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  • Reliant's Solar Solutions

    Reliant has announced their new Solar plans.

    Lease Options Combined With Electricity Plans Make Solar More Affordable, Worry-Free

    On the summer solstice, the day of the year with the most daylight, Reliant Energy launched Reliant Solar Solutions, a program that combines flexible leasing options with unique solar electricity plans to bring the benefits of residential solar power to Texas homeowners.

    “Reliant Solar Solutions gives customers more control over their energy costs now and in the future,” said Shirley Rouse, Vice President, Innovation, Reliant Energy. “Our flexible leasing options let customers choose how much money they want to put down and even gives them the option of pre-paying their lease. In addition to guaranteed annual electricity production from the system, we help our customers get the most from the sun with unique and flexible plans that pay customers for any extra electricity they produce.”

    The Reliant Solar Lease Program offers the benefits of home solar electricity without the high upfront costs of directly purchasing a system. Customers can choose how much they want to put down and even pre-pay their lease to lock-in a portion of their electricity costs.

    Reliant’s solar leasing option takes the risk out of residential solar by guaranteeing the electricity production of the system, covering repairs for the life of the lease and providing a network of professional installers. Each lease is customized to the individual homeowner based on a number of factors, including the size of the system, geographic location and electricity usage.

    Reliant also offers its customers two solar electricity plans, the Reliant e-Sense™ Sell-Back Plan and the Reliant Sell-Back Plan:

    Reliant e-Sense™ Sell-Back Plan - uses data provided by the customer’s smart meter to offer on-peak and off-peak pricing. The plan has a single peak pricing period from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., daily, which coincides with the time when solar panels produce the most electricity. All other times are off-peak. The sell-back price is the same as the energy charge for the first 500 kWh returned to the grid. Reliant will pay 5 cents per kWh for any additional electricity produced by the customer.
    Reliant Sell-Back Plan - provides price security for 12 months plus Reliant purchases any surplus electricity the customer produces. Reliant provides a bill credit for the first 500 kWh of excess electricity that the customer generates at the full retail energy charge and pays 5 cents per kWh for any additional electricity that is returned to the grid.
    How does it compare to the others?

  • #2
    Originally posted by amarksa View Post
    How does it compare to the others?
    Its kind of a sham. Your better buying the panels even if you have to go to the bank, Unless you have little to no income.

    In North Carolina under the NC Green plan you get about 19 - 23 cents per kilowatts hour for sell all configuration, like they are talking about. The Federal Government return in Tax Credits, 1/3 of your equipment cost and the State returns 1/3 of you equipment cost.
    So your system for 10kw install costs 38,000. 8k is labor. You get 10k back from the federal over a 2 year period, and 10k back from the state over a 5 year period. On the 2nd or 3rd year the Feds give you another tax credit for depreciation cost that is 50 percent of the system value at that time.
    Everything over a 5 year period end up being about 80% of the cost. Paid for in TAX credits. Basically you owe no taxes for 3 - 5 years.

    Now all you paid for 10kw is $6000. Your average bill is 200 dollars a month. You cover that plus your producing at a higher rate and you make $1000 every year extra. Your paid off in about 3-4 years or maybe a little more if you use the bank. But after that, your power is free and you turn a little profit every year.

    But under lease your still paying. WHY??? Would you want to do that.

    The only answer is you have little to no income and you would not get the tax credits. But in that case you probably shouldn't buy any solar anyway.

    Matt

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    • #3
      Is there a difference in price form going to traditional energy to solar leasing, though?

      As you said, for people that couldn't afford to buy a solar system, does this work as a "gateway" system?

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      • #4
        Its just a trade off one company taking you for a ride on the wire and the other taking you for ride from your roof.

        Of course from your roof your getting solar energy. Your also not supporting the traditional power company.

        Just read the fine print real well. Alot of these lease companies have shaky terms.

        Matt

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Matthew Jones View Post
          Its just a trade off one company taking you for a ride on the wire and the other taking you for ride from your roof.

          Of course from your roof your getting solar energy. Your also not supporting the traditional power company.

          Just read the fine print real well. Alot of these lease companies have shaky terms.

          Matt
          I've been happy with them as a traditional provider, just the bill has been really high. I don't know if I have 6k or so to pay to own a dish, and just trying to research all of my options.

          They do claim they have a buyback plan, so energy that I don't use, I get paid for. How does that work?

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