Solar power: Does going green really save you green?

There are a lot of misconceptions floating around regarding adding solar to your home equation. I presently receive energy from two different plans. The first, a solar farm, for over a year now, and the second, solar panels, for almost a year. So far, they have been productive and I’m happy, especially with both electrical and natural gas prices increasing almost daily. According to CUB’s (the Citizens Utility Board), this will continue as both have already applied for additional price increases with the state.

ComEd insists it needs the increase to fund improvement in the basic electrical infrastructure, requirements being driven by the government’s pressure on expanding the use of electric cars (EV). Several states, but not Illinois, have passed laws to end the sale of gasoline vehicles. Six states, led by California, are expected to ban them by 2035. Well, you say, that’s a few years off, so what? The flip side is that in order to service those new cars in the future, it will take more energy and better service. How many charging stations are there in Huntley? None that I know of. There is now a Del Webb electrical vehicle club and I assume it will grow with the increased government push.

So, do I have a new EV? No. Too expensive, plus you need to add additional electrical equipment for your own charging station but I’m getting ahead of myself.

Should you go solar? Depends.

Will it save me money? Depends.

For the last 6 months, my ComEd bill has been $0.00. I haven’t had to pay them anything but I do have to pay the other providers. I signed up for a solar farm (at no upfront cost) that has reduced my overall bill by around $10 a month. WHAT? THAT’S NOT MUCH. Right, but wait. I also get credits on my bill for other services beyond just basic electrical production: transmission credits, carbon-free energy credits, tax credits, and more. They do add up and allow me to get credits for future bills.

I also have solar panels on my roof. They also produce electricity at a lower rate than ComEd plus they offer additional credits different from the solar farm. You combine the two, and even in the winter, my bill is lower than ComEd, and excess credits roll over into the next month’s billing cycle.

There are several factors that you should consider should you choose any type of solar energy; home or farm. This is my advice but obviously, you would need to make your own based on your particular requirements.

Roof panels: I recommend a lease. It doesn’t cost you anything up front for the panels. If they want money, I say, “walk away.” Why a lease? The company providing the panels still owns them and will be required to provide any maintenance, if required. If you own them, you will have to pay for maintenance. What if one doesn’t work right? Your problem, if you own them, theirs, if you lease. Another issue is the condition of your roof. Anyone leasing the units will require a “newer” roof. The solar company doesn’t want to come out and remove them if you need to replace your roof, something you would have to pay for. So, if your roof isn’t new, remember to take it into consideration.

A second concern is roof direction. My backyard, fortunately, faces south so that’s the side I placed the panels on. There are two homes on my block with panels on the front of the house because that’s their south-facing side. There is also one with north-facing panels but I’m not sure how efficient that situation is, especially because of the trees behind the house.

Now, what about a farm? The farm I subscribed to is outside Marengo and is sold out. They will be building a new farm soon but I don’t have a date yet. There are other farms available in the area, but again, be cautious. Joining a farm cost me NOTHING. If they want upfront money, again, walk away. Make sure their rate is lower than the rate from ComEd. As of this post, ComEd is charging $0.0833 per KWH plus $0.01332 for transmission, with tax, approximately $0.10 per KWH. The farm is charging me approximately $0.06 per KWH.

I cannot stress enough about being cautious. A relative was looking to join a farm and discovered “joining” meant she would help fund the farm monthly but would get no credits and no electricity, but would be saving the planet! Also, make sure any farm or even solar provider works with ComEd or your electrical supplier. The relative also couldn’t find a panel provider that offered a lease program.

So, how does all this work? The farm feeds directly to the supplier, ComEd in my case. The roof panels convert the energy produced and also feed it directly to ComEd. If I wanted to have a backup system, I would need to purchase and install a battery bank, a separate financial investment. The panel energy would then charge the battery bank and the excess would flow to ComEd.

So, am I saving money? Overall, I believe so and will save more as the ComEd and Nicor rates increase. I am using more electrical heat in specific rooms to reduce the need for gas heat. I do not plan on going all-electric. When my HVAC system needs replacing, I’m researching heat pumps as a replacement but need to verify it will work in the coldest weather.

So, what’s my final assessment? Electrical rates and home heating rates will continue to increase as both entities have already sought further rate increases from the state. The government’s insistence on moving to EVs will further strain the infrastructure to support them resulting in further price increases. Going solar, I feel, is the only way to reduce my costs over time. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

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