We're going solar!
10-05-2025, 03:08 AM
#1
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Peoria, IL -- Midwest Transplant
Posts: 7,260
We're going solar!
But maybe not for the usual reasons. The State of Illinois has some really nice programs in place for small scale/low income solar and quite a different power structure than I was used to in Washington. Let's not get into big political debates, but most of the Federal support for solar is going away with the start of the new year. Right now the federal support will let me have a Tesla house battery, and that battery is a big part of our decision. The battery isn't for storing up multiple days of power, it allows the appliances and other things run at night.
As I keep saying, part of our move was about being closer to our food sources. For the husband, that is mostly meat. We will be buying half cows, pigs, etc. and even though we are buying in bulk, we are also buying in quality and it is not cheap. A full freezer represents about $3-5k to me which I still consider a pretty big investment. We've already had various blips in power including 3 days without, and I wanted a back up power source and have been looking into various options, like a Generac or similar whole/partial house generator.
This solar plan will actually be my back up power to keeping the freezer on, even though it will power the full house and be my primary.
With this plan, I actually have no out of pocket expenses, nor pay later. Our house has been designed for 130% capacity, to allow us further growth should we need it, while also providing power into the grid. We are still connected to the grid and everything is automatic, surplus power feeds into the grid, and if power is needed, it comes back into the house. It is considered a small solar plant. We will still have a bill. That bill will be slightly less than before, but mostly about the same because we will still have to pay for the power we use but solar generated power is charged at regulated rates less than general source power. We will get a slight credit for the power we generate, but the solar energy provider gets a profit too because the panels are part of their "infrastructure" even though it is on my roof. But -- my freezer will stay on.
We are still in the forms/approval process. Probably install/switchover will happen in November, which really isn't the best month to test solar performance. Let's hope all goes well for us, our freezer, and the planet!!
As I keep saying, part of our move was about being closer to our food sources. For the husband, that is mostly meat. We will be buying half cows, pigs, etc. and even though we are buying in bulk, we are also buying in quality and it is not cheap. A full freezer represents about $3-5k to me which I still consider a pretty big investment. We've already had various blips in power including 3 days without, and I wanted a back up power source and have been looking into various options, like a Generac or similar whole/partial house generator.
This solar plan will actually be my back up power to keeping the freezer on, even though it will power the full house and be my primary.
With this plan, I actually have no out of pocket expenses, nor pay later. Our house has been designed for 130% capacity, to allow us further growth should we need it, while also providing power into the grid. We are still connected to the grid and everything is automatic, surplus power feeds into the grid, and if power is needed, it comes back into the house. It is considered a small solar plant. We will still have a bill. That bill will be slightly less than before, but mostly about the same because we will still have to pay for the power we use but solar generated power is charged at regulated rates less than general source power. We will get a slight credit for the power we generate, but the solar energy provider gets a profit too because the panels are part of their "infrastructure" even though it is on my roof. But -- my freezer will stay on.
We are still in the forms/approval process. Probably install/switchover will happen in November, which really isn't the best month to test solar performance. Let's hope all goes well for us, our freezer, and the planet!!
10-05-2025, 06:32 AM
#2
Power Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 17,810
That will give you peace of mind and no worries about outages. That's a bonus no upfront cost. It's very expensive to have it installed so to have no big cost is great. My grandson in law owns a solar company so I know quite a bit about it. We decide with his input, at our age, to get Generac that will run the whole house when we have a power outage.
10-05-2025, 06:20 PM
#3
Power Poster
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posts: 11,213
I would consider going solar but the panels would have to go on the roof at the front of our house. So, if I would do anything, it would be a whole house generator. A friend of ours has his panels across the back of his house and he is well pleased with them. Most of the power lines in my city are above ground and it doesn’t take much to disrupt service.
10-06-2025, 04:45 AM
#5
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,362
Iceblossom, if I could do that, I would. I refused to get solar power if it wasn't available to be used in my house should the power go out. The battery cost was as much as the panels and I kept waiting for something like the tesla battery to come along. I have to see if there are any possibilities for this in Louisiana now. I'm not worried about subsidies, I want solar power for the frequent power outages that occur in my part of the world. Thank you for telling us! Congratulations!!
10-06-2025, 04:48 AM
#6
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: The Finger Lakes of upstate NY
Posts: 3,819
You may be surprised at how well solar will do even in the dreary winter months with shorter days.
There are several solar farms not far from us now. People gripe about the farmland not being used for farming - but it either hadn't been farmed in years or was never farmland to begin with. In the Finger Lakes, we have our share of short, cloudy days in the winter, plus snow, and solar still plugs away, generating power.
There are several solar farms not far from us now. People gripe about the farmland not being used for farming - but it either hadn't been farmed in years or was never farmland to begin with. In the Finger Lakes, we have our share of short, cloudy days in the winter, plus snow, and solar still plugs away, generating power.
