Going Solar

Cleared Out my Backlog of SRECs

2012-01-11T10:15:00.002-05:00

Well, I sold 4 SRECs in the latest auction after slashing the minimum price. $245 each.

This morning on NPR I heard a story about how SRECs were going for about $20 each (I haven't confirmed that number, maybe I misheard). Yikes!

Now that I've cleared out a backlog I'm thinking of bumping minimum price back up for a bit...

Solar Firms Face Hard Times in New Jersey

2011-12-06T07:55:00.004-05:00

Here's an interesting article from today's Philadelphia Inquirer on the birth and maturation of the solar industry here in New Jersey. It talks about changes since the salad days of government grants and subsidies all the way to today's climate of sparse assistance and the SREC glut.

Oh, and it features SolarWorks NJ, an installer based right here in Washington Township!

Solar Firms in Hard Times

Lowered All my SREC Minimums

2011-12-01T10:02:00.002-05:00

There's a lot of talk about changing the SREC market to address the glut. for now, though, prices are what they are. I have 4 SRECs in hand and I just lowered my minimum asking price to $200 for today's auction. I'll bet they all sell...

One SREC Sold, $225

2011-11-02T07:36:00.001-04:00

We sold one SREC at the recent auction -- the one that I'd set the minimum price to $200 for. It fetched $225.

I guess I'll have to drop the price on the others...

More on SREC Value Plummet

2011-10-24T11:49:00.002-04:00

Here's an article from the Gloucester County Times (here in South Jersey) over the weekend.

More about the SREC glut / price plummet.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Gloucester County Times

Went Ahead and Lowered My SREC Price

2011-10-24T11:42:00.004-04:00

I'm facing reality here -- SRECs are not as valuable as they were just a few months ago. I've been glancing at my statements only casually, but today I looked close and saw that I have 4 unsold SRECs. So I just lowered my minimum sales price. Just for the sake of experimentation, I did it this way:

2011/06 NJ (I have 1): minimum price $400

2011/07 NJ (I have 2): minimum price $300

2011/08 NJ (I have 1): minimum price $200

The next auction is October 31. I'll post my results...

Here's How It's Looking Two Years In

2011-09-27T09:59:00.004-04:00

Good SREC Price Again

2011-09-26T10:43:00.002-04:00

Well, somehow the latest SREC sold at $640 again, same as it used to be. We do seem to be starting to pile up unsold ones, though. They used to sell like clockwork so I didn't bother keeping track. Guess I better get on it.

Other than that, things are going well. This is one of my favorite times of year -- still lots of sun, less energy needed = big monthly credit from electric company because of all the extra energy we're generating and dumping back onto the grid...

What Will Irene Do to Us?

2011-08-27T19:15:00.003-04:00

I can't lie, I'm pretty nervous about what might happen to our 48 panels tonight. We're right in the path of Irene's hurricane strength winds...

Irene

SRECs Prices Declining in NJ (Yeah, We Know)

2011-08-22T16:47:00.003-04:00

Here's an article from the Philadelphia Inquirer telling is what we already know.

SREC prices plummeting!http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

I've just authorized my broker to sell the ones I have on hand basically for whatever they can get.

The weird part is how sudden this was. It was 600, 600, 600, etc., etc, straight to *worthless*. You'd think the decline would have been slower and steadier...

Guest Post I From SunRun

2011-08-01T20:49:00.002-04:00

And now, this from SunRun!

Infographic by SunRun – Home Solar Leasing Made Easy

SREC Glut is Happening

2011-07-26T12:16:00.002-04:00

The SREC Glut seems to be developing fast. In the most recent auction the prices dropped below the minimum threshholds of so many sellers that my broker is setting up a special mechanism to unload these. Here's part of what they announced:

Due to the price drop in the July auction, a significant number of New Jersey SRECs went unsold. You can read about the recent volatility in the NJ SREC market in our blog. For the past 3 years, prices have held at 95% of the ceiling in the market, so for many of you, this is the first month without a paycheck for your SRECs.

As we explained in the blog, there are reasons why pricing could get better for the 2011 SRECs and reasons why they may not. We suspect that you may be less interested in the complexities of the market than you are in getting your SRECs sold. For this reason, instead of waiting until the next auction, we are offering to take your SRECs to our buyers to see if we can get them sold for you sooner than later. We will use a tiered structure that promotes choice, while allowing us to go to the market with firm numbers.

I suppose that in a way, solar is a victim of it's own success and popularity. Hopefully this won't discourage anybody from going solar in the near future. Come to think of it, maybe I shouldn't post this for that reason, but hey, you all know I'm all about full disclosure!

Amber Waves of Solar Panels? The Turbined Plain?

2011-06-16T08:00:00.005-04:00

There was an interesting letter in the Inquirer today, written by Matthew Blake, the Manager of Delaware Bay Program.

Matthew Blake Letter Here!

Although I'm a solar/wind advocate I kinda' see his point here. There are plenty of suitable places for wind and solar facilities to be developed. I'm not in favor of encouraging farmers to plow under their fields and replace them with these contraptions (which, while they might not look as ugly as a conventional power plant or electrical substation, are not as striking as a field of corn, a cranberry bog or a grove of peach trees). Of course, Blake is smarter than me and raises more substantial points than I'm going for, so by all means, read his letter!

"...would undermind the rural character of South Jersey's farm belt and many other communities along the Delaware Bay located within a high wind-generation zone." **

It's an interesting debate, one in which I agree with Blake. We haven't reached a renewable energy gold rush. Why waste the best land for this stuff when it can go anywhere?

** Yeah, I included that quote for you non-Jerseyans who think there's nothing here but the turnpike. And I was one of you before I came here!

May: 1 SREC Sold / Wonky Meter?

2011-06-08T13:33:00.002-04:00

I'm seeing a pattern here.

For May we sold 1 SREC for $640.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Whenever I pass by the electric meter I glance at it, hoping to see it spinning backwards. For the past few weeks I've noticed many times that it's spinning neither forward nor backward. It's conceivable that at these times, power being generated is equal to power being consumed. It sure seems like I've noticed that a lot recently, though.

It's not every time. Sometimes it is moving in one direction or the other. I'm not sure what to do. I feel like if I call the power company they'll come out, replace it, bill me for past usage ("Aha, no wonder you've had negative electric bills!") I'm kidding, I think...

Negative

2011-06-02T12:29:00.001-04:00

Latest electricity bill.

Thank you for participating in Paperless Billing. Your current PSE&G bill statement is now available for online viewing. Your current balance is a credit of $90.55 and no payment is required.

More About the SREC Glut

2011-05-24T09:48:00.007-04:00

Here's an article that appeared in today's Philadelphia Inquirer that supports the Fletts column I posted a day or two ago. So many systems are going online that the value of the SRECs are plummeting.

[edit: sorry, I can't seem to get blogger to link the article. I'll try again later]

http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20110524_Pennsylvania_s_solar-energy_industry_suffering_from_success.html

"We're in some ways a victim of our own success," said Maureen Mulligan, a spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Solar Energy Industries Association, which is predicting a crash.

"Anybody who's talking about putting up a new project now is thinking, 'Wow, there's no support anymore,' " said State Rep. Chris Ross (R., Chester County).

On Tuesday, Ross plans to introduce a legislative rescue for the industry that would increase the amount of solar energy that utilities must buy through 2015, propping up the price of solar credits.

We have to remember that forcing the utility companies to by these things is a subsidy. My waffling on whether these subsidies are the right way to proceed is well documented here on the blog so I won't blab about that. The bottom line is, though, that unless the governing authorities ratchet up the number of SRECs that must be purchased, the value of these things will continue to drop.

But doesn't that mean that the subsidies worked? It's hard to feel completely bummed out or elated about this...

SREC Glut Will Mean Lower Prices Fetched

2011-05-20T19:39:00.002-04:00

Here's an interesting article posted on Flett Exchange's web page. Looks like New Jersey has taken to solar. The downside is that there are more SRECs being generated than anticipated, making them less valuable.

http://markets.flettexchange.com/2011/05/16/nj-srec-prices-drop-in-anticipation-of-an-oversupply/

"There are two ways to prevent the SREC market from being oversupplied. First is to slow the pace of solar development and second is for New Jersey to increase the amount of solar needed."

Roughly Halfway to System Payoff

2011-05-11T08:32:00.002-04:00

One SREC sold for April, for $ 640.00.

Then, there's this from PSE&G, the power company:

Thank you for participating in Paperless Billing. Your current PSE&G bill statement is now available for online viewing. Your current balance is a credit of $109.59 and no payment is required.

I'm just doing 'back of the envelope' calculations, but it appears that our system is halfway to paying for itself. (Disclaimer: we were lucky enough to catch the tail end of the New Jersey rebate program and also received a substantial federal tax credit.) When we installed I estimated the payback period as 4.5 years. Looks like it'll be more like 5.1 years. I can live with that...

One SREC / Lots of Surplus Power Right Now

2011-04-18T13:43:00.004-04:00

We earned one SREC for March, and received $640 for it at auction. The consistency of these numbers is starting to worry me. I'm not kidding. Am I paranoid?

The system is still kicking butt. These periods of the year when daylight isn't so short and the A.C. isn't on are the best. Lots of surplus power being generated and exported...

Negative Electric Bill (Never Gets Old)

2011-04-01T11:47:00.002-04:00

Here's a negative electric bill, this time delivered by e-mail:

Thank you for participating in Paperless Billing. Your current PSE&G bill statement is now available for online viewing. Your current balance is a credit of $74.23 and no payment is required.

These never get old...

One Srec Sold for February

2011-03-17T19:57:00.001-04:00

We got the usual $ 640. Cool, won't turn these dollars down...

Shopping for System? Here are Real Installation Figures!

