Solar systems are usually sized so that they produce enough power to equal your average electrical bill. Some months you may produce more power than you use, and some months you may produce less.

It is not a good idea to produce substantially more power than your average monthly usage because the power company pays a very low rate for the excess power that you generate.

Here in St. Petersburg, we have the equivalent of about 5 hours of direct sunlight a day. This means that a 10kW system will produce 50kWh per day. Over the course of a month, you will produce about 1500kWh. If your electric company charges 13 cents per kWh, this will save you $195/month on your electric bill.

The installed cost for a solar system is usually between $2.00 and $2.75 per watt. This means that an 10kW system should cost between $20,000 and $27,500. There is currently a federal tax credit of 26% for most customers.

Some things that may increase your cost per watt:
  Tile roofs
  Extremely High efficiency panels
  Smaller system size
  Difficult roof access

Many customers will finance their solar system so tat the monthly payment on the solar loan will be less than the previous power power bill.

Installing solar also insulates you from any increases in the cost of energy from the electric company.

Finally, after the loan is paid off, you own the solar system outright.

Here are some reasons why we think batteries are not a good investment yet:
  1. The state of Florida has net-metering laws that require the power company to let you use the electrical grid as a free battery.
  2. Batteries are still quite expensive. (For example: Installing two Tesla PowerWall battery costs about $18,000 after installation, and they will run your home for about 12 hours.)
  3. Batteries degrade over time, and will need to be replaced periodically.
  4. Battery technology is still improving rapidly, and the next generation of batteries looks to be less expensive and longer lasting.