[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by itnetpro

LOL NO, Wife and I live IN PA. We are about to retire early and looking into the Villages. Solar is one of my requirements for where ever we go.

We were originally planning on buying some land and building something in the mountains but after coming across this community and all the activities. Seems this is a better fit for us.

John

Please forgive the question. I betcha you will find the right answers to your questions. We are very satisfied with the cost to heat and cool our home. The price for energy here is lower than Cincinnati, Ohio. Check the taxes and the fees and other costs too. Plus the political climate and general attitude. I have a feeling that solar is more than just the expense in your value system.


I don't work for the developer but have been accused of doing so. I am a very satisfied villager.

[biker1]

OK, thanks for the info, appreciate it.

Originally Posted by outlaw

The contractor told me they pay wholesale or 50% on excess electricity at the end of year, or something like that. If that is a big deal to you, you should check with your utility, because they have different terms. It wasn't a big deal to me.

[Markam]

With respect to any excess electricity your system might generate, it can go into one of these - if you can afford them (notice I didn't say "justify")

[dotti105]

There is a large movement to get Solar incentives on the ballot in 2016.

There is also a utility backed group "citizens for RESPONSIBILE solar". Stay away from them. They are backed by Florida Power and Light and several other large utilities that do NOT want to pay you for excess power you generate back to the grid. They have been put in place by deep pockets who do not want Florida residents to have the solar incentives that most other states offer.

Arizona, California, New Jersey, Utah are a few of the states that offer the tax incentives and monthly pay backs to customers who generate excess power back into the grid.

I find it hard to believe that "the sunshine state" is in the dark ages with solar being discouraged. Otherwise we would have whole house solar already.

[outlaw]

I get the impression that the utility companies do not want individuals installing their own solar power generation. Duke, I think, is planning to build a large solar power gen facility, and I expect that is the way they are going to fight the individual solar systems. Also, I think the the contract offered by SECO states that terms can change based on what their supplier (Duke) decides to do. So, it seems to me, they could decide to eliminate the excess credits, or start charging more for "managing" the power grid, or charge more for just the "special" hookup to your power system. Bottom line is I think Duke is going to try and recoup anything they lose to individual solar power systems. Just my opinion.

[dotti105]

I just posted some additional info there.

1. Florida, "The Sunshine State" , is one of only 4 states where it is illegal to purchase solar systems from anyone other your local utility. thus the price is highly inflated, due to no competition. As well as very limited payment options.

2. You also do not get paid back (credited) for excess power you produce which flows back to the grid.

3. No state tax incentives exist.

4. Check out "Floridans for Solar Choice" that is the legit group trying to get this on the 2016 ballot.

5. Stay away from "Citizens for Responsible Solar" it is a front for the big Power companies, Duke, FP&L etc who want to keep the restrictive laws in place.

6. Educate yourself so that you will know where Florida stands compared to the 46 other states that encourage solar use.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by dotti105

I just posted some additional info there.

1. Florida, "The Sunshine State" , is one of only 4 states where it is illegal to purchase solar systems from anyone other your local utility. thus the price is highly inflated, due to no competition. As well as very limited payment options.

2. You also do not get paid back (credited) for excess power you produce which flows back to the grid.

3. No state tax incentives exist.

4. Check out "Floridans for Solar Choice" that is the legit group trying to get this on the 2016 ballot.

5. Stay away from "Citizens for Responsible Solar" it is a front for the big Power companies, Duke, FP&L etc who want to keep the restrictive laws in place.

6. Educate yourself so that you will know where Florida stands compared to the 46 other states that encourage solar use.

Would you link us to your source? This is a volatile issue with both sides offering simplistic and I think misleading information.


Putting in whole house solar may cost longer to break even than I have on this earth. I am not that motivated.


We have solar heat to our pool and it works beautifully.


Our neighbor has solar panels on his roof with no pool and has a 3000 plus square foot home. It was not purchased or installed by the local energy folks and neither was ours. It was vetted by the local building inspectors so it must not be illegal.

Reuse. Repurpose. Recycle. Save your money and try not to spend the governments money.

[biker1]

I generally believe solar panels are a good idea. However, in your list below, you mentioned "No state tax incentives", presumably as an issue in FL. Please consider that tax incentives are essentially other people paying for your solar panels. You can argue that such incentives are necessary for increasing the market but there is no getting around the issue that there is no free lunch.

Originally Posted by dotti105

I just posted some additional info there.

1. Florida, "The Sunshine State" , is one of only 4 states where it is illegal to purchase solar systems from anyone other your local utility. thus the price is highly inflated, due to no competition. As well as very limited payment options.

2. You also do not get paid back (credited) for excess power you produce which flows back to the grid.

3. No state tax incentives exist.

4. Check out "Floridans for Solar Choice" that is the legit group trying to get this on the 2016 ballot.

5. Stay away from "Citizens for Responsible Solar" it is a front for the big Power companies, Duke, FP&L etc who want to keep the restrictive laws in place.

6. Educate yourself so that you will know where Florida stands compared to the 46 other states that encourage solar use.

[rubicon]

Originally Posted by biker1

I generally believe solar panels are a good idea. However, in your list below, you mentioned "No state tax incentives", presumably as an issue in FL. Please consider that tax incentives are essentially other people paying for your solar panels. You can argue that such incentives are necessary for increasing the market but there is no getting around the issue that there is no free lunch.

biker: stated quite nicely. Federal tax credit mean taxpayers foot the bill. At many utilities customers subsidize solar users.

Its the same with autos. People who can well afford an expensive vehicle ranging from $30,000 (Leaf) and from $71,000 up to over $100,000 (Telsa) get a federal tax credit and some a state tax credit. I say expensive vehicles because at this point they are expensive electric toys. The replacement batteries cost anywhere from $5,000 for the Leaf to $30,000 for the Telsa
Telsa is so subsidized with other peoples money it is the only reason it is staying afloat.

Perhaps in the end we will all benefit from this? Hard to know. But I'd rather this all be market driven than government subsidized given the poor track record the government has in this area of green enterprises.

Recall the tax credit up to $7500 for anyone buying an e-merge electric golf cart and the subsequent bill sponsored by O'Toole?

I too am supportive of exploring renewables but the government's approach is going to cost us dearly in terms of tax credits and increased cost of fossil fuels for heating and transportation, etc , not to mention the exposure of compromising the nation's energy infrastructure because of their over reach.

Bringing it down to the local level why is it here in The Villages so many residents abandoned their electric golf carts for gas golf carts? Ethanol anyone?

[outlaw]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Would you link us to your source? This is a volatile issue with both sides offering simplistic and I think misleading information.


Putting in whole house solar may cost longer to break even than I have on this earth. I am not that motivated.


We have solar heat to our pool and it works beautifully.


Our neighbor has solar panels on his roof with no pool and has a 3000 plus square foot home. It was not purchased or installed by the local energy folks and neither was ours. It was vetted by the local building inspectors so it must not be illegal.

Reuse. Repurpose. Recycle. Save your money and try not to spend the governments money.

What the poster meant was that in Florida a business cannot install and "lease" a solar power generation system to an individual. The law does allow an individual to buy outright a solar power generation system and have it professionally installed by the seller.