Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Cohousing-L Digest, Vol 125, Issue 7, solar panels

[Susan Coberly (susandgeorge]

hello all ~

we had solar panels installed as part of new construction [move in started
fall 2008] on each individual unit and also on the common house. The panels
on the units are installed on west facing roofs. This makes sense for us
because of summer - we have hot sunny summer afternoons. We seldom have
rain or cloudy weather in the summer. [Each building does have a south
facing roof so if ever we have cool cloudy weather in the afternoons, then
we can re-assess the situation....]

We haven't had any issues to date with failed units or slowing units. We
haven't had any legal, insurance or financing issues possibly because each
unit owns its own panel, although they are installed on common roofs. we
don't share generated power with each other since units' panels are
individual, hence each unit accrues savings unto itself. The basic public
utility rules: we can't bank excess power credits towards next year, so if
we generate more than we use on an annual basis then the benefit flows to
all power co users/ the power co, unless we generate a more than we use on
an annual basis, in which case there seems to be a net surplus compensation
of some amount.... (I haven't ever reached that point.)

Most of us have time of use meters with a true up annual bill. so monthly
we pay about $4.50 for electricity - basically a tie in to the grid, plus
for whatever natural gas we use.  Most of the homes have gas ranges. My
range is electric. Some units have dual fuel ranges. Each unit's hot water
is tied into the gas with an on demand heater; winter heat is gas.   Where
my former 3 bd house commonly had a $300 / mo power bill in the summer - it
is HOT in the Central Valley - my charge for electric in the summer here at
LaQ is usually a monthly credit, with the size of the credit *depending* on
how frugal I am with the AC and with my frugality depending on how hot it
is. My annual electric for 2013 was $52.48 [plus the monthly tie in
charges] [3 bd. 2.5 ba townhouse].

Susan Coberly
La Querencia, aka Fresno Cohousing, Fresno CA

It is cooling down to an expected 103 today from a record recorded 110
yesterday. This is unusual weather for early June - - - the 30 yr average
normal high temp for June 9 per the newspaper is 90. This weather doesn't
bode well for the strawberries but the peaches should be coming on
soon. And the swimming pool is welcoming - tonight's cooks are putting on a
pizza and watermelon common meal followed by a movie by - or in - the pool,
to celebrate the end of school...


>    1. Solar Panel Retrofits (R Philip Dowds)
>
> Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2014 06:07:07 -0400
> From: R Philip Dowds <rpdowds [at] comcast.net>
>
> Folks ?
>
> After 13 years of occupancy, Cornerstone Cohousing (Cambridge, MA) is
> looking into ?alternative energy? solar panel retrofits to our south-facing
> shingle roofs.  We are interested in hearing more about any comparable
> experience at other cohos, like for instance ?
>
>   ? support from independent engineers, versus relying entirely on vendors?
>   ? financing, legal and insurance issues relative to multi-family
> construction and HOAs / condos?
>   ? sharing out energy, savings and/or costs among the various units as
> well as the commons?
>   ? passive solar hot water versus photovoltaics?
>
> And so on.  Anyone with experience to share can post to this list, or
> write me privately at rpdowds [at] comcast.net.  Thanks.
>
> R Philip Dowds
> Cornerstone Cohousing
> Cambridge, MA
>
>
>