Maybe this is the wrong place, but since this is in anticipation of my Leaf.... I'll be wanting to install solar and am wondering if you can help me figure out what size system I want. We currently average between 15kwh and 19kwh daily, depending on season, and I'll be wanting to plug in my Leaf to replenish the ~16kwh I'll need for the daily commute, 4-5 days a week, and maybe the one recharge for weekend use. I have no fantasies about having my meter spin backwards, but it would be rather nice to break even on the yearly billing, with a small credit on light months and a small bill on heavy months. Edit: Oh, I should say that I'm in LA, with a fair bit of south and east facing real estate on my roof, and some facing west on the front of the house, but it would probably tick the association off (CC&Rs) if I applied panels there. We get maybe 9 hours of usable sunlight in winter and 14 hours in summer.
This would probably be better in the "Environmental Discussion" section. Some very knowledgeable folks in that forum.
Well I have done a bit of research on PV, so maybe I could help a bit. first there are two types of pv installtions. the regular pv panels and the roll on type(thin film). The thin is cheaper, produces less energy, and costs less to install but blends in really well with a home. You might be able to get away with it on the west roof, which could produce up to 5kW in 2.5 hrs (given enough surface area) The typical PV installation is more "unsightly", costs more and yields much more power. Maybe a combination of both would yield the power requirements you need. Make sure to shop around both for installation and the actual panels, since both can differ.
Thanks, I just did! I guess I didn't reckon on this "buying low and selling high" notion when it comes to power consumed and generated. Will have to sit down some more and see what impact that has.