2011-03-15T16:41:00.004-04:00

Here's some useful information from Steve S., who's slowly supplanting me as the most knowledgeable and helpful solar guy on this blog.

I'm going to paste Steve's email in below. What he's found is a list of every solar installation that has gone through the rebate program. The list includes the name of the installer as well as the cost of the installation (and other information).

This is big! If you're looking around or negotiating a deal, these numbers are for you! Now you can get an idea of what people are paying and what they're getting for it. Although this is all New Jersey information, I would imagine it could apply roughly to other states except for the rebate part.

Great find, Steve! Thanks!

While searching the NJ Clean Energy Program website for information on how to register for the GATS website, I found some information that I thought might be useful to share with people who follow your Going Solar blog. Under their Renewable Energy tab, they have program status reports. The direct link is:

http://www.njcleanenergy.com/renewable-energy/project-activity-reports/program-status-reports/program-status-reports

Now, for somebody who is shopping around and getting quotes for a solar system, here's the interesting thing. These excel spreadsheets, specifically the "REIP Paid Projects" and "SREC Registration Program Completed Projects" reports list every single installation in NJ that went through the state rebate process. They list what company did the installation job, what equipment was installed, how much of a rebate was received, and how much the owner paid for the system! I was shocked that all of this information was publicly release, but at the same time I wish I had found this when I was getting quotes...what negotiating power! Now when the guy from XYZ Solar tells you his price and explains that he's giving you the best price he can, you have away of checking that and seeing if he gave another customer a better deal. Or, before even getting a quote you have a some hard data on what price you should be getting, as well as which solar installers are providing the most value for the money.

Just thought I'd share this, as I know that I would have loved to have had this information when I was shopping around.

Sorry for the Lack of Posts

2011-03-11T08:45:00.002-05:00

Sorry for seemingly ignoring my blogs. It seems that Google has been making a few changes to permissioning (I made that word up) and generally helping me to death. I've finally learned how to re-associate this blog with the proper email account (from Google help, I should give them credit) and I think I'm back in business now.

By the way, my new book Wrecker has really taken off in the last two weeks. Here's the sales chart!

Questions and Issues for a New Installation

2011-02-15T12:03:00.002-05:00

Tony is a fellow Jerseyan who is currently researching a solar installation. He made some interesting comments and had some useful questions in a comment thread. I think his contribution would make a useful discussion point so I'm posting it here.

Also, he said nice things about this blog. That's always a good reason to repost!

If anybody has any information or ideas, please share! And Tony, feel free to post any numbers or projections as a comment here.

Here's what Tony said:

I have to say, after perusing the internet for info on this subject this blog has been the most helpful. It's relevance to my situation is great and the focus on the minutia of this undertaking is greatly appreciated. I have never commented on a blog before so I am unsure of the process/protocol. That being said, my comment/question is in regard to my very recent interest and inquiry into solar. I live in central Jersey. I have read a lot of opinions, facts(hopefully) and general information to feel somewhat comfortable discussing it. Last week I had a representative from Mercury Solar pay me a visit. He was a very nice guy and gave a comprehensive and professional presentation. The numbers he proposed in his "solar financial feasibility study" seemed viable and ultimately profitable. I immediately had the "it's to good to be true feeling" wash over me. Just wondering if anyone following this blog has met or dealt with Mercury Solar. If so, could you please offer any and all pos/neg feedback on them. If possible would it be ok for me to post the numbers I was quoted for feedback from all of the current solarites following this blog?

Looking for Mr. and Mrs. "Pennsylvania 9.84"

2011-02-14T09:52:00.002-05:00

Somebody in Pennsylvania who is looking to install a solar power system in Pennsylvania needs our help. We've had a very helpful commenter from Pennsylvania who had a 9.84 kW system installed in May. This new commenter would like to find out about what company did that installation. So, Mr./Mrs. "9.84" and Mr./Mrs. "Somebody in Pennsylvania", please feel free to exchange contact information here if that would help...

Snow Still on Panels!

2011-01-29T11:40:00.007-05:00

Well, we had a big snowstorm Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning. The snow slid off the main roof by midday Wednesday. Here's a picture of the front sidewalk after one of those avalanches:

And here's the main roof after that avalanche:

Unfortunately, three days later the garage roof has but a single exposed panel:

I realize that this post isn't consistent with my last post, in which I said the snow was sliding off the panels quickly. I swear, when I made that post it looked like it was all coming off real fast. I guess it stopped right after I posted...

Snow Sliding Right Off This Time

2011-01-26T12:55:00.002-05:00

This time the snow is sliding off the panels rather quickly. Maybe it's because the temperature is higher.

The dog is freaking out. She can hear it and thinks it's thunder, which she's always been afraid of...

Reached Ten Grand in SREC Income

2011-01-17T11:40:00.002-05:00

One December SREC sold at auction last week, for $ 640.00.

That brings our SREC total to $ 10,410.09. That's a significant chunk of change to help offset the installation cost...

This Snow is Costing me Money!

2011-01-13T10:37:00.002-05:00

This is our second straight day of sunshine but we're not generating any energy. We've had lots of snow since the system was installed, and each time the snow slid off the panels within hours. This time it's hanging tough. There's not an inch of exposed panel.

I'd like to get the avalanche (and post-avalanche shoveling) over with so we can get back to making energy...

Wrecker!

2011-01-13T10:30:00.001-05:00

Pardon the interruption, but my new book is out!

Wrecker at Amazon

Wrecker at Barnes&Noble

Other Energies get Subsidized Too

2010-12-16T12:32:00.003-05:00

Here is a great reminder from DougS that other types of energy receive subsidies, boosts and preferential treatment from the government too -- also at taxpayer expense. It originated in the comment thread from this recent blog post but it's so thoughtful that it deserves to be on the front page.

This was a reply to my expression of angst about the requirement that power companies buy SRECs (or generate green energy themselves).

Dave,

It if makes you feel any better coal gets billions in subsidies every year. Unfortunately, our system is setup such that those with the money can lobby congress and get tax breaks, etc. This means that the ratepayer/taxpayer is the stuck with the bill.

The SREC is a subsidy as well, but it is hard to compete when one form of energy is subsidized and other is not. So, solar, coal, corn and the rest of them enjoy breaks at the expense of the ratepayer. It is up to you to pick your poison/weapon, and I'm glad to choose solar over the others.

Here is an article on some of the coal subsidies.

DougS

The Down Side of SRECs

2010-12-15T14:50:00.004-05:00

Whoa, check this article out. I've said before that I sometimes wonder if it's good public policy to force solar energy into the pipeline with this artificial SREC mechanism (although on a personal level, I like getting money). Requiring power companies to buy SRECs owned by solar power generators like me drives everybody's power costs up, because the utilities must accrue the money to buy them. is that good? This article, which happens to be about my county here in New Jersey, sums it up well at the end. I sometimes crow about high SREC prices while this article speaks of a longing for low ones...

Gloucester County Becoming Solar Powerhouse

Greg Reinert, spokesman for the Board of Public Utilities, said the Garden State is attractive to solar developers for a couple of reasons.

One, state law mandates how many gigawatts of solar power must be generated in the state on an annual basis Ð and the number climbs a bit each year Ð but that number has yet to be met.

Second, because the state hasn't met the number, it drives up the price of the Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SREC), which are federal tax credits that owners of solar arrays receive for generating solar power. For every megawatt of solar power generated, the owner gets an SREC.

Unfortunately, solar power is a costly enterprise at the moment, Reinert said, and ultimately that cost falls back on the ratepayer. So, the more solar power, the lower the price of the SREC, and the lower the SREC price, the less that ratepayers will pay.

"The goal is to drive the SREC down," he said.

Solar Panels: Not Just for the Sunny States!

2010-12-10T14:16:00.007-05:00

Today we have a guest blogger! Take it away, Edward Stern!

And thank you much to Elizabeth of MyDogAteMyBlog.com for hooking Edward up with us...

Solar Panels: Not Just for the Sunny States!

Edward Stern is a guest blogger for My Dog Ate My Blog and a writer on online schools and universities for Guide to Online Schools.

All the rage amongst eco-friendly architects, solar panels have become more and more popular with the average homeowner over the last decade. These panels sit on the roof of a building, where they collect UV rays from the Sun and transfer this energy for use with appliances, electrical needs, etc. They constitute a sustainable energy source, one that is carbon-free and much healthier for the environment.

One common misconception of solar panels is that you need direct sunlight, and lots of it, to collect enough energy to make the investment worth it. The simple truth: absolutely not. Solar panels are not just for the sunny south, and work almost anywhere in the United States, especially in the typically windy, gloomy cities of the Midwest. Why? Solar energy requires UV rays much more than actual sunlight, and these rays are transmitted and captured even on cloudy days. If you've ever gotten a sunburn while skiing, then you know what I'm talking about.

A lack of sunlight is no reason to ignore the benefits of solar energy. Solar panels are becoming much more cost-effective, and worth a long-term investment due to rapidly upgrading technology. In 1980, it cost $100 per watt to capture energy from the Sun -- literally one hundred times more expensive than the going rate of electricity! However, by 1999, technology had reduced that figure to a mere $4 a watt, and it has been declining steadily since, at an average rate of 5% a year.

Solar energy saves on heating and electricity bills by replacing that energy with that collected by a solar panel. To pay for itself, a solar panel needs to be operational for 10-15 years, while solar hot water panels need 8-12. They are a long-term investment, but for homeowners not looking to switch locations anytime soon, a solid one. Plus, most panels come with a 20-25 year warranty, so you will see a return on your investment long before you'll need to pay for repairs.

Many states, including some in the Midwest, are investing heavily in solar energy and see it as a means to create sustainable, affordable energy. Currently 35 states offer rebates for home and small business owners who invest in panels, thus further defraying the cost. The federal government also provides tax breaks and other monetary benefits for those who invest in solar energy.

