Solar panels become
more popular in Florida
Nov 17, 2016 - 5:13
PM
Before you read the
following
(Extremely
important)
three posts below
Remember, once you
install the system
("0" Electric
Bill)
The system is only
the beginning of your saving.
Electric Vehicles
can be charged by this system.
Lawn Tractor,
Gulf
carts,
Lawn Trimmers,
Drills,
Cooking grills,
and
so on.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla.
-
Florida voters last
week shot down Amendment 1,
which dealt with
controlling solar power and was largely funded by utility companies.
While the amendment
failed, it has raised awareness for solar in the state.
Channel 9’s Jamie
Holmes found out
there’s more
awareness and cheaper prices are encouraging more people to turn to the sun.
Last August, Michael
Cohen was paying a $100 a month for electric.
He’s now went solar
and basically paying zero.
"I'm making
$100-$140 a month,”
said Cohen.
"It's like
printing money on your roof.”
Cohen is part of a
solar co-op where residents in Orange County have pulled together to negotiate
cheaper prices for solar installation.
The latest version
of the group has boomed in size since the Amendment 1 hype with 300 people
across the county buying in bulk to save at least 20 percent off install.
"It's less than
you could get by going out yourself and contacting a solar installer.
I don't think you'll
be able to beat this price,”
said Lori Cunniff,
Orange County
environmental manager.
The raised awareness
of solar options in the state are now combining with far cheaper prices, and
more people have turned to solar in the last few months.
Solar install is
about 60 percent cheaper than it was five years ago,
and
utility companies
like
Duke are seeing some 100-customers a month go solar.
"I get a lot of
questions from my neighbors now.
I believe that came
about from all the publicity on Amendment 1
and
was it a good thing or a bad
thing,”
Cunniff said.
The technology still
isn't cheap.
It cost Cohen
$11,000
and
will take him at
least five years to get back the return on his investment.
Still,
he said
there's nothing
sweeter than his monthly electric bill.
"Oh, it's
exciting.
It's like Christmas
time every month,”
Cohen said.
Power to the people:
Solar panel sales to soon surpass leasing
The downturn in
leases and PPAs is hurting companies that depend on them for sales
Senior Writer,
Computerworld | Nov 16, 2016 2:11 PM PT
As rooftop solar
costs drop, utility attempts to raise barriers may not work
November 12, 2016
12:00 PM