# Tell me about home solar **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 15, 2025, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-home-solar/1020878 "2025-07-15T17:04:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-home-solar/1020878/81 "2026-01-13T15:07:08Z")
It is cool. I’ve got my own freaking power plant. Does not use anything but the sun. I sort of had that in my previous house. Passive solar. Windows. Man, middle of January at 11,200 feet and we would have to open windows to cool the place down. A lot of that had also to do with all the snow we had. The sun would also reflect off of the snow into the house. ---
**Author:** ![andrewm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c57346/32.png) [@andrewm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewm)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-home-solar/1020878/82 "2026-01-14T13:55:37Z")
Hope you weren’t planning to take the federal income tax credit. The credit was good through 2025 but no longer exists in 2026. Even if you paid all the bills for the install in 2025, the system wasn’t “placed into service” until 2026 and is ineligible. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-home-solar/1020878/83 "2026-01-14T14:05:56Z")
It was installed in 2025. Wait. It had to be placed into service? The solar company and Excel energy dragged their feet about placing it in service. I hounded them to do it. But it just got turned on like 5 days ago after a 6 month wait. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-home-solar/1020878/84 "2026-01-14T15:14:16Z")
Oof. Sorry. _[The credit is not available for any property placed in service after December 31, 2025.](https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/residential-clean-energy-credit)_ ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-home-solar/1020878/85 "2026-01-14T15:27:22Z")
But I also read that if you have a signed off/passed permit from the building department from 2025, you should be good. I do. Says it’s completed and closed on 11/19/25. They just didn’t install the extra meter it needed. They said that it was on order. The biggest electric utility in Colorado and the west did not have one. Horse Shit. I had a word (a number of words actually, a lot involving possible legal action) with them and it was turned on the next day. That should do it I think. I’m gonna just go with that permit. This conversation did not happen. We shall see. ---
**Author:** ![andrewm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c57346/32.png) [@andrewm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewm)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-home-solar/1020878/86 "2026-01-15T03:22:47Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > That should do it I think. I’m gonna just go with that permit. I see that some people on the internet do say that, for the purposes of the residential tax credit, “completed” or “placed in service” is when construction is done and the system could generate power, even if it isn’t actually turned on. Many others say the system must be turned on and actually producing power. For what I imagine is a five-figure tax credit, I’d recommend hiring a qualified tax accountant or tax attorney to get their professional opinion. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-home-solar/1020878/87 "2026-01-15T12:37:43Z")
> [@andrewm](#): > > For what I imagine is a five-figure tax credit, I’d recommend hiring a qualified tax accountant or tax attorney to get their professional opinion. I’ve got one. She’s been doing my taxes for about 5 years. Also, my cousin (best friend) is one ot the top people in the office. Everything was done and **paid for** in 2025. Permit from the town signed off as completed. I was just waiting for my utility company to turn it on. They where dragging their feet. If I get boned on this I’m going to be very, very pissed off. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-home-solar/1020878/88 "2026-01-15T13:20:45Z")
A good friend of mine also got the installation done under the wire and from what I can tell you’re in the same situation and are ok. Obviously I don’t know both of your exact situations but it looks very much the same. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2026, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-home-solar/1020878/89 "2026-02-06T00:29:55Z")
Our system made 210% of the electric we used today. We will pull some back tonight of course, but, it’s looking good. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2026, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-home-solar/1020878/90 "2026-02-16T17:04:56Z")
Does anybody know anything about the [Green Button Alliance](https://www.greenbuttondata.org/)? As of this morning my solar system is producing, so now I’m doing my part to contribute to ~~grid instability~~ reducing CO2 emissions. Fortunately a much shorter wait on Xcel than @enipla. Xcel claims up to 20 business days to be approved, and it took 10. Xcel then waited 3 days to tell me about it, so I didn’t inform the installer until late Friday, and they didn’t turn it on until Monday morning. In part it was much faster because I already had a brand new smart meter that supports net metering. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2026, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-home-solar/1020878/91 "2026-02-16T17:20:20Z")