Solar energy may be the way of the future, but it is a solid, affordable investment that you can make now. You don't have to live in a sunny state to reap the benefits. UV rays can be harvested even in the gloomiest, snowiest states, and provide just as much of a benefit to the environment -- and to your utility bill.

November: 1 SREC

2010-12-08T13:04:00.003-05:00

1 SREC generated in November, sold in auction for $640.00.

That bumps our all-time SREC income to $9770.09. Thirty bucks short of ten grand!

Great Practical Information Here! (Not from me)

2010-12-03T15:55:00.006-05:00

Hey Everybody,

Wasn't I just saying that the best stuff on this blog is in the comments from really smart people?

Well, here's a great comment that I thought was post-worthy. It's from a solar owner/operator in Pennsylvania (where they're really getting in gear on solar energy). There is a lot of ground-level, practical information here that you just don't see on all the glamorous web sites and presentations.

Thanks, Pennsylvania 9.84 kw system person!

I've been reading this blog since we installed our 9.84 kW system in PA earlier this year (early May). I love our system for how well it works and looks, but we've had numerous problems along the way. I'd like to share some of these for those installing in PA.

1) It took FOREVER for us to pass our electrical inspection. Because of the large number of systems being installed, there are independent inspectors inspecting solar only. This is great to ensure that our system looks and is installed as it should be, but our installer seemed confused/unprepared for the scrutiny given our system--unfortunately this all came at the price of over a month of inspections and reworking of our system...ugh!

2) Our installer powered up our system before PECO installed our second meter for net metering. Our meter happily ran back and forth--we were so happy, until we got our electric bill. Unfortunately, PECO only reads clicks of a reference point on analog meters, so every click forward (or backward) was billed. We explained our problem to PECO--they didn't care because our installer shouldn't have powered up the system. Our installer argued we could sell the SREC generated during this time to offset the electric cost--we couldn't. Until you are interconnected in PA, the system can not be registered, if it's not registered any SREC generated does not count.

3) Getting to sell SRECs takes time. We are using SREC Trade for our SRECS. Public record show our system was registered in early July (whether this is the date SREC can count or the date of registration I am not clear) but I am clear that registering, setting up a GATS account and getting to the point we could enter our production took until OCTOBER. We were not able to sell SRECs until the November auction even though we provided all our system info before install. Keep this 5-6 month window in mind as you budget repaying that really big install bill.

4) Speaking of that bill... Our system was installed using Tier I Sunshine funds. It is currently December and I still have not received my state rebate check. I can't seem to get any information out of the PA Sunshine office other than all the completion paperwork has been received. To be fair to the state of PA, my installer was slow to get all the paperwork in order, but the state acknowledges they have had everything since August and according to my installer we've been cleared to be paid since October. Apparently that check is being written one letter/number a day--hopefully we'll see that check before our one year install anniversary.

5) Our electric bills (PECO) do not go negative. I am still trying to figure everything out, so if anyone knows more ... We received readings of our 'out' meter and 'in' meter monthly. As long as the net production equals or exceeds our use in a month we are only billed a customer fee. My understanding is that if our usage exceeds production in any month we will receive a bill for the difference (even though we have a bank of over 1750 kWh at this point) and that our excess will be paid out (wholesale rate I believe) at the end of the solar year. I am not sure we will reach a point to test this hypothesis-- system works great to supply our usage needs and we are still producing an excess (this is the brightest point of our solar adventure). And yes...plans are in the works to change over more of our home to use more of our clean, 'free' electric supply. Of course, a large chuck of our money is tied up waiting......

Hope this useful to someone out there, if only to make you feel better about your own situation.

Read the Comments!

2010-11-30T16:10:00.004-05:00

I want to mention to any and all readers that it's a good idea to read the comment trails in addition to the main posts. I try not to spread disinformation, and if I get something wrong I try to adjust the original post for accuracy. But there are so many readers who know way more than I do about all of this that it's very informative to read what THEY have to say.

For instance, I've learned a lot by reading the comments to this post from a few weeks ago about my negative electric bill.

I Thought the Eagles were Already Green!

2010-11-18T18:38:00.005-05:00

Way cool, man. The Philadelphia Eagles announced a plan to install green energy systems at Lincoln Financial Field on a scale that will allow them to generate enough power that they (LIKE ME) will export extra energy onto the grid. They're talking solar panels, wind turbines and a biodiesel/natural gas power plant. [I don't understand the natural gas part, that sounds like importing energy to generate other energy with, but whatever.]

Eagles Plan to Take the Gridiron off the Grid

I have 48 solar panels and I thought I was badass. They're going to install 2,500 of them.

I'm a lifelong Skins guy but I might have to become an Eagles fan. Not really.

One October SREC Sold

2010-11-10T10:59:00.001-05:00

Sold an October SREC in the November 5 auction -- $640.

This is a great time of year to be generating energy. I've been admiring the reverse-spin on the meter for the past few weeks.

What a Negative Electric Bill Looks lIke

2010-10-31T14:06:00.001-04:00

This bill is pretty cool. The amount we used was less than the amount generated and exported onto the grid. Hence, a negative electric bill ($39.29 credit). We get bills like this whenever the air conditioner isn't running.

SREC Sales History

2010-10-12T10:31:00.002-04:00

We generated and sold one SREC for September 2010, for $640.00.

Here's a running total of SREC sales over the 1+ years we've been up and running:

Fall 2009 (sold at auction in December): 4 SRECs @ $ 660 = $ 2640
December 2009 (none generated)
January 2010 (sold at auction in February): 1 SREC @ $ 660 = $660
February 2010 (sold at auction in March): 1 SREC @ $ 665 = $ 665
March 2010 (none generated)
April 2010 (sold at auction in May): 2 SRECs @ 665 = $ 1330
May 2010 (sold at auction in June): 1 SREC @ 665 = $ 665
June 2010 (sold at auction in July): 1 SREC @ 665.04 = $665.04
July 2010: (sold at auction in August): 1 SREC @ 600.00 = $600.00
August 2010 (sold at auction in September): 1 SREC @ 625.65 = $625.65
September 2010: (sold at auction in October): 1 SREC @ 640.00 = $640.00

Grand Total: 13 SRECs sold for a total of $ 8,490.09.

New Homes with Solar Built-in!

2010-09-16T08:22:00.007-04:00

Cornerstone Building Group LLC is developing a small community of new housing with a 5.2KW solar panel system built right in! It's in South Jersey's Mullica Hill, just a few miles away (from where I am).

How cool! I've been wondering when something like this might pop up (I'm sure it's not the first but it's the first one I noticed.) I hope this catches on and people realize how utterly painless it is to capture and use all that energy that drips down the sides of our houses and goes unused.

Valle del Sol Exclusive Features

+ Exclusive agreement with Eastern Energy Services to supply, install and maintain a + 5.2 KW solar panel system on each home to lower energy costs and reduce environmental impact.
+ Solar powered street lights throughout development.

Energy-efficient Design

+ Insulated double-pane single hung windows with built-in grilles and screens and lower sash tilt-in design
+ 14 SEER Central air conditioning
+ High efficiency heat pumps
+ Fully insulated (R-30) ceilings and (R-13) exterior walls and superseal foam insulation package
+ 50 gallon high-efficiency direct vent electric hot water heater

Here's a link to the Valle del Sol page on Cornerstone's web site:

Valle del Sol

I must add for the sake of LOL that another of their developments in Deptford, New Jersey is incorrectly labeled as being in Debtford.

August: 1 SREC Sold

2010-09-15T10:56:00.002-04:00

We sold one SREC for August, for $625.65.

One of these months we're going to generate two of them. We seem overdue for that.

Another Way to "Make" Green Energy

2010-08-22T19:33:00.005-04:00

Reducing energy usage is as green as it can get -- it's as green as the power generated by the panels on my roof.

That's why I loved this letter to the editor by R. Lalli of Atco that appeared in today's Courier Post (Cherry Hill, NJ):

Wasting Energy

"I noticed an immediate reduction in my electric bills as my central air conditioning system took less time to cool my home.."

Sounds familiar, right? Remember, air-conditioning season is the only period during which our house consumes more energy than it generates. Maybe better windows would change that for the better.

I must admit that in my house I have the crappy windows that the writer is referring to. Maybe that should be our next undertaking.

PSE&G and Renewable Energy

2010-08-22T19:24:00.002-04:00

Interesting article about one of South Jersey's utility company's attitude on renewable energy.

PSE&G Embracing Renewable Energy

"PSEG has embraced renewables for a number of reasons.

First, our customers tell us they want the benefits of green energy. Utilities are uniquely equipped to bring these benefits to millions of people, just as we have traditionally provided universal access to electricity and gas.

Second, renewables can help put energy on a more sustainable track by reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Solar energy is not only carbon-free, but pollution-free.

Last but not least, renewables present an extraordinary jobs-and-growth opportunity.

New Jersey has a knowledge-based, high-tech economy. It's in our state's interest to have strong companies active here in the clean energy industry, creating jobs and poised to grow. It's in the interest of local communities, too. When we build a solar farm on a former contaminated site, as we are doing in Trenton, it not only brings land back into productive use, but also generates good-paying local jobs -- and hope for a better future."

Personally, based on my experience and what I read, I think PSE&G is less excited about renewable energy than their marketing spin meisters are claiming to be here. But it's still cool that they are doing some of these things anyway.

2010-08-10T09:40:00.002-04:00

One (1) (I) SREC sold for July. Six hundred clams even. That's six-hundred clams closer to system payoff...

I Concluded that SREC Income is Not Taxable (Rerun)

2010-07-27T08:38:00.003-04:00

The most popular search topic on this blog, by far, is about whether or not SREC income is taxable. I did a little research last winter and concluded that it isn't, and I filed my 2010 tax return without mentioning it.

