[stevehull]

Roostre,

First, you can get years of back monthly data (for years) from the electric utility. You just have to ask for it. You need monthly kWhr, monthly $ and the various rate plans. I like to get five years of data and get an average looking for odd months that are not consistent with other years.

Let's assume your yearly historic total kWhr consumption is 20,000 kWhr (1,666 kWhrs/month). This is not unusual.

Since you have yearly net metering, you "bank" excess kWhrs in the summer for winter use. Sweet - not many people have that. So we plan for a system that will deliver, for this example, 20,000 kWhrs.

I can help you with PVWATTS. This will tell you the amount of sunshine hours per month over the year. What is you local zip code?

From this, we get the number of panels. Let's assume a 40 panel, 265 W system. The panel dimensions are ~ 40 inches by 66 inches. Can you do four rows of ten on your roof? You will need to go up there and measure the roof carefully.

The least expensive way to mount panels is in the portrait configuration with mounting rails going perpendicular to that.

It looks like you have a 3-tab shingle roof (is that correct)? I really like the IronRidge "Flashfoot" attachment (on the Renvu site in the IronRidge section).

You can go to the Renvu site and they have very nice design software that will guide you to the type of rail strength, interval between roof attachments, etc, all dependent on your location (snow load, wind, etc).

But first steps first - get utility data, send us (me) zip code), measure roof and try out Renvu software on a simple trial system.

I am going to assume you have natural gas heat and conventional compressor type AC?

Assume you have put in LED bubs everywhere? That is actually the first step!

Get 'er done . . . . .


Steve







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