Mr. Ralph and I had batted around the notion for a while, but then he was too sick to be interested.
Researching and hiring someone to do this has been a major task. Not something I would recommend during the first year of widowhood but the electric company here is coming up with ways to prevent many more consumers from tapping into this big savings on monthly bills. I asked everyone I knew who had solar, who they used and why. Many companies have already gone out of business in two years!
Having solar power will be a BIG selling point should I ever need to sell this Maui Mansion. So I bit the bullet. Thankfully I have my neighbor Bob to give me his input. The company he used has been doing this for ten years in Hawaii ... longer on the mainland. The manufacturer they use is state of the art.
MECO (Maui Electric) is putting a cap on how many homes or businesses can have PV (photovoltaic) because their system is not set up to RECEIVE power, when I make more during the daytime than I use. In the very near future (this is already happening in some neighborhoods) new installations will have to bear the cost of upgrading MECO's system ... thousands of dollars per household!
While there is a substantial upfront investment, my electric bill will go from $300 per month to $20 per month, so it will pay for itself in four years.
Then I won't be afraid to use my oven!
Sounds like a great investment in a sunny area like Maui and since you're using a company with a track record you shouldn't have any fears. I'm the same way with house improvements...they will just make a more sell-able package if that's the direction I eventually go.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty excited. Electricity rates here are FIVE TIMES the rate in Oregon! I bought a small toaster oven and it is in the garage. Which is what I use for me. But I've been using the big one since Thanksgiving! Chex Mix (twice). Roasted carrots for dinner party. And now Christmas dinner is going to be at my house.
DeleteHow do you roast carrots? That sounds good!
ReplyDeleteI prefer roasted veggies! Either on the grill (tricky in your winter snow!) or in the oven. Usually 425 degrees, brush with olive oil. The carrots were roasted for 10 minutes, then red onions and roasted garlic added, then 10 minutes more. Probably 1/2 inch by 3 inch chunks of carrot. Broccoli is good. Brussels sprouts. Green beans.
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