For more detail on this topic you can check out the March 20 blog post here: Taxable?

One June SREC

2010-07-16T09:22:00.002-04:00

SRECTrade Customer Service got back to me pretty quickly. It turns out that we sold one June SREC for $665.04. I'm pretty sure we've done two in a month at least once so I'm having a hard time figuring out how we only had one. But we only had one.

No Report on June SRECs

2010-07-14T13:39:00.002-04:00

Well, the SREC auction was held last week but still no word from SRECTrade on how we made out. Usually there's an email confirming how many we sold, even if that number is 0.

I can't imagine that we didn't generate at least one SREC during sunny June. I was actually hoping for two. After a couple more days I guess I'll have to break down and ask somebody...

"Guest Blogger" Talks about Fifteen Year Limit on SREC Generation

2010-07-12T10:28:00.004-04:00

Here's a "guest blog" by somebody who contributes a lot to this blog -- Mr. Anonymous!

It was actually forwarded as a comment but it's useful information for anybody who is going solar in the Garden State and deserves it's own post.

Take it away, Mr. A...

SRECs are generated beginning the day of interconnection approval. A little 'gotcha' to be aware of: The reporting cycle for SRECs runs June 1 to May 31st of the following year. You are eligible to generate SRECs for 15 years, so if your system is being built on May 1st, whatever you do, wait until after May 31st to get the interconnection approval because you miss out on a whole year's worth of SRECs if you come online before May 31st. If you come online with interconnection just after May 31st, you can generate SRECs for another year (technically year 16) of the system. The last thing you want is for your system to produce a single SREC in May and have that count as one year wasted.

Read more here:

http://www.njcleanenergy.com/renewable-energy/tools-and-resources/faqs/srec#Anchor-What-47857

High Production but High Usage Too

2010-06-30T08:56:00.006-04:00

This is the time of year when it's hard to tell if my system is making any difference at all. Ironically, it's the part of the year when it generates the most power (longest periods of high-sky sun) so you'd think it would be the most interesting time for watching it go. But as I've already detailed ad nauseum, it's also the part of the year where I use the most power -- because the evil air conditioner and it's partner in crime, the insidious pool filter -- are running a lot.

Checking the electric meter during the summer just isn't as exciting as it is in April or October because it's not spinning backwards as much.

Luckily I can look at the inverters and see that a lot of power is being generated. Now I remember why I spent so much time checking those last summer...

Guest Blogger Today

2010-06-16T09:51:00.007-04:00

We have a guest blogger today. Barbara Young has a lot of interesting and informative things to tell us about solar energy: how it works, some history, and a really thorough list of solar power pros and cons.

Warning from Dave -- she knows way more about solar power than I do -- get ready to learn!

Barbara writes regularly here on her very lively site that I plan to keep up with:

12voltsolarpanel.net

Her efforts are focused entirely on helping people save energy using solar powered energy to reduce CO2 emissions and energy dependency.

