I realize this post is 4 years old but I just found it and am glad to see it discussed. Any updates after another 4 years?
First, this is a way better result than was typical a decade or two prior, when installers were else experienced and equipment less well developed. Then it often wasn’t possible to get payback within panel lifetime even with subsidies.
Just back-of-envelope it seems like you’re getting about half of what a more optimal location for panels would be in MA. A more optimal roof would have a much shorter payback period
Also: the big issue for economics of home solar is installation costs, it’s just not that efficient in labor and balance of system. I wonder if larger systems (more panels covering more roof area) end up being lower $/watt because of that?
Another issue is that rooftop panels don’t get angled throughout the day. This may be less of an issue in the future as we get more commercial scale-up of non-Si panels that are less sensitive to sun intensity, sun angle, and shade, but that’s still a ways off (early 2030s for significant penetration of the market).
The tree to our south east was cut down, and I tried to get more panels, but wasn’t able to add them to the existing system without messing with the subsidies, and wasn’t able to add a new system with any sort of emergency backup feature, so decided not to.
I realize this post is 4 years old but I just found it and am glad to see it discussed. Any updates after another 4 years?
First, this is a way better result than was typical a decade or two prior, when installers were else experienced and equipment less well developed. Then it often wasn’t possible to get payback within panel lifetime even with subsidies.
Just back-of-envelope it seems like you’re getting about half of what a more optimal location for panels would be in MA. A more optimal roof would have a much shorter payback period
Also: the big issue for economics of home solar is installation costs, it’s just not that efficient in labor and balance of system. I wonder if larger systems (more panels covering more roof area) end up being lower $/watt because of that?
Another issue is that rooftop panels don’t get angled throughout the day. This may be less of an issue in the future as we get more commercial scale-up of non-Si panels that are less sensitive to sun intensity, sun angle, and shade, but that’s still a ways off (early 2030s for significant penetration of the market).
Still producing power, looks very similar.
We had some issues with arc faults, which the installers fixed: https://www.jefftk.com/p/solar-arc-faults
The tree to our south east was cut down, and I tried to get more panels, but wasn’t able to add them to the existing system without messing with the subsidies, and wasn’t able to add a new system with any sort of emergency backup feature, so decided not to.