Paying for power for the first time since summer

An update on our home’s solar power system

If you’re a longstanding subscriber, you probably know that I’m a big fan of solar panels to generate emission-free electricity and save money.  You may also know that we’ve had solar here at home for the past few years.  Here’s an update.

First, a quick backgrounder:

• In late 2020, we installed our first solar system, consisting of a ground-mount (IE a rack in our yard) with 6 KW of solar panels plus a battery backup system
• Our array is grid-tied, so we’re still connected to NB Power. Anytime our solar panels are producing more power than we use, the surplus automatically gets sent out NB Power’s lines; and we automatically get power back from NB Power anytime we’re using more than the panels are producing (like at night).
• Our system is net-metered, meaning that our power meter keeps track of any surplus power we send out the line, building up a credit we can draw back anytime we need more power than our panels are providing.
• The system’s battery backup automatically takes over during power failures, with barely a flicker of our lights (my favourite feature).

Results from that first array:

• In its first two years of operation, our solar system provided about two-thirds of the power we used to run our home and charge our EV. 
• Equally important, it has seamlessly provided us with backup electricity through several power failures – including through the two-day outage we experienced after a hurricane-like storm blew through NB December 18.

Because our system has worked out so well, we added a second array of panels last June – this one on our garage roof – with the hope that the two systems combined will take us to net-zero on an annualized basis.

Results from the combined arrays:

• Since the second system was installed in June, the two arrays have generated more than we have used, building up a credit with NB Power.
• That credit has carried us through the fall to the end of December (as shown in the graphic below, snipped from our last power bill).

Alas, this month we’ll be using up the last of the credit and then paying for purchased electricity again – but for the first time since June, which isn’t too bad.

The good news: solar panels actually love cool temperatures, so on bright days like yesterday, our original array, pictured above, produced a near-perfect ‘bell curve’ of power, and had us into surplus territory for a good part of the day.

More good news: the federal government offers great incentives for the installation of solar systems, as do most provinces; NB’s programs are here.

If you haven’t looked into solar yet, you owe it to yourself – for cost and emissions savings (resilience and self-sufficiency too)!

One last point: I’m tentatively planning another Open House this spring, date to be confirmed, for anyone who’d like to see a solar system up close.  If you’re interested, please just hit reply to let me know, or click on the icons below to find me on social media.

Suggestions from a reader!

Thanks to subscriber Grace Beazley for sharing the following additions to December 27^th’s Make 2024 your “Sustainability Big Year” action list:

• Reduce the length of my shower to __ minutes
• Use cold water for washing my clothes
• Buy my laundry soap at stores where I can refill my reusable containers