After you read this I’m betting that you bookmark that site – it’s that good!

~~~

Here’s an instant approach to learn the way solar panels work

What's solar energy ?

Solar energy is radiant energy that's produced by the sun. Each day the sun radiates, or sends out, an enormous amount of energy. The sun radiates more energy in one second than people have used since the beginning of time!

The energy of the Sun derives from within the sun itself. Like other stars, the sun is mostly a big ball of gases––mostly hydrogen and helium atoms.

The hydrogen atoms in the sun’s core combine to create helium and generate energy in a process called nuclear fusion.

During nuclear fusion, the sun’s extremely high pressure and temperature cause hydrogen atoms to come apart and their nuclei (the central cores of the atoms) to fuse or combine. Four hydrogen nuclei fuse to become one helium atom. However the helium atom contains less mass compared to four hydrogen atoms that fused. Some matter is lost during nuclear fusion. The lost matter is emitted into space as radiant energy.

It requires millions of years for the energy in the sun’s core to make its way to the solar surface, and then slightly over eight minutes to travel the 93 million miles to earth. The solar energy travels to the earth at a speed of 186,000 miles per second, the speed of sunshine.

Only a small part of the energy radiated by the sun into space strikes the earth, one part in two billion. Yet this quantity of energy is enormous. On a daily basis enough energy strikes the united states to supply the nation’s energy needs for one and a half years!

Where does all this energy go?
About 15 percent of the sun’s energy that hits the planet earth is reflected back to space. Another 30 percent is used to evaporate water, which, lifted in to the atmosphere, produces rainfall. Solar energy is also absorbed by plants, the land, and the oceans. The remaining could be employed to supply our energy needs.

Who invented solar power ?

People have harnessed solar technology for hundreds of years. Since the 7th century B.C., people used simple magnifying glasses to concentrate the light of the sun into beams so hot they would cause wood to catch fire. Over 100 years ago in France, a scientist used heat from a solar collector to produce steam to drive a steam engine. In the beginning of this century, scientists and engineers began researching ways to use solar energy in earnest. One important development was obviously a remarkably efficient solar boiler invented by Charles Greeley Abbott, an American astrophysicist, in 1936.

The solar hot water heater gained popularity at this time in Florida, California, and the Southwest. The industry started in the early 1920s and was in full swing prior to The second world war. This growth lasted before mid-1950s when low-cost natural gas took over as primary fuel for heating American homes.

People and world governments remained largely indifferent to the possibilities of solar energy before oil shortages of the1970s. Today, people use solar technology to heat buildings and water and also to generate electricity.

How do we use solar power today ?

Solar energy is employed in several different ways, of course. There are two very basic kinds of solar energy:

* Solar thermal energy collects the sun's warmth through 1 of 2 means: in water or in an anti-freeze (glycol) mixture.
* Solar photovoltaic energy converts the sun's radiation to usable electricity.
Listed here are the five most practical and popular ways that solar energy is employed:

1. Small portable solar photovoltaic systems. We have seen these used everywhere, from calculators to solar garden tools. Portable units can be utilised for everything from RV appliances while single panel systems are used for traffic signs and remote monitoring stations.

2. Solar pool heating. Running water in direct circulation systems via a solar collector is an extremely practical method to heat water for your pool or hot tub.

3. Thermal glycol energy to heat water. In this method (indirect circulation), glycol is heated by natural sunlight and the heat is then transferred to water in a warm water tank. Using this method of collecting the sun's energy is more practical now than ever. In areas as far north as Edmonton, Alberta, solar thermal to heat water is economically sound. It can pay for itself in three years or less.

4. Integrating solar photovoltaic energy into your home or business power. In many parts on the planet, solar photovoltaics is an economically feasible method to supplement the power of your home. In Japan, photovoltaics are competitive with other types of power. In the USA, new incentive programs make this form of solar technology ever more viable in many states. An increasingly popular and practical way of integrating solar energy into the power of your home or business is through the usage of building integrated solar photovoltaics.

5. Large independent photovoltaic systems. For those who have enough sun power at your site, you might be able to go off grid. You may also integrate or hybridize your solar energy system with wind power or other forms of renewable energy to stay 'off the grid.'

How can Photovoltaic panels work ?

Silicon is mounted beneath non-reflective glass to produce photovoltaic panels. These panels collect photons from the sun, converting them into DC electrical energy. The power created then flows into an inverter. The inverter transforms the power into basic voltage and AC electrical energy.

Solar cells are prepared with particular materials called semiconductors for example silicon, which is presently the most generally used. When light hits the Photovoltaic cell, a certain share of it is absorbed inside the semiconductor material. This means that the energy of the absorbed light is given to the semiconductor.

The power unfastens the electrons, permitting them to run freely. Photovoltaic cells also have one or more electric fields that act to compel electrons unfastened by light absorption to flow in a specific direction. This flow of electrons is a current, and by introducing metal links on the top and bottom of the -Photovoltaic cell, the current can be drawn to use it externally.

What are the positives and negatives of solar energy ?

Solar Pro Arguments

- Heating our homes with oil or natural gas or using electricity from power plants running with oil and coal is a reason for global warming and climate disruption. Solar power, on the other hand, is clean and environmentally-friendly.
- Solar hot-water heaters require little maintenance, and their initial investment can be recovered within a relatively short time.
- Solar hot-water heaters can work in nearly every climate, even in very cold ones. Simply choose the best system for your climate: drainback, thermosyphon, batch-ICS, etc.
- Maintenance costs of solar powered systems are minimal and the warranties large.
- Financial incentives (USA, Canada, European states…) can aid in eliminating the cost of the first investment in solar technologies. The U.S. government, for instance, offers tax credits for solar systems certified by by the SRCC (Solar Rating and Certification Corporation), which amount to 30 percent of the investment (2009-2016 period).

Solar Cons Arguments

- The initial investment in Solar Hot water heaters or in Solar PV Electric Systems is higher than that required by conventional electric and gas heaters systems.
- The payback period of solar PV-electric systems is high, as well as those of solar space heating or solar cooling (only the solar warm water heating payback is short or relatively short).
- Solar water heating do not support a direct in conjunction with radiators (including baseboard ones).
- Some air conditioning (solar space heating and the solar cooling systems) are costly, and rather untested technologies: solar ac isn't, till now, a truly economical option.
- The efficiency of solar powered systems is rather influenced by sunlight resources. It's in colder climates, where heating or electricity needs are higher, that the efficiency is smaller.

Several Newspaper Articles This Weekend

2010-06-13T10:24:00.008-04:00

From Diane Mastrull of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Saturday

Pa. Quietly takes back its solar-energy tax credit

"For a state that says it's trying to encourage more alternative-energy use, this is not an especially proud development. Which may explain why Pennsylvania put out no news releases and held no news conferences about it."

Dave's comment: I'm sorry to see this, but solar energy subsidies are frills that are hard to make cases for in the current state of affairs.

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From Jacqueline L. Urgo of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Saturday

Historic Cape May Allows Newfangled Alteration

"Thirty-eight new solar panels are hidden from sight atop the ornate 1882 Italianate structure that houses the Mad Batter Restaurant and Carroll Villa Hotel in the historical heart of this 19th-century seaside town."

Dave's comment: Cool. I'm glad they found a way to preserve the Cape May image while making room for progressive change.

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From Eileen Smith of the Courier-Post (South Jersey's biggest paper!), Sunday

Solar Energy is Hot in N.J. -- Generous rebates pay dividends for homeowners

"New Jersey has the best economics in the country for solar," said David Lloren, CEO of San Francisco-based One Block off the Grid (1BOG), a broker for residential installation services.

Dave's comment: Ha! I'm going to generate at least twelve SRECs a year, not the paltry seven estimated in this article. But even so, my estimate for payback is 3.5 - 4 years, not the optimistic 2.8 years projected here.

Terminology, Calculations, etc.

2010-06-11T08:55:00.005-04:00

The other day I had a question that really, at this point I should have been able to answer easily. I couldn't. It involved a really basic principle: if a system is rated as size X, how much power does it produce?

Here's a useful web site developed by people who aren't as clueless as me:

Solar & Wind Energy Calculations: The (very) Basics

This paragraph from that website helped me the most because it explains what a system size rating means over the course of time (which was the concept I proved to be not too bright about):

"One kilowatt-hour (1 kWh) means an energy source supplies 1,000 watts (1 kW) of energy for one hour. Generally, a solar energy system will provide output for about 5 hours per day. So, if you have a 1.8 kW system size and it produces for 5 hours a day, 365 days a year: This solar energy system will produce 3,285 kWh in a year (1.8 kW x 5 hours x 365 days)."

One blog reader says this on June 15: "Actually 1000 kW of DC system produces about 1200 kWh of AC electric."

I'm a Solar Incentive Hypocrite

2010-06-09T10:04:00.011-04:00

Remember the other day when I posted that I have mixed feelings about the government programs that I have benefited from? Here's what I meant.

On the one hand I think we need to look forward and exploit new technologies to generate the energy we need. On the other hand -- I'm just not a big government guy.

The word "hypocrite" won't get out of my head.

Below is a link to an interesting column by David Levy of The Energy Collective. It includes this quote:

"...This is a massive subsidy indeed, and raises significant policy issues. Even for those who are fervent advocates of renewable energy, does it make sense to provide such huge subsidies to solar, when modest subsidies for land-based wind power of around 2-3c/kWh serve to make it grid competitive in many regions? Would the money be better spent on research and development, and the development of local workforce skills and business clusters? Subsidizing installation at the retail level will generate a few local jobs for developers, electricians and installers, but the panels will mostly be imported. There is a serious risk of consumer backlash when people realize the extent of the subsidies and the impact on their utility bills..."

David Levy Column

Just food for thought, my friends...

Only 2 KWH Bought From PSE&G in March

2010-06-08T09:00:00.003-04:00

Here's a snippet of my latest electric bill:

It turns out that I won't be receiving many exciting (negative) electric bills for a while because PSE&G does a lot of estimations (which you can see here).

I have to take a really close look to see the exciting stuff. If you look at the March row of this table you can see that in March 2009 I bought 760 KWH hours of power. In March 2010 it was only -- [drum roll] -- 2 KWH.

That's kind of cool. March wasn't even really very sunny. We didn't even generate an entire SREC. April will be more exciting -- unless PSE&G estimates the excitement away.

SRECs Sold So Far

2010-06-07T10:34:00.007-04:00

As a review: an SREC is a certification that a system has produced 1000 Kilowatthours of solar energy. They can be bought and sold as commodities. In most states the utility companies are required to include certain percentages of 'green' power in their total production. They can and do purchase these certificates rather than physically generate the green power to meet this requirement. [I have mixed feelings about this scheme, many of which make me a hypocrite, but that's for another post.]

We sold one SREC for May, for $ 665.

So here's summary of SREC activity. We've been eligible to generate them since sometime last fall (I haven't been able to pin down the exact point where the energy we generated "counted" but I know we lost out on all that summer 2009 power because we hadn't passed inspection yet.)

Fall 2009 (sold at auction in December): 4 SRECs @ $ 660 = $ 2640
December 2009 (none generated)
January 2010 (sold at auction in February): 1 SREC @ $ 660 = $660
February 2010 (sold at auction in March): 1 SREC @ $ 665 = $ 665
March 2010 (none generated)
