Comments on: De-mystifying your PG&E Solar Power Bill

By: Bob

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 17:37:35 +0000

I plan to install a 3kwh photovoltaic system on my home. The system should produce around 15 kw each day during the peak time-of-use period (1-7pm). Will PG&E credit me at the peak Tier 1 rate (29 cents) for each kw produced during the peak period, or some other amount? And what will the credit amount be for kw hours produced during the part-peak hours and the off-peak hours?

By: matt

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 04:15:45 +0000

We have a 5kw system in Soquel, CA.
We’ve been up and running years but PB&E just installed the NEMeter last week.
We are on E1 now and need to decide a swith to E6 or E7. Questions: since we’ve been approved and operating sine 5/07 do we have the E7 option still? We run a hot tub, a six hundred foot well and pressure pumps for out water system, and an an apartment above our gargage. Each month we’ve hit the 41cent/kw. Is E1 a better call. can we swith back to E1 if this doesn’t work in our favor. How do i get the “all electric” rate.

By: M Light

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 23:00:58 +0000

We are in the process of installing a 5.5Kw system on our home in Aptos, CA. Our installer told us we’d need to whack down some ugly eucalyptus trees and that we could add the cost for Fed solar credits. Is this true?

BTW, your site was really “insightful”. Thanks, ML

By: think

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 20:48:03 +0000

i dont know what to do! we can no longer afford to pay $2000. a month for power there is only two of us and we are on a master meter (is that right or is it working agenst me?) I would love to go green but dont think i can afford to have it installed what can i do? please help!!!

By: JB Cockrell

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:20:14 +0000

I’m looking at installing a solar system that will also be tied to the grid. (PG&E)

What happens if my system produces more power than I use on an annual basis?

By: Eric

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 09:03:28 +0000

I am confused about one aspect of E6:
how much of baseline usage allowance
(12kw per day in my case) is assigned to
the off peak , partial peak, and peak times?
PG&E can’t answer this for me, but one
person at their solar office indicated it was divided into thirds–4kW per day for each
of the three periods. This would be a problem for me since I would end up in expensive tiers during the off peak period

By: Tom Jolly

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:30:49 +0000

Our house was not south-facing and we ending up with panels pointing pretty far to the west. The interesting result of this is we hit peak power around 2-3PM. Now I’m wondering if E7 people are better off with panels that AREN’T directly south facing, since you can get a better power return between 12-6 (peak usage) set up like I am.

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Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:25:16 +0000

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By: R. Krinsky

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 00:58:58 +0000

Hi;
We are about to install a Solar Voltaic system with 24 panels which the installer estimates will generate 3.7KWH he also tells us that PG&E keeps changing things like the rate plans. We live in Northern California and do not get as much sun as other areas. We may try to install another 12 panels depending on the engineers report regarding the roof. This is now the beginning of June 08. Can you tell us what the current rate plans are? We have also been told that we must get a TOU meter but that it will not cost anything to install. Does that sound right?

By: Maureen

Sat, 31 May 2008 02:55:45 +0000

We live in Humboldt county close to the ocean. We get a lot of fog and don’t have anywhere near the sun that we did in So CAL. We are ready to install solar because our PG and E bills are on a tiered system and are charged 30-34 cents Kw. once we reach the top two tiers. Because we are not sure how much electricity this solar system will generate, do you have any recommendations as to how we should go about selecting the rate plan?