Today In Solar News

Bit of a milestone with regards to solar news. Today marks the day that the exported value of my solar panels exceeded the import from the electricity utility. It's just a smidgen under six months since we moved in and two days over three months since the solar was installed. Not quite self-sufficient, would be if I'd installed (extremely cost-prohibitive) batteries, but an interesting point nonetheless.

Some stats
Average daily output of solar array: 18.7 kWh (on the downward trend as winter approaches)
Average daily consumption (grid and solar): 8.86 kWh (pretty steady)
Percentage of electricity exported (sold to utility): 80.85% (pretty steady)
Daily savings average: $1.89

Considering that the average US home consumes 909 kWh/month and, on current consumption, we are heading for 270 kWh/month, we're being reasonably conservative. The depth of winter, not that we really have that season in Perth, and the height of summer, which we have in abundance, will place a severe upward pressure on that figure.

I've become more of an electricity Nazi, which is hard to believe, since installing the solar panels. No point in wasting it as it still costs money to use and you forgo money if you can't sell it to the utility. Pity that the rebate level is only seven (7) cents per kWh when the purchase costs are 22.36 cents per kWh. I could be making money if these rates were the same.