Is there an alternative to PG&E?
05-17-2012, 02:40 PM
#32
Friendly Neighborhood Ogre
iTrader: (6)
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: www.gunatics.com
Posts: 19,930
Car Info: GUNATICS.COM
Yeah, looks like Josi and I will be investing in some solar panels for our house. Just did the math and we could literally have it pay for itself in less than 3 years. Unbelievable.
I have a house, I have a roof... it's my turn to tell PGE to f' off.
I have my own organic veggie garden, grow my own food, collect my own rain water, and now it's time to produce my own energy. Being self sufficient ROCKS!
I have a house, I have a roof... it's my turn to tell PGE to f' off.
I have my own organic veggie garden, grow my own food, collect my own rain water, and now it's time to produce my own energy. Being self sufficient ROCKS!
05-17-2012, 03:05 PM
#33
aka FlukeWRX
iTrader: (6)
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: East Bay
Posts: 3,657
Car Info: '03 WRX WRB Sedan
Yeah, looks like Josi and I will be investing in some solar panels for our house. Just did the math and we could literally have it pay for itself in less than 3 years. Unbelievable.
I have a house, I have a roof... it's my turn to tell PGE to f' off.
I have my own organic veggie garden, grow my own food, collect my own rain water, and now it's time to produce my own energy. Being self sufficient ROCKS!
I have a house, I have a roof... it's my turn to tell PGE to f' off.
I have my own organic veggie garden, grow my own food, collect my own rain water, and now it's time to produce my own energy. Being self sufficient ROCKS!
05-17-2012, 03:51 PM
#36
Registered User
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Sacramento
Posts: 491
Car Info: 04 WRX Wagon, 06 Forester XT, 99 Legacy Sedan
Doesnt hurt to ask.
Think of it this way.
Lets say you consume 100 Kwh in a month (no idea if that is even in the ballpark just using it for example)
If the owner installed solar, and his bill went to $40 because he is now only using 10Kwh from PG&E then he is generating the other 90 Kwh from the solar panal. You would still be using the same amount of electricity after all.
There is no problem with him "selling" that 90Kwh to you at say 50% of what PG&E would charge.
Your bill would drop because you would be paying a fraction of what the 90 Kwh would cost if you bought it from PG&E at their rate.
Your landlord is now making more on that same property by generating his own electricity for you to use.
There is a certain trust factor that goes into it because you most likely wouldnt see the bill each month and would be relying on the owners montly breakdown.
The owner would have to have his name on the PG&E account and charge you monthly rent plus however much electricity you bought from PG&E (at their rate) and the electricity you bought from the owner (at whatever his rate is).
the only thing your meter would tell you is how much you bought from PG&E.
Think of it this way.
Lets say you consume 100 Kwh in a month (no idea if that is even in the ballpark just using it for example)
If the owner installed solar, and his bill went to $40 because he is now only using 10Kwh from PG&E then he is generating the other 90 Kwh from the solar panal. You would still be using the same amount of electricity after all.
There is no problem with him "selling" that 90Kwh to you at say 50% of what PG&E would charge.
Your bill would drop because you would be paying a fraction of what the 90 Kwh would cost if you bought it from PG&E at their rate.
Your landlord is now making more on that same property by generating his own electricity for you to use.
There is a certain trust factor that goes into it because you most likely wouldnt see the bill each month and would be relying on the owners montly breakdown.
The owner would have to have his name on the PG&E account and charge you monthly rent plus however much electricity you bought from PG&E (at their rate) and the electricity you bought from the owner (at whatever his rate is).
the only thing your meter would tell you is how much you bought from PG&E.
Last edited by Harry Maneuvers; 05-17-2012 at 03:53 PM.
05-17-2012, 04:15 PM
#37
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 4,300
Car Info: http://kiva.org/invitedby/brett4254
I know the HOA owns the roof and I live on the lower story, but I might be able to sell them on converting the whole complex. We have 64 units and more than 300 residents, so things happen slowly.
I remember back in 2000 there was a Green House energy or something like that you could have administer electricity. But that was a long time ago
I remember back in 2000 there was a Green House energy or something like that you could have administer electricity. But that was a long time ago
05-17-2012, 04:16 PM
#38
there are ways to lower your bill. ie turn ish off, find what items are draining the most power etc. if you are with PG&E you more then likely have a smart meter so you can track you usage in real time. they also prorate your bill by times: 12noon is more expensive the 12 at night... just being conscious of your usage can save you a boat load.
Last edited by jblanco325; 05-17-2012 at 04:21 PM. Reason: english is hard
05-17-2012, 04:23 PM
#39
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 4,300
Car Info: http://kiva.org/invitedby/brett4254
It's not really about the bill.... I'm just tired of this godless company.
How many times have they been sued for illegal pollution, bad pipelines...
Why do we allow a public utility to be a for-profit company?
How many times have they been sued for illegal pollution, bad pipelines...
Why do we allow a public utility to be a for-profit company?
05-17-2012, 04:47 PM
#40
Registered User
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Campbell
Posts: 806
Car Info: 05 white WRX
Doesnt hurt to ask.
Think of it this way.
Lets say you consume 100 Kwh in a month (no idea if that is even in the ballpark just using it for example)
If the owner installed solar, and his bill went to $40 because he is now only using 10Kwh from PG&E then he is generating the other 90 Kwh from the solar panal. You would still be using the same amount of electricity after all.
There is no problem with him "selling" that 90Kwh to you at say 50% of what PG&E would charge.
Your bill would drop because you would be paying a fraction of what the 90 Kwh would cost if you bought it from PG&E at their rate.
Your landlord is now making more on that same property by generating his own electricity for you to use.
There is a certain trust factor that goes into it because you most likely wouldnt see the bill each month and would be relying on the owners montly breakdown.
The owner would have to have his name on the PG&E account and charge you monthly rent plus however much electricity you bought from PG&E (at their rate) and the electricity you bought from the owner (at whatever his rate is).
the only thing your meter would tell you is how much you bought from PG&E.
Think of it this way.
Lets say you consume 100 Kwh in a month (no idea if that is even in the ballpark just using it for example)
If the owner installed solar, and his bill went to $40 because he is now only using 10Kwh from PG&E then he is generating the other 90 Kwh from the solar panal. You would still be using the same amount of electricity after all.
There is no problem with him "selling" that 90Kwh to you at say 50% of what PG&E would charge.
Your bill would drop because you would be paying a fraction of what the 90 Kwh would cost if you bought it from PG&E at their rate.
Your landlord is now making more on that same property by generating his own electricity for you to use.
There is a certain trust factor that goes into it because you most likely wouldnt see the bill each month and would be relying on the owners montly breakdown.
The owner would have to have his name on the PG&E account and charge you monthly rent plus however much electricity you bought from PG&E (at their rate) and the electricity you bought from the owner (at whatever his rate is).
the only thing your meter would tell you is how much you bought from PG&E.
It's a house with 4(soon to be 3) 21 year olds and I'll admit we all could be better with power consumption. We've converted to energy efficient bulbs, saved >$10.
I'm starting to think it's the house though. Just too much phantom power that we can't seem to track down.
06-05-2012, 09:52 AM
#43
Registered User
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 28
Car Info: 2011 WRX Hatch
My average bill with smud is 41 dollars a month. No solar panels needed. I have a 60 year old house, with single pane original windows. I just laugh when they try to sell me solar. I guess if smud would cut me a check at their rates for any overage it might be worthwhile...
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
EJ25RS
Bay Area
0
03-14-2003 01:25 AM
