Sophiahaney she’s verified

[@jamesanabel-w5u]

I agree that there are strategies that could be put in place for solid gains regardless of economy or market condition, but such executions are usually carried out by investment experts or advisors with experience…

[@ChrisPat-kq4fw]

Solar works great in the southern US (the sunbelt). I live in Seattle. Here is my experience with solar: Approximately half of our life endeavors yield success, while the other half culminate in failure. In the realm of energy efficiency, my solar panels fall into the latter category, whereas my Daiken mini-split heat pump stands as a resounding success. The solar panels falter due to their hefty $10,000 price tag for a 3200-watt grid-tie system, coupled with their meager annual savings of approximately $300 in the perpetually overcast climate of Seattle. The prolonged breakeven point of over 30 years casts a shadow on their viability. On the contrary, the Daiken heat pump, priced at $3,500, proves to be a win-win, saving a substantial $800 annually. If I had put the 10 grand I paid for solar into an S&P 500 account I would have made a grand a year instead of the paltry sum I did. The unreliability of solar panels becomes evident through the constant need for cleaning, expensive repairs, and the removal of moss and leaves, requiring meticulous attention to the roof's maintenance. In the span of 12 years, I have replaced three costly microinverters. In stark contrast, the Daiken mini-split remains remarkably resilient, demanding zero repairs and minimal maintenance-restricted to one summer and one winter filter cleaning, a straightforward "inside job" that can be easily performed at any time. Moreover, the impracticality of solar panels in northern cities like Seattle, Portland, and New York becomes apparent due to their propensity for cloudy, cold, and rainy weather throughout much of the year. Solar panels function optimally only during the brief moments of the day when sunlight strikes them at a 90-degree angle, rendering them nearly ineffective in regions lacking consistent sunshine. Contrast that to our ingenious heat pumps providing maximum efficiency 24-7 365 days a year. Your AirBNB would gain another 50% level of efficiency by using a pool-submerged heat pump to cool your house.

[@AdamJohnson0110]

maybe it 'works' well, but there's no way the finances add up for me here in FL. Our electric bill for a 5bd house is 1/2 of what she shows for that small house in CA. That doubles the amount of time it takes to break even on the panels. Here in FL, insurance companies are raising rates if your roof is older than 10 years, so you can rip the solar off and replace the roof at 10yrs, or pay much higher insurance (or have your policy cancelled and move to a more expensive provider). Either way, the roof issue with insurance, cost of ripping off old panels (would you even put old ones back on, or replace them with new since you're already paying for re-install...), and the electric bills that don't cost as much as CA make it so that the numbers don't add up here in FL for us.

[@ChrisPat-kq4fw]

@@AdamJohnson0110 Excellent points. I hadn't thought of that.

[@MrSteeDoo]

Costly micro-inverters? What? $80 to $100 each? Laughable.

[@ChrisPat-kq4fw]

@@MrSteeDoo try 300 a piece times 4. It will take 4 years of return to break even on those. My installation is not DIY. Seattle electricians are 150 bucks an hour. Including travel time, the labor was 800 bucks.

[@MrSteeDoo]

@@ChrisPat-kq4fw Those with soft-hands have to pay retail. Not me.