Solar Panels 2022 09 15
Minutes, Solar Panels ad hoc
Thursday, September 15, 2022, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Topics: OptionsDiscuss costs and select among options for solar panel installation: transformer, battery, microinverters,micro-inverters, and/or number of panels.
Note Taker: Kay Argyle
Attendees: Ben, Kay, Beth, Mary,guest Sarah Wright of Utah Clean Energy and a friend of Naomi's, Ben, Kay, Beth, Mary, Joe, Hans, Thomas
Format: In person and on-line.
Decisions: Find outTry whetherfor option 1 -- transformer, all panels, battery -- if we qualify for the Inflation Reduction Act incentives.incentives If not, probably go with Option 3, upgrade transformer, install all solar panels, upgrade microinverters,micro-inverters, no batteries. Try for option 1 if we do qualify: transformer, all panels, battery.
Action Item
Ben will ask RMP and Gardner about the Inflation Reduction Act.
Ben will ask RMP to verify whether the transformer serves just our property or if it is shared with neighbors.
Ben will ask RMP and Gardner about the Inflation Reduction Act. How much extra capacity would there be after the transformer upgrade? Enough for units to add their own solar?
Beth will call RMP to ask about their Make Ready program. Multi-We are a multi-family housing, thinking of adding X number of level 2 chargers, would Make Ready cover any of the cost of the transformer?
Get non-profit status renewed. Add re-registration as a non-profit to Management's yearly tasks.
DiscussionOptions
Option one. Upgrade the transformer. Install the battery and all solar panels, 32.6 kW. Additional cost $25,404. Need to raise $11,706 more to pay for this.
Option Two. Upgrade the transformer. Install the battery, but reduce the number of panels to 26.5 kW to keep the cost roughly equal to the original budget. Additional cost $13,131, $567 less than originally budgeted.
Option Three. Upgrade the transformer. Install all 32.6 kW solar panels but not the battery. Refund $3,846. Add microinverter upgrade, $2,570. Net refund $1,276.
Option Four. No transformer upgrade. Install the battery but reduce the number of panels to 24.5 kW which the current the transformer can handle. Refund of $492.
Selection of Options and Costs
Ben's contact at RMPRocky Mountain Power (RMP) is Blake Ashcroft, estimator who gave us the cost for the transformer. Mary Davis at PacifiCorp was working with Gardner.
Could we upgrade the microinvertersmicro-inverters now in order to put in a battery later? We are getting aThe refund because of not buying the battery,battery whichthat is no longer manufactured could cover the cost of the microinverters.micro-inverters.
Hopefully upgrading the transformer would allow individual units to do solar panels without running up against the limit.
Incentives or Other Funding
In the Inflation Reduction Act,Act (IRA), non-profits get a 30% direct pay tax credit. Starts in 2023. Utah Clean Energy hasn't had time to go through the entire bill. Tax rebate for batteries.
Utah Clean Energy hasn't figured out how to make community solar legal in Utah. RMP fights it.
Does itthe IRA apply to our type of non-profit,profit? andBen islooked on a State government site -- Our non-profit status expired in 2017.
The Inflation Reduction Act starts in 2023. Our contract was signed November 2021. Is it based on the installation date or some other date? Looks like installation date. Bill appears to make it retroactive to 2022.
Could contractwe get additional donations? A couple of people indicated in the survey they might be willing to donate a thousand or so. Get
The transfer fee was signedset Novemberbefore 2021.the recent big increase in real estate prices. Custom$500 is a much smaller fraction of prices now. Raise it?
Current statistics are that 15% of sales are to investors for rentals; 10% are to flippers. Although we have rules stopping buying to rent, we don't have any protection against buying to flip; is there a way to structure that?
EV Charging Stations
We currently have four electric vehicles (EV), the Wasons', the Jennings', the Sweeneys', and Tysic's.
The IRA has custom incentives around multiple family housing for EV charging.
Option one. Upgrade the transformer, install the batteries and all solar panels (32.6 kW). Additional cost $25,404. Need to raise $11,706 more to pay for this.
Option Two. Upgrade the transformer, install the batteries, but reduce the number of panels to keep the cost roughtly equal to the original budget (26.5 kW). Additional cost $13,131, $567 less than originally budgeted.
Option Three. Upgrade the transformer, install all solar panels but not the batteries, 32.6 kW. Refund $3,846. Add microinverter upgrade, $2,570.
Option Four. No transformer upgrade. Install the batteries but reduce the number of panels to avoid the transformer upgrade, 24.5kW. Refund of $492.
Hans says Gardner says they don't install charging stations.
Rocky Mountain has a Make Ready program, giving incentives for installing EV charging stations. Applications are reviewed quarterly. "Everything required to connect the charger to the grid." No cap on the award.
Could we get additional donations? A couple of people indicated in the survey they might be willing to donate a thousand or so. Get
Our non-profit status expired in 2017, according to the State.
The transfer fee was set before the big increase in house prices. $500 is a much smaller fraction of prices now. Although we have rules against buying to rent, we don't have any protection against buying to flip; is there a way to structure that?
Utah Clean Energy hasn't figured out how to make community solar legal in Utah. RMP fights it.
Upgrading the transformer would allow individual units to do solar panels without running up against the limit.
We currently have four EV, Wasons, Jennings, Sweeneys, Tysic.