April 2010 (sold at auction in May): 2 SRECs @ 665 = $ 1330
May 2010 (sold at auction in June): 1 SREC @ 665 = $ 665

Grand Total: 9 SRECs sold for a total of $5,960.

Happy Anniversary

2010-06-04T10:14:00.004-04:00

Well today is anniversary day! One year ago today the system was completed and went online.

http://solarpowr.blogspot.com/2009_06_01_archive.html

Also, it's Happy 22nd Anniversary to Dave and LA. Dinner at Guillermo's tonight to celebrate...

Different Kinds of SREC Brokers Out There!

2010-06-02T21:27:00.006-04:00

I've been getting lots of questions from people who are signing up with SREC brokers who are offering deals which, let's say, aren't as good as the one I have. Immediately below I answered three questions that came in today. Then, rather than retype the same sentiments, I went back through my comments and dug up my best answer.

I apologize in advance for loving my broker, SRECTrade!

This question is from Jim in a comment posted today (June 2, 2010).

From your post, you are located in New Jersey. I have just received a proposal from my 'installer/broker' for a commission that is far greater than what you seem to be paying.

I have 3 questions:

1.) Are you receiving current (2010) market value for your SRECS?

Dave's answer: Yes. I sell my SRECS (well, my broker does ALL the work) every month at auction so I get the 2010 New Jersey market value (it's always been $660 or $665 so far.)

2.) How often are you making your SRECs available to the market? Monthly? quarterly?

Dave's answer: My SRECs sell in an auction every month.

3.) Regarding the paperwork - did you have all the information required readily available to you or did you have to dig for it?

Dave's answer: Once I signed on with my broker (SRECTrade) and filled out about 3 pages of forms that they sent, they did everything. I just sit back and wait for direct deposit.

Here's a more in-depth answer, which I copied from an older comment trail in the "1040 Good Buddy" post:

note: this reply will sound like a commercial for SRECTrade, the broker that handles my SRECs. I'm not associated with them in any way except as a customer -- but the fact is that they rock and I'm glad to endorse their services.]

First of all, don't worry about your SREC rotting away. You have plenty of time to decide how to sell these things.

I did research and decided to work with SRECTrade. I think they're fantastic. They'll hold your hand through signing up and all the red tape/paperwork. Then you can just sit back and read emails about the SRECs they've sold for you.

There are a lot of brokers out there. Some are like SRECTrade -- they take a very small commission and make their money by doing LOTS of transactions. With most of these, including SRECTrade, you are free to pull out of the arrangement any time.

The other ones are more old-fashioned. They don't want you to know the specifics, they just want you to commit to a long term arrangement (which usually benefits them a lot more than they benefit you, in my opinion.) My installer tried to push me into one of these. After I read the fine print I realized why -- they get a commission for the first two years of the contract. I thought it was a little shady.

Anyway, I am completely happy with SRECTrade. I can't imagine a better deal. I know it's possible to sell these on your own but the commission with SRECTrade is so small that I can't imagine going through all the hassle.

I hope I've helped. Feel free to ask me anything. I'm always happy to help!

Meter Readings for Last Month (or So)

2010-05-24T10:04:00.004-04:00

I haven't posted any numbers for a while, so here goes. I don't track everything on a daily basis anymore. It was too much work, and I ended up losing my data when my computer crashed anyway.

Now I just look at the electric meter once in a while. To me this is the most important number because it summarizes the balance between power generated and power used.

[These are all a.m. meter readings.]

April 12: 17,510
April 13: 17,475
April 14: 17,493
April 15: 17,454
April 19: 17,353
April 21: 17,300
April 25: 17,213
April 28: 17,251
May 5: 17,294
May 17: 17,118
May 24: 17,140

A decrease from the previous reading means that a surplus has been generated and exported to the power grid. An increase means the opposite.

The reasons for fluctuations is obvious -- on cloudy days we don't generate as much power. On hot days we use more power (A.C.)

Camping Out for the Solar Rebate

2010-05-12T09:29:00.007-04:00

Interesting little blurb in the Courier Post (Cherry Hill, NJ) today. 1100 people submitted applications for the state solar rebate on the same day last week -- some of them camped out waiting in line to do so (I guess there must have been some kind of deadline).

The State Board of Public Utilities has stopped accepting applications until September. I can't imagine there's enough money to cover even the 1100 recent applicants.

Money is tight here in New Jersey right now and the new governor is cutting a lot of programs to try to balance the budget. Programs like this will probably be the first to go.

Here's the article.

http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20100512/NEWS01/5120340/Solar-rebate-program-put-on-hold-by-state

Bummer, Only two SRECs

2010-05-09T18:37:00.004-04:00

I was hoping for three, as I already posted, but we only had two April SRECs to sell in the SRECTrade auction on Friday. Oh well, we only netted $1330 (selling price was $665). That ought to pay a few future electric bills...

Auction Friday

2010-05-05T21:44:00.004-04:00

The auction for April SRECs is on Friday. I'm still pretty new at this but I can't imagine that I haven't generated at least two. We got shut out in March but I'll bet we generated .9999999 SRECs in that month. Add that to the two+ I'm estimating for April and it looks pretty good. Is three too many to expect?

That would be about $1900 -- we're chipping away at the initial cost. Cool...

1040 Good Buddy

2010-04-22T08:11:00.003-04:00

By the way, I forgot to mention that I filed my state and federal tax returns last week without declaring my SREC revenue as taxable income. We've had several posts about that here, and I won't rehash, but my accountant agreed that at least for this year, SREC income is not taxable.

Solar Fred

2010-04-19T10:20:00.005-04:00

I have a permanent link to Solar Fred's site over to the right but I think he should have a big fat plug right here. This man is spreading the word and he's funny too!

http://solarpowerrocks.com/

One particular fact that I saw on that page is the "payback" periods for various states. I've often said that my system (9.12 kwh) will pay for itself in 4 years. Many folks think I'm lying or just clueless. I was glad to see that Fred projects the payback period to be 3.4 years in New Jersey. I may be clueless but I wasn't lying. After 4 years I'll be generating 80% of my own electricity using a paid off system that is under warranty for decades.

It all adds up for me.

By the way, the electric meter is down to 17,353 as of this morning. So we've generated about 600 kwh of power more than we used in the past four weeks -- all which went out onto the power grid for credit.

Transform Orchards to a Solar Field?

2010-04-12T12:15:00.010-04:00

Here's an interesting article about converting agricultural land to solar power production. The area in question is a beautiful rural area in South Jersey, about twenty miles south of Philadelphia. A farmer wants to take 512 acres of orchard land and built the biggest solar power farm in New Jersey.

From the fields that Ed Stella Jr. owns in Upper Pittsgrove, Salem County, "miles and miles and miles of farmland" stretch in every direction. Stella wants to take 512 acres out of production to erect 80 megawatts of solar panels. The change, he said, would be "like a grain of pepper in the saltshaker."

The debate raises questions about how to balance two goals: to preserve New Jersey's agricultural economy, and to increase its role as a leader in solar energy.

I tend to be against replacing arable land with a power plant. Aesthetics aside, it reminds of me of what happened when midwestern farmers were encouraged to sell crops to be used for bio-fuels rather than food production -- it had an adverse effect on food supply. I'd prefer that non-arable land be used to set up a solar farm.

On the other hand, farmland in our area is disappearing at an alarming rate -- as development and sprawl radiates outward from the city. That includes my house, which was built in 1993 on land that had been used for agriculture (so yeah, I'm being hypocritical).

If the plan is approved, Stella has said he would put a deed restriction on the property so that, if the panels were removed, the land would go back to farming.

If not, the company has said, the alternative could be 150 houses, 627 miles of roads, and 188 children in the school system.

"I'd rather see this [solar project] than housing developments front and back," Doug Nichols, 60, whose home on Route 77 is sandwiched by Stella's property, said at an informational meeting this month.

If this farmland is going to be developed anyway, I wouldn't object to projects like solar farms being mixed in.

Read the entire Article Here

2010-04-10T18:55:00.004-04:00

Let's see -- March 24 was about 17 days ago. Now the meter reads 17,531. It's been very sunny over those seven days and we have the backwards spinnin' meter to prove it, to the tune of 384 kwh of surplus energy produced and dumped back onto the grid.

Thank you very much...

It Was a Great Day for Making Energy

2010-03-24T21:03:00.007-04:00

This had to be one of our best power-cranking days ever (I don't know for sure because my computer recently crashed and I lost a lot of records).

This morning at 8:00 the electric meter read 17,915. At 6:00 p.m. it read 17,865. That means we generated a 50 kwh surplus. I'll bet we cranked out 60 kwh today.

It also means that despite a cloudy, snowy winter, we've generated as much as we've used since November. From now until air conditioning season we ought to see some primo surpluses every day that isn't cloudy. By the time we turn the A.C. on I expect we'll have wound that meter

backwards

to August or so...

8:00 a.m. 17,915
6:00 p.m. 17,865

Are SRECs taxable? The Accountant Speaks

2010-03-20T12:18:00.003-04:00

I've made several posts already about whether or not SREC income is taxable or not.

I talked and emailed with my accountant recently.

Here's what he wrote: "I think it will eventually be taxable but there is no ruling at this time."

That's consistent with everything I've read and posted, in that there really is no definitive statement by any authority on the issue. My plan is to consider it non-taxable until I hear otherwise.

By the way -- it's been so sunny this week that our meter is spinning backwards at a velocity that reminds me of summertime!

February: One More SREC Sold

2010-03-09T08:06:00.003-05:00

We sold one SREC for February. It was so cloudy and snowy that I'm surprised we generated enough power for even one. Some of that was probably left over from January.

The selling price was the highest yet, $ 665.

Is SREC Income Taxable?

2010-02-17T08:13:00.012-05:00

I asked SRECTrade this question. It turns out that this is as murky a question as we suspected. They sent me an informative blurb, which consists in part of a post from a blog similar to mine that originates in Maryland (great resource by the way, check it out: www.solarpvhome.com).

Here's a link to the blurb from SRECTrade:

http://www.srectrade.com/blog/srec/taxes

The position of Michael, the Maryland solar blogger, is that SREC income is not taxable because a profit on the solar electric system will not be generated until the entire system is paid off.

SRECTrade recommends consultation with a professional accountant but adds this:

Is the income generated from SRECs considered taxable income?

Questions constantly arise regarding the tax treatment of SRECs and it seems that no legislative body or government agency has explicitly answered the question. For example, the New Jersey Office of Clean Energy, the pioneer in SREC markets, provides the following information in their FAQs:

Is SREC income taxable? Will I be issued a 1099 if I sell my SRECs? Is there sales tax on an SREC?

- There is not a definitive ruling on this issue. We recommend you discuss the issue with your tax accountant and perhaps a tax lawyer.

SRECTrade doesn't even issue 1099 forms.

My plan is to hand the issue to my accountant and let him decide. Based on what I've seen here my own opinion is that the income is not taxable.

Edit: see the March 20 blog post. That's where I decided that for me, SREC income is not taxable.

1 SREC Sold for January

2010-02-10T22:44:00.005-05:00

We generated enough power for 1 SREC in January, which sold at auction for $660. As far as I'm concerned that makes the system $660 closer to paying for itself.

Thanks again as always to SRECTrade. I didn't have to do a thing except notice the deposit in my account.

Folks, if you're putting in a system, make sure to shop around before choosing somebody to broker your SRECs. There are vast differences between the terms of the agreements they'll want to make with you. If your installer is trying to hook you up with a particular broker, chances are they are getting something out of the deal. That doesn't mean it's the right deal for you.

Survived the Big Wind

2010-01-29T11:17:00.008-05:00

The panels survived another durability test earlier this week when we experienced a day of violent wind. There were a lot of loose shingles blowing around the township (but none of mine, as it turns out). The winds were so strong that they did this to Washington Township High School just a few miles away:

Strong winds peeled sections of the roof off piece by piece until rain was falling into classrooms. The damage was so bad that classes were dismissed, everybody was sent home in the rain and school was cancelled the next day so the roof could be repaired.

