We got a $700 check Saturday from our power company for saving energy

[Omaha Steve]

A couple weeks ago we replaced our 23 year old A/C and furnace. Our new system is solar compatible: http://www.lennox.com/products/systems/sunsource & http://www.lennox.com/buyers-guide/guide-to-hvac/why-solar

We may use the Uncle Sam tax credit (30% of the cost with no upper limit on solar module installation) and put some solar in next year with our tax refund for this year: http://www.lennox.com/owners/tax-credits/energy-tax-credits

We get a $500 credit on our taxes next year on the the new system. And Lennox is sending us a $1,500 rebate. http://www.lennox.com/buyers-guide/offers-and-savings/promotions/national-promotions

From our public electric utility: http://www.oppd.com/residential/products-programs/hvac-smart/

[trof]

1. You guys are lucky. Alabama PSC is fighting alternative power in favor of coal.

This state is so fucked up on so many levels.

[Igel]

2. The OP's money is either federal subsidies or from the company.

Few electricity companies ban solar panels. It's a question as to what to do with the energy when it's not being used on site. Do you sell it back (at what rate? connection fees?) or not.

[Omaha Steve]

3. We did get $700 from the power company (Our public power district does buy excess solar wind energy)

http://www.oppd.com/residential/residential-rates/customer-generation/

[Omaha Steve]

4. The power company is trying to reduce peak capacity to avoid building a new plant

The rebates from OPPD for new high efficiency units have been around for some time. Add that they are now closing the nuclear plant and not replacing it, and you can see the rebates are smart.

OPPD announces official closing date for Fort Calhoun nuclear plant: Oct. 24: http://www.omaha.com/money/oppd-announces-official-closing-date-for-fort-calhoun-nuclear-plant/article_b8cf2e6f-ce65-56fb-9a0b-cb7ad80f8ce4.html

Nebraska utilities expect just a flicker of growth in demand for electricity: http://www.omaha.com/money/nebraska-utilities-expect-just-a-flicker-of-growth-in-demand/article_def02f6a-0a02-594c-9bbb-c9ca383fc2c1.html

[Javaman]

5. if you can swing it, go solar. we've had our panels for 5 years now.

haven't paid a dime in electricity the entire time.

Good luck!

[Omaha Steve]

6. I just have to talk Marta into it

Looks like it would pay for itself in under 5 years.

[Javaman]

7. yeah, it will.

what we did was to continue paying ourselves what we thought our average month electric bill would have been.

our system cost us (w/o rebates 18k) after everything was said and done $7,500 (after rebates) and 2400 of that can, at the time, be claimed on taxes as well.

We pay ours off this year.

Here in Austin, they roll over your savings to the next month to build up a credit.

We have such a high credit amount on our account now, that we could run the A/C cold enough to hang meat, LOL, and still not be charged.