flat roof for solar panels

I have panels installed and they cover my needs over the course of a year. We have 4 a story brownstone but power just us our triplex. We have a 6.6kW install net metered. It takes up a good chunk of our 20 x 45ft (15×30?—roughly) roof. Go to the NYSERDA website http://www.powernaturally.org
They list installers, outline incentives, allow you to estimate what your needs are. You have to use their approved installers in order to qualify for the incentives. I couldn’t say enough good things about our installer—but I’m pretty sure they’re not doing residential installations anymore (who knows with the downturn though). Solar Energy Systems. Great guys, talk to Chris Moustakis the owner. All you need is a site study to make sure it is feasible for your site (no trees or buildings blocking light). The contractor should take care of the rest (design, permits, construction, etc.). The build isn’t complex: roofing work took 2-3 days, solar panels up in a day, electrical work a day and a half. Just 4-5 months of permiting and a parade of inspectors (dept of bldgs, underwriters lab, con ed, etc.), but the contractor took care of it all, including landmarks (we have our panels set back so you don’t see them from the street).

With incentives and rebates we’ve found it to be quite a deal and don’t know why it isn’t done more often. We’ve been up and running for about a year and a half. Everyone talks about simple payback calculations, but here is something nobody talks about: every time Con Ed raises rates, payback is that much faster. 15% increase? Payback on the investment is 15% faster. You lock in the costs when you install and rate increases go to you with the net metering. We took a loan out to cover some of the cost and NYSERDA paid most the interest and the payback on the 5 year loan on a monthly basis is only a little more than what we would have been paying to con ed anyway (with the recent rate hikes), so we feel like the 5 years that it takes to pay the loan is kind of like we would have been paying it anyhow. Other than that (after state and federal tax rebates) we only had to drop about $12k on a $63k system. Payback on that? 4-5 years, I’d say (but remember I’m not counting the 5 year, $20k loan in that so it’ll be 4-5 years after the loan is paid). After that it’s all free juice (still have to pay con ed about $14/mo for “service” though).

Hope that doesn’t make it sound complicated, because it really isn’t. Federal tax rebates have increased since we jumped in, but so has contracting costs, I believe.

And you’ll actually be doing something to reduce your carbon footprint, and take some of the load off the grid when it is most needed during those hot summer days.

Has anyone used a good local BPI certified installer. In order to qualify for the rebates e/t needs to be done by certified professionals.

parkslopemom,

Any idea when they were installed or how many solar panels each has? If the panels are old, they might consider upgrading or incorporating a wind turbine.

Parkslopemom – If you have a sunny spot, a solar array can achieve simple payback in about 8-12 years in Brooklyn, provided that electricity costs don’t go down and you take advantage of the NYSERDA benefits. Other factors include the solar technology you use, and whether you are paying out of pocket or financing the installation.

Has anyone had true return on solar panels in Brownstone Brooklyn? My two friends who tried it report that there simply is not enough direct sun to justify the cost of installation.