Future Plan

[Dayton Johnson]

What is the plan for your 10kw grid-tie system once the contract expires?
What's the chances of having the contract renewed?
Can Rob predict what the costs would be to make it a off-grid system?
Example: if the contract was to expire today what has to be replaced in the system to make it viable for your house etc.? Cost?
Anyone having issues with snow load on their roof mounted panels? I've noticed that City owned roof panels have not produced for over six weeks! Snow covered? Doesn't anyone in Public Works monitor these?

[Rob Beckers]

Dayton, you created a new thread, but it sounds like you're replying to an ongoing discussion (can't tell which one though)...

If this is about Ontario's MicroFIT systems; at the end of the 20-year contract they can at the very least be switched over to net-metering to directly offset your electricity use (and bill). No changes are needed for that. PV modules have 25-year warranties and are expected work for 30+ years, so those systems should be fine for many more years of energy production.

My own panels on my roof here in Ottawa have produced near zero for the past two-and-some months as well. It's been one of those winters. When we estimate energy production for people we take winter snow cover into account by the way, that is just the way our climate is. Some people have snow rakes and (try to) keep the panels clean in winter, but for many that's not an option. Most energy is produced in summer in any event, so there is not a whole lot to loose either.

-RoB-

[Dayton Johnson]

Thanks for the followup Rob. When you decided to install grid tie panels could you have put up ground mount instead of roof mount? Space available? City bylaws? Any regrets ?
Would it be necessary to replace or upgrade any parts to move the grid tie to a off grid system? I'm just looking ahead to that day when the Micro Fit contract is used up.
This winter I was able to keep the ground mount panels clear of snow with just a window squeegee/blade. So, some production everyday! I used to have roof mounted hot water panels and they were useless through 75% of the winter. I moved them to an old sattelite dish base and with a bit of modification I can clean them the same way for better production.

[Rob Beckers]

No issue with bylaws here, and at the time (MicroFIT v1, at 80.2 ct/kWh) ground mount was still allowed for MicroFIT. However, there was no spot that would pass the Management Esthetics Committee (aka. my wife) for a ground mount. So roof it was and is.

While there's little or no change from a MicroFIT to a Net-Metering system, there is a very large difference between a MicroFIT and an off-grid. You would be buying a whole lot of new equipment, even if you re-use the panels.

-RoB-