Back in November 2024, we decided to take the plunge and get 15 solar panels on our roof. The system went live on November 25 It’s worked out well so far as you can see from this graph charting our production and usage. Most of 2024 (till November 25) is just power we were paying for from the grid. But as you can see, there are marked declines in imported electricity starting in Feb 2025 (compared to Feb 2024) and by May our bill drops to almost nothing. From June to September we are exporting far more than we use, so we get all that excess back and still pay nothing in October-November and part of December. That’s because the way the system works is that whatever we don’t use goes back to the grid till we need it and then we get it back for free. So we get about two free months-and-a-half into December as well as the free summer power.
If you are considering going solar as Trump keeps driving up energy costs, I can say we Sheas, even living here in Rain City, saved $700 in 2025 (over the previous year) and will only be saving more and more as time goes on. Even assuming current rates last forever (which they absolutely will not), our solar system will pay for itself in about 14 years. In reality, it will pay for itself faster and faster as time goes on for the simple reason that rates will keep going up while the money we don’t pay for free electricity will continue to stay at $0 for about half the year and will continue to be chopped out of the bill even in December.
Considering that we have some of the cheapest power in the country due to the ginormous hydro-electric grid we enjoy and that the odds are good you don’t have cheap power if your grid relies on fossil fuels, your savings are likely to be even better than ours. So as rates climb due to Trump’s stupid wars and tariffs, your solar array will pay for itself much faster. We here in rainy Western Washington essentially get free power for about 6-7ish months out of the year. The only bill we get for half the year is the $25/month it costs for the privilege of being hooked up to the grid.
If you are interested, click here. You and I will both get $100 should you decide to install a solar system. Check it out!
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