From Fox News:
In New Jersey, Washington Township High School is closed. Fox 29's Steve Keeley reports a portion of the school's roof was peeled off by high winds. Heavy rain poured into several classrooms. Students were evacuated and sent home Monday just before lunch. It's not clear when classes will resume for the 3,000 students, faculty, and staff.

We sustained no damage at all to the panels, which started cranking out juice as soon as the sun came out the next day. That's a relief.

Clouds + December = No SRECs

2010-01-14T13:43:00.002-05:00

Since I was bragging a few weeks ago about selling SRECs it's only fair that I report that we didn't earn any full SRECs this month and so had none to sell in the auction. This time of year is the slowest period for solar to begin with because of the short days and the low sun. On top of that, it was very cloudy. Hopefully we'll have two or three next month...

Landslide! (Snow on the Panels)

2009-12-20T17:06:00.015-05:00

We had our first significant snowfall since the panels went up. Significant is an understatement -- it was about two feet of snow. It started early Saturday morning. Here's what the roof looked like as night was falling on Saturday night.

Needless to say, the panels were covered over completely with a healthy layer of snow.

We were out early Sunday morning to get a head start on shoveling. The panels were still completely covered. Then we heard it -- it sounded like thunder but it was actually an avalanche. When it was over a sizable group of panels on the main roof were visible again (and the front sidewalk suddenly had three feet of hardpacked snow so we had to reshovel it.)

Since then there's been some melting but there's still snow on the main roof panels and the garage roof (including panels) is still covered.

I didn't expect any production given that so many panels were covered but it was a rather sunny day and by afternoon we were producing more juice than we used.

Snow on the panels is something I worried about because I suspected (correctly, as it turns out) that snow would let go and slide off in large sheets. That's what happened but the only consequence was a need to do some reshoveling...

Subsidies for Greening of Developing Nations

2009-12-17T08:20:00.004-05:00

One of the major sticking points at the Copenhagen climate change discussions is whether and by how much the industrialized nations should subsidize the efforts by developing nations to "green up." Now, I have some qualms about how nations are divided into "developing" vs. "industrialized" but that's a whole different kettle of wax.

I don't necessarily oppose subsidizing the developing nations but I do oppose doing it by sending a wad of American taxpayer dollars to do it. That money will go straight to China or Malaysia to buy technology made on the cheap (probably by subsidiaries or derivatives of American companies, but that's another digression.)

What I'd rather do is pay American companies to hire American workers to build whatever these developing countries need, and then ship it over. That way, we will help put Americans to work in a growing, vibrant high-tech sector, which is something that's good for our country. If there were stipulations that the work could not be farmed out overseas to save on labor costs, an entirely reasonable arrangement, a lot of "obsolete" American workers would have a new start in a field that has tremendous upside.

Just across the river in Philadelphia a company will be setting up shop building solar panels on the former Navy Yard site. That's a rarity that only happened because of a slew of tax breaks and incentives. Most of the new solar panel factories are going up in other countries where the labor is cheap. This idea might help to change that.

Just something to think about. I've greatly oversimplified but I think the concept is sound.

Sold Our First SRECs!

2009-12-05T18:34:00.005-05:00

We sold our first SRECs.

This is the email I just received from our SREC broker, SRECTrade:

Dear Dave :

You successfully sold 4 2010 New Jersey SREC(s) in the December 4, 2009 auction. The clearing price for this auction was $660 and your total payment is $2640 (please see attached statement for details).

I was surprised that we had four to sell. I didn't know if we had any at all. The system has actually generated about 6 SRECs worth but we only passed inspection and were certified a few weeks ago. I had no idea if we would be awarded SRECs for power generated before the system was certified, but apparently we were.

SRECTrade auctions off SRECs in the Mid-Atlantic area. Here are the prices they fetched in yesterday's auction:

District of Columbia $290
Delaware $200
Maryland $360
New Jersey $660
Pennsylvania $290

Very cool. In my next post I'll talk about SRECTrade and how easy this was. They literally did everything for us. I'm so thankful I didn't sign on with the brokers that we first learned about.

I also want to review the process by which it's determined how many SRECs we have. Trust me, nobody came by the house and read our inverters. I think I blogged about this last summer but I need a refresher.

First Negative Electric Bill

2009-12-01T09:24:00.009-05:00

We received our first 'negative' electric bill yesterday.

We've produced more power than we've used since late August. I already knew that but the power company estimated our meter readings for the previous bill so I didn't have it in writing from them. I also figured they'd nickel and dime the surplus away with fees and charges (which are a surprisingly large part of the average electric bill) but it still came out way negative.

Credit Balance - Do not Pay $ 100.38 CR

It is Done!

2009-11-25T20:16:00.004-05:00

We are signed and sealed to start generating and selling SRECs. SRECTrade has done pretty much everything. I barely lifted a finger, and as I understand it, won't need to lift any unless I want to make any changes.

The only question I keep meaning to ask is can we do anything with the seven or so SRECs worth of power we already generated. I'm sure that's just down the drain but I ought to ask.

Here's the confirmation we just received.

Good Afternoon,

I wanted to confirm to you that GATS has linked your account to SRECTrade. Going forward, SRECTrade will automatically check your account for SRECs and place your bid on your behalf in our monthly auction. Here's an overview of what to expect when an auction closes each month:

1. After the auction closes, we send a general email to all of our clients with our closing prices.

2. You will then receive an individual email detailing one the following outcomes:

A statement showing how many SRECs you sold and the amount of funds due to you
Your bid exceeded the closing price and the number of SRECs that will be carried over to the next auction.
Your facility did not generate any SRECs for the month

3. If you successfully sold SRECs, payment will be initiated to you within 10 business days of the auction closing date. Your payments will be made via direct deposit.

Please note that the payments will come from "Inclime LLC" and an initial deposit of .01 will be made to your account to confirm that our bank has set your account up properly.

Our next auction closes on December 4th.

Please let us know if you have any further questions regarding our EasyREC process.

We look forward to working with you. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

SRECTrade Making Things Happen

2009-11-24T20:18:00.006-05:00

It's been so hard moving the process forward so far because everything had to start with me -- the guy who knows nothing about what needs doing.

SRECTrade

That's changing, now that SRECTrade has been authorized (by us) to push the paperwork through so we can start earning SRECs (which they will sell for us at auction). Here's the letter I just received:

"Thank you for signing up for EasyREC with SRECTrade! We have received the enrollment forms you sent in and are in the process of setting up your GATS account.
The next step in the process is to send the Schedule A you completed to GATS via email. You will be cc'd on the email and GATS will ask you to respond, verifying that you wish to link your account to SRECTrade. After you respond to GATS, they will review and approve your account. Your facility will then be linked to SRECTrade's account, allowing us to transact and sell your credits easily. "

In other words, they're doing everything. What a relief. The SRECs should start rolling in soon.

Thanks SRECTrade, that was the smartest decision we made yet.

System Update

2009-11-08T16:57:00.000-05:00

The electric meter on the side of the house currently reads 16976. That's about where it was in mid-August. That means that since then we've generated as much power as we used. At this rate we'll be pretty far in the black by the time the air-conditioning season comes around again.

This stuff really works...

Five Months Later -- State Certified

2009-11-05T12:47:00.004-05:00

I received a letter from NJCEP today. We finally have a New Jersey Certification number for our system.

It's been five months and a day since we've been generating power, so forgive me if I'm not jumping up and down. If this were July I'd probably know exactly what to do to begin earning and selling SRECs. I'll have to brush up on it all over again.

No Change

2009-10-27T10:45:00.002-04:00

No recent posts because there's been no change. The system continues to generate gobs of power, and we're still waiting for the state bureaucracy to certify our system...

Cranking the Power!

2009-10-08T11:23:00.005-04:00

Yeah, I've been grumpy about system approval and SRECs and bureaucracy. There's one thing that I'm not grumpy about: how well the system works!

On a day like today -- not a cloud in the sky -- the electric meter is spinning backwards so fast that it looks like the blade on one of those meat slicers behind the deli counter.

Give me a few minutes with a whetstone and I'd have all I need to open a sandwich shop.

The meter reading is already back to what it read in mid-August. This system is generating way more power than we (a family of five) use and the clean energy we don't use is going back out onto the grid to be used by others.

Solar power is not reliable enough to be a huge component in any national energy plan but what's happening right here on my roof is definitely something to consider.

More Red Tape -- A Month's Worth

2009-10-01T13:08:00.003-04:00

It'll be another 3-4 weeks, according to the note I just received from NCEP.

Dave,

There is a process that needs to take place before you will receive your NJ Certification #. The inspector has to send in your passed inspection report and than it needs to be processed and put into a check batch, at which time your NJ Cert # will be generated and you will received a letter in the mail with your assigned #. This will take approx 3-4 weeks.

Senior Operations Specialist

NJ Clean Energy Program

Passed State Inspection

2009-10-01T08:10:00.006-04:00

The system passed inspection. I don't know when or how (or at least I didn't until I finally read this proclamation from the inspector a few minutes ago). So now that I have successfully begged for that, I will now turn my attention to begging NJCEP for a state certification number so we can start generating and selling SRECs.

Forgive me if I'm not jumping up and down and clicking my heels. Somehow it just doesn't seem like a great victory.

Contractors Came by to Address Inspection Issues

2009-09-08T14:32:00.002-04:00

The contractors came by today to try to address the issues that the state inspector brought up. They added a number-filled sticker to the front of one of the inverters, and did some kind of tweak on the panel mount racks.

It's been three months since the system has been up and running. Hopefully it passes inspection this time and we can get on to business.

You Do Not Need to Worry About These Documents

2009-08-24T20:54:00.003-04:00

Late this afternoon I received this message by email: "You do not need to worry about these documents."

So they've been torturing me for six weeks about mysterious forms that aren't needed in the first place. It only ended today because I couldn't stand it anymore and was determined to be a prick until I got some answers.

Truth be told, it's a pretty good answer. We're still not out of the woods yet because the system has still not passed inspection.

Example of Bureaucratic Time Wastage

2009-08-24T14:21:00.006-04:00

I've been working the phone and email trying to figure out what needs to be done to finish this project off. Here is the latest email from the "state", which effectively negates the hours of work done this morning. I can tell that she's getting pissed at me. That's okay because I've been confused and pissed for months.

I'm not trying to get any extra money out of the audit. I'm just trying to meet the requirements so groSolar can receive the rebate money.

I love the part that says "...there seems to be some confusion." Like the others, this email raises more questions than it answers, or maybe I'm just stupid. I'm really starting to think the latter, actually.

I don't know or care about those "kickers" but I'm hoping this isn't all about payouts of twenty and twenty-five cents (see red below). I'm guessing that's a typo.

You can't make this stuff up.

Dave,

I just hung up with R from Gro Solar and there seems to be some confusion. I was responding to your email assuming you were in the REIP Program, but it seems that you were approved through the CORE Program. The requirements are completely different. The CORE Program offered a $.25 kicker if you did the audit, however you must meet the Tier 3 requirements and submit the scope of work, you must do the work and include a certificate of completion. The REIP Program offers an additional $.20 if you have the audit done, but the work does not have to be done in order to receive this additional $.

