La Manzanilla Message Board: Re: Solar-Projects

Going solar is an excellent idea. Because of the three tierd rate system here in Mexico your goal in a grid tied-net metered system should be to use solar to reduce your consumption and keep it within the first low cost consumption tier. If your consumption regularly goes into the third exedente tier, solar is for you because you risk going into the dreaded DAC for continued excidente consumption.

The older analogue meters usually will run backwards but if you have a new digital meter it may not. Check your meter.

Do up a electricity consumption budget based on your usage over a number of months or years. How many KWH do you use monthly.. it's on your CFE bills. Are you planning a new air conditioner? Factor the wattage it uses in.

Plan to lower your grid consumption to as close to 0 as possible. But putting in a 5000 watt solar system when you only use 1300kw monthly is a waste of money. Remember if your aggregate input into the grid is more than you use, it is banked for a time but there is no payback.

Look at the solar irradiance of the area... It's high, we get lotsa sunshine here. I calculate that with the solar irradiance we get, and the hours of sunshine I personally get, I could bring my net consumption close to 0 with between 1500 and 2000 watts worth of grid tied solar panels. everyone's situation is different though.

Solar panels and allied electricity generation is not rocket science. I'v worked with it since 1978..mostly more complex off grid for commercial remote radio systems. Plan your system carefully so as not to waste money. Cost out your system. Do not accept a 'turnkey' quote... how much are the individual panels, the grid tied inverter, ancillary costs and installation fees?

Permitting is encouraged as CFE has a program that encourages self generation of electricity. It isn't difficult.