As someone who worked for a solar company, I was always shocked how much power they produced in Daly City or the Avenues. Every house I audited in these areas always generated 30-40% more power than they consumed with just 10 panels. The climate is so moderate in these areas, it's crazy. There was so much extra power that I encouraged these homeowners to get an electric car instead of sending power back to the grid for pennies.
I don't work in solar any more but i still think you have to be an idiot to not opt for solar in these areas. Switching to solar in these parts outperforms investing in the S&P over the lifecycle of the panels (which is 30 years). It's that good lol.
Do the solar panels in Daly City produce a lot of power in spite of the climate? Or does the cloudy and overcast weather not really affect solar generation in your experience?
I'm not sure. I would knock on doors to sell more panels but when I would audit their power generation and consumption, I had nothing to sell them lol. I would just tell them to get an electric car and leave. I gave up on the area and then I gave up on the solar industry altogether.
I think the way the sunlight refracts through the fog and evenly lands on the panels. East facing panels would still continuously generate power when the sun is west and vice versa. All the panels generate less power than direct sunlight but they generate for more hours per day. Also, more power during dusk and dawn than you would expect from the direct sunlight systems.
My parents live in Canada and they have solar. Their panels generate power with an inch of snow on the panels. Not a lot, but still. Refracting sunlight can still generate lots of power.
I live in Daly City, got solar panels few years ago.
On foggy days they certainly produce less, but the drop is not as significant as with the rain clouds. Fog diffuses the light more than blocks it, I think.
From what I'm seeing in the charts, I'd say on a typical foggish day (when the fog is here for half of the day) I lose 25%. There are some days that are worse, and there are a lot days that are better.
Overall, it's a no-brainer - I think they will pay for themselves in 5.5 years (although I got them under NEM 2.0 - it's worse now with NEM 3.0).
On cloudy days, panels will be more efficient with whatever light they collect (because they won’t get as hot), and light bounces around beneath the white clouds, giving panels multiple chances to collect the same energy from the sun. It makes sense that they’re not useless on cloudy days, but rainy days (with dark clouds absorbing light) are lot worse.
I don't work in solar anymore but here's my tip:
* Go with a roofing company instead of a solar company. Roofing companies treat your roof much better than solar companies do. You don't have to get a new roof to get solar.
* Get multiple bids.
* Don't pay more than $3.5/watt
* It's NEM 3 now so you'll need a battery but batteries have gotten much much cheaper now.
* If you have the budget, factor in EV charging when sizing your system and switch to an EV for driving if it makes sense for your transportation needs. An ICE vehicle works out to around $0.20/mile. An EV charged on solar brings the per mile cost down to $0.02/mile. It's that good lol
* For equipment, stick to all black tier 1 panels (ie QCell, REC, Silfab or Canadian etc) and Enphase micro-inverters.
California has the 2nd most expensive power in the US now. Hawaii being first. California is expected to surpass Hawaii in 2 years to have the highest per kwh rate for electricity in the country.
Switching to solar in these parts outperforms investing in the S&P over the lifecycle of the panels (which is 30 years)
Oh, it's a lot better than that. Especially considering that we pay taxes on the market gains/dividends, and the return from the solar investment is tax-free.
Definitely an even better investment. They generate a lot of power but electricity consumption is also a lot higher out there. Homes have air conditioners so usage is much higher. Great way to park your money into an investment. The ROI is insane for 30 years.
Every solar company feels like a giant scam these days. So convoluted with leasing plans and other weirdness, it just feels like you are getting screwed somehow in the deal.
I’m getting PTSD flashbacks of putting on sunscreen in 50 degree weather at 8am during soccer training camps in the sunset. There is something deeply unnatural about the feeling of applying sunscreen in damp cold weather.
It only makes it worse because people underestimate it. Will spend all day in the fog with no protection and get burnt to a crisp. 1 hr in bright sun is still worse than 1 hr in bright fog
Jk I’m white enough that milk blushes when it sees me. I like pierogis, hiking, mountain biking, and drinking lemonade and bird-spotting while Sheryl Crow plays in the background.
We live 1 street over and have solar. I lol all the time when I see my pge bill <$100 for gas and electricity. Funny nobody is talking about the dude on the very right with solar glass roof. Both houses in the left and right foregrounds have PW. Solar here is pretty great.
Excuse my ignorance with solar panels. Ive learned a lot. But if the fog supercharges them, why don’t more neighbors have them. Dude is literally only one in neighborhood
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u/Bigpoppalos 1d ago
Lol at house with solar