Hey everyone! I'm an electrician with some solar experience, and I'm getting ready to undertake a major renovation on my house, which includes a separate garage. My goal is to design a solar system that will cover my entire electricity bill since everything in the house is electric, including a heat pump, and I have a well and septic setup. I'd love to shield myself from any unexpected bills or market fluctuations, and I plan to self-install the system, financing it through my mortgage. I have access to ordering all the necessary components, but I'm unsure about the design process. I live in Farmington, CT, and I'm wondering if there's a reliable way to get this design done. Should I subscribe to a service like Aurora, or do you have other suggestions? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
3 Answers
I’m building a new house soon and have been using AI tools like ChatGPT to help with my solar system calculations. Just feed it data on your home and energy usage, and it’ll generate scenarios and recommendations for you. It’s been super helpful for figuring out options and costs, so I’d definitely recommend trying that out!
To get started, make a power budget! This will help you understand how much electricity you'll use. Also, think about your autonomy during times when solar isn’t producing—like on cloudy days. Are you planning to stay connected to the grid? This decision really changes everything. If you disconnect, consider having a larger setup to cover your power needs when the sun isn’t shining. A typical recommendation is to install more panels, like a 20 kW system, which can significantly mitigate power shortages during less sunny periods. Balance is key—lots of panels, enough batteries, and a generator can set you up for success!
Just a heads up, use tools like PVWATTS to estimate your system’s yearly and monthly kWh output. Compare these estimates with your actual energy bills to size your system appropriately, especially for the winter months when production dips. Also, be aware of how your utility company bills—sometimes it might be impossible to zero out your entire bill without disconnecting from the grid, and policies about selling back excess power can vary widely. If you’re okay with staying connected, sizing a grid-tied system might be a straightforward option without needing batteries. Just keep in mind the longer-term implications of policy changes!
Great point! It's also good to keep utility policies in mind since they can change, affecting how much solar energy you can sell back. I’d suggest looking into the specific regulations for Connecticut to understand your options better.