Whole Lot of Nothing

2009-08-24T12:55:00.006-04:00

I haven't posted anything because the only things that have happened are bad.

1) The system failed the August 11 state inspection. The installer came out with a list of issues and we couldn't figure out what the inspector was talking about in his report. He claimed that the inverter wasn't labeled (the contractor says it is) and that the rails that hold the panels are improper and the wrong size (the contractor says that they are the standard installation rails for those panels, and they sure look like the right rails to a casual observer like me).

2) The "state" is asking for documents that were given to us when we did our mandatory energy audit on June 4. There's a reason I put state in quotes. The inspection process is completely handled by CSGRP, a private contractor. It just so happens that our energy audit was also handled by CSGRP -- the same contractor.

If I understood what documents are needed I wouldn't mind mailing in documents even though it seems much easier for somebody to walk down the hall to get them from somebody else in their own company. I know it probably isn't that simple but it's a lot simpler than me identifying the documents, tracking down the CSGRP person B, sending him the documents to sign, receiving signed copies and then sending them to CSGRP person A.

What really worries me is that there is so much confusion on my part, and nothing ever seems to happen unless I initiate it. Besides getting the system approved so we can generate SRECs (and start paying off the cost of the system), the contractor still hasn't received the $34k rebate money. Now, I don't feel guilty at all about that since it was clearly their responsibility to make that work, but I'm worried that at some point somebody's going to come to me and ask for that money out of my pocket. If that happens it's going to be bloody.

The system works great and has been online generating power since June 4. We've generated three SRECs worth of power now. That's between $1500 and $2000 dollars that we will never have. Yeah, we don't buy much power anymore but we really need those SRECs and there doesn't seem to be a resolution in sight in the near future.

So far I've been an enthusiastic advocate for the contractor that installed the system because they really did a fantastic job. I agreed to be a reference for them because I can tell potential customers in all honesty that I couldn't be more satisfied with their work. I'm getting pretty fed up with the red tape fiasco that's been going on in the last two months, though, and I think the contractor could be handling that in a more efficient and timely way. I'm thinking about telling them not to give my name out as a reference for the time being -- for their own good.

State Inspection Date Set

2009-08-05T20:22:00.001-04:00

Our state inspection is scheduled for Tuesday, August 11, 2009. At some point after that we will receive a state certification number and then be eligible to earn SRECs.

200,000 Panels on Utility Polls

2009-07-30T10:17:00.004-04:00

PSE&G, a major electricity supplier here in New Jersey, is going to install solar panels on 200,000 utility polls. The panels will feed power directly into the power grid. The project will add about ten cents to the bill of each customer.

http://www.philly.com/philly/business/homepage/20090730_PSE_G_plan_takes_solar_energy_public.html

The work will be done by PetraSolar of South Plainfield. I'm concerned that the panels used will be purchased by PetraSolar's "partner"-- a Chinese company called SunTech. For a public project using public dollars I'd prefer that the PSE&G insist that the contractor use American suppliers that employ American workers. For what it's worth, SunTech has "promised" to open facilities for production of panels in the United States.

Bogged down

2009-07-30T09:53:00.005-04:00

I'm not too happy right now about this project. The state inspection, a prerequisite for earning valuable SRECs which is how the system is going to pay for itself, seems like it's never going to happen. I'm assured by groSolar that since all the forms have now been submitted to the state in time to beat the July 31 deadline, the rebate is still available even though the actual state inspection is obviously not going to happen before that date (tomorrow).

I don't want to point any fingers yet but I don't understand where the inertia for this project went. And if the state rebate money disappears from the table I don't intend to be the one who replaces it.

It's cool that we're generating most of the electricity we use but we really needed to be earning those SRECs by now. That was part of how we figured this was an affordable project.

More Confusion per State Inspection

2009-07-19T08:43:00.006-04:00

It's a good thing that I was diligent in chasing down our state certification number. It turns out that the July 1 inspection wasn't done by the state (NJCEP) at all! It was either a county or township inspection -- I'm still not even sure which one. Obviously there was serious miscommunication going on, and I wasn't present at the inspection so I didn't know that.

I'm a little surprised that groSolar hasn't been concerned about this because based on everything I know the state rebate money (which goes directly to them) is contingent on this inspection. They sent me some paperwork to sign after I re-raised the red flags.

The paperwork clearly states what I already knew: our rebate expires on July 31. That's about twelve days from now. [As an aside, a lot has happened in a year. When we qualified for our rebate 355 or so days ago, we were a long way from making the project happen, and we didn't even know how much work there was left to do.]

It's a good thing I took the initiative here and it's a little unsettling to me that nobody else did. I can understand that nobody else is particularly concerned that we can't earn SRECs until the the state inspection is done. However, knowing that nobody else was alarmed about jeopardizing the rebate almost makes me think I'm misunderstanding the process.

Waiting for State Certification Number

2009-07-14T18:38:00.006-04:00

Well, somebody who's a few weeks ahead of me warned me about this. We passed the final state inspection on July 1 but we still haven't been issued a "state certification number." Why is this important? Because we can't start accumulating SRECs until we have an SREC account which we

can't set up until we have this number. As N. from NJCEP told me last month, they're not going to award SRECs to a solar installation until that installation has passed state inspection.

I made one call today and left a message with somebody with the state. Tommorow I'll have to be a little more aggressive. We've already generated enough power for 1.5 SRECs and we'll never get that back.

After this gets done I'll be registering with SRECTrade and selling our SRECs at monthly auction through them.

New Jersey Second Only to California in Solar

2009-07-09T15:19:00.011-04:00

New Jersey, one of the smallest states in the country, is second in photovoltaic solar energy.

Here's a rankings table included the article from renewableenergy.com.

Unfortunately I can't get the link installed here for some reason but here is the URL for the entire article, which tells of the rapid rise of the Garden State in this endeavor:

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/06/how-nj-rose-to-2-in-us-solar-power

Great Solar July (So Far)

2009-07-06T12:46:00.014-04:00

So far July has been a great month for solar power in South Jersey. Over the first six days we've generated 6 kwh more than what we've used. That includes the running of central A/C and the pool filter, two energy pigs.

Power Power Imported Power Exported
Date Generated from Grid to Grid
---- --------- -------------- --------------

7/1 42.4 kwh 6 kwh

7/2 44.9 kwh 7 kwh

7/3 49.9 kwh 4 kwh

7/4 48.2 kwh 4 kwh

7/5 48.2 kwh 1 kwh

7/6 55.1 kwh 10 kwh

This is encouraging because unlike our first month (June), the weather lately has been much more typical for the Mid-Atlantic region. I think we can expect this kind of production rather than what happened in June.

Shade Will Degrade

2009-06-24T12:06:00.018-04:00

Here's something that I've been meaning to check out. Although our main roof is fully loaded with panels, there is still some open roof space on the garage roof:

For a few weeks I've been thinking "When everything settles down I'm going to see about adding a few more panels here so we can generate even more power! "

The groSolar people told us that they didn't want to put panels in that space because late in the day (especially during winter) it will be shadowed by the higher main roof. I took that to mean that we'd get a lot less power out of panels that received shade during part of the day but I didn't fully understand. I thought it was analogous to putting buckets out in the yard to collect rain water: if some of the buckets were blocked for part of the day, well sure, they wouldn't end up with as much water as the fully exposed ones, but at least they'd contribute some water.

^ =

That's a horrible analogy, as it turns out. I've researched this (I surfed the internet) and learned that the shaded panels would actually degrade effectiveness of the entire system. Panels and buckets don't operate the same way.

EcoDepotUSA says:

http://www.ecodepotusa.com/Education/SolarEnergy/Modules/Modules.htm

"Once a solar cell or a portion of a cell is shaded it becomes a load and draws power instead of producing it. Watch the amp meter of your system when a hand is passed over a module and you will see a substantial drop in output."

WholeSolar says this:

http://www.wholesalesolar.com/pdf.folder/Download%20folder/solar-panels.pdf

"If even one full cell is hard shaded, the voltage of that module will drop to half of its unshaded value in order to protect itself. If enough cells are hard shaded, the module will not convert any energy and will, in fact, become a drain of energy on the entire system... Because all cells are connected in a series string, the weakest cell will bring the others down to its reduced power level."

It turns out that there are some types of panels out there that are "shadow protected" but these are more expensive and don't (yet) have the track record of reliability that the basic poly-crystalline panels have.

We're better off with just the panels we already have and no more. I'm sure the installers explained this but I didn't catch on. Just one more reason why at least in our case it's a good thing we left this job to the professionals.

Sun, Dough

2009-06-19T19:13:00.007-04:00

Well, on the heels of the worst day yet is one of the best days yet. We generated 44.9 kwh, met all of our own needs, and exported (sold) 6 kwh out onto the grid.

I think these last two days are a microcosm of what solar power can and can't do. It can't be relied on as a primary source of power but at the same time, it's a shame on days like this to waste all that energy that drips down the sides of our houses and disappears.

Worst Day Yet

2009-06-18T21:29:00.005-04:00

Today, yet another cloudy and rainy one, was our worst day of energy production since the system started operating two weeks ago. A mere 11 KWH!

I love this solar power thing but I'm certainly glad we're not relying solely on it. No matter how big or well-built a system is, it can't collect power it can't get to.

MUCH More Detail on SREC Process

2009-06-16T07:33:00.009-04:00

Here's some extremely helpful information I received in an email from B.B. (CEO of SRECTrade).

http://www.srectrade.com/

We've already decided that we will be selling our SRECs through this company because they are extremely attentive (and we're not even customers yet) and they sell the SRECS at the highest price I've seen and with no commission paid by the seller.

Here's what B.B. said. He really fills in the gaps for me and I finally feel like I understand how it works.

The three things I'd like to address are Registration, Meter Readings and Timing...

Registration:

As you've figured out, you must have your system certified by the state before you can begin producing SRECs. When you get a state certification number, you can then either register directly with GATS or through SRECTrade if you choose to utilize our hands-free SREC selling service called EasyBid.

Meter Readings:

Once you are registered, there are two ways to get credited for the solar energy you produce. For systems under 10kW, you can elect to utilize estimates that are determined by the state and based on a number of factors including the size of your system, the panel ratings and your location. Most solar generators under 10kW elect this option because it eliminates the need to input meter readings. However, if you feel your meter can outperform the estimates, you can opt to input meter readings instead. For systems that are 10kW and above, meter readings are required. These readings are typically taken on or around the last day of each month by the solar owner and must be inputted in GATS before the last business day of the following month. It is actually based on an honor system, however, since GATS knows the size of your generator, it has an idea for what is a reasonable output. If you input numbers that are too high, the readings will be flagged by the system. For our EasyBid clients, we collect their meter readings on a monthly basis using a simple online form.

Timing:

Since readings are not credited until the last business day of the following month, your SRECs for month 1, are not ready until the end of month 2 and so on. Our monthly auctions occur the first Friday of each month. So any energy you generate in June will be available on July 31st and can be sold in the August 7th auction.

I hope that helps and look forward to being more helpful in the future!

Kind regards,
[B.B.]
CEO
SRECTrade
877-466-4606
www.srectrade.com