> [@echoreply](#): > > Does anybody know anything about the [Green Button Alliance](https://www.greenbuttondata.org/) I don’t. I have an app that is on my phone and computer that shows the energy usage. It’s called ‘Enphase’ Upload/dowload all of that. It may only work with ION Solar though, really don’t know. Currently (no pun intended) 10am in Colorado. I’m making 7.0kw and pushing/exporting/banking 4.5kw. February will be the first full month that this system has run, so I don’t really know what my bills will be. But I have so far made 105% of the electricity I need. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2026, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-home-solar/1020878/92 "2026-02-16T17:47:34Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > I have an app that is on my phone and computer that shows the energy usage I just have the Tesla app, because we have a Tesla inverter. All it shows is how much is being produced at the moment, and a historical chart. If I got a Tesla battery then I could get more information, but I don’t see the point in spending $10k+ on a battery if Xcel will provide me a virtual battery for free. I’m only generating 3-4kW right now, but 1/3 of my panels face west, so they aren’t doing much right now. The Xcel web page has an on demand chart that can be updated every 30 minutes. It shows that at 9:30 this morning my power use went negative. Because the cumulative chart in the Tesla app, and the ondemand page at Xcel are out of sync, for awhile it was showing I had more banked power than I’d yet generated. Xcel has an app that is supposed to connect to your meter over wifi and show realtime usage, but it doesn’t actually work. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2026, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-home-solar/1020878/93 "2026-02-16T17:51:01Z")
> [@echoreply](#): > > If I got a Tesla battery then I could get more information, but I don’t see the point in spending $10k+ on a battery if Xcel will provide me a virtual battery for free. We got the Tesla batteries (powerwall). It’s good backup for power outages instead of a generator. We had several over this winter and it worked flawlessly. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2026, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-home-solar/1020878/94 "2026-02-16T18:10:05Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > It’s good backup for power outages instead of a generator. We had several over this winter and it worked flawlessly. For as much as I’m willing to criticize Xcel, our power has been very stable. This winter they warned about possible power cuts due to high winds, but they never turned off my neighborhood. The only power outage we’ve had over two hours was during the first full day back to school after COVID. It wasn’t weather related, and I don’t remember why it was down. Back then I had Comcast Business internet that stayed up during a power outage, so it was worth putting a 120 watt inverter in the car, and running an extension cord to the basement to power the router and wifi. Now I’m using Comcast Home, and when the power goes out, the internet goes out, so no point in keeping the wifi running. I don’t have a sump pump or anything that would make it dangerous to be without power in a storm. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2026, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-home-solar/1020878/95 "2026-02-16T18:11:04Z")
> [@echoreply](#): > > The Xcel web page has an on demand chart that can be updated every 30 minutes I’ll have to look at that again. I’m not finding anything like that on the Excel page. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2026, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-home-solar/1020878/96 "2026-02-16T18:29:35Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > I’m not finding anything like that on the Excel page. This is sort of what it looks like. The chart it displays and what it downloads when using the download link are different. On the website the X and Y-axis labels are more precise. The bump at 8:30 is when I started water for coffee. Not sure what the bump is at 9. _Really_ obvious when the solar turned on. [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/GSrSdRW.jpeg "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/GSrSdRW) It is a type of scavenger hunt to get there: 1. Login to Xcel. 2. Find the “VIEW USAGE \>” link under the center “ENERGY COSTS” tile. 3. Scroll towards the bottom of the page and find the “VISIT MY ENERGY ➡” link in it’s own tile. 4. Under the first tile with the bar graph, click “View My Usage & Cost”. 5. Scroll beneath the first bar graph to “On Demand Interval Usage”. 6. Click the “Get My On Demand Interval Read” button. 7. Repeat every 30 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2026, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-home-solar/1020878/97 "2026-02-16T18:58:56Z")
Thanks, I’ll look and post but am busy. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2026, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-home-solar/1020878/98 "2026-02-16T19:10:59Z")
This is my usage through an app called Enphase. But again I thing it only works with ION Solar. [[Album] imgur.com ![](https://i.imgur.com/FPyqcAs.jpeg?fb "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/a/oRCH8q1) The blue is what we have produced the orange is what we have used. That’s the month of February so far. When they calculated how many panels we needed, I said “Add two more” It’s not free, we paid 40k for this system. BUT our electric bill will be mostly zero. That’s a good feeling. As is the enviermental impacts of fosil fuels. * * * I’ll look at Excel. My 'View Usage only goes up to January. That’s when the system was installed. Well it was installed in August, but not turned on until January. So I don’t have any data yet. But thanks for that pointer. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2026, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-home-solar/1020878/99 "2026-02-17T15:00:35Z")
Just FYI, Enphase is a major manufacturer of solar microinverters (so they probably made your equipment, and ION just installed them). Good choice, by the way 🙂 When I previously worked in solar, Enphase was one of our major competitors, and both their hardware and software was better than ours. I would’ve chosen an Enphase system for myself, even though I’d have gotten an employee discount on our own brand — Enphase was just that much better. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2026, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-home-solar/1020878/100 "2026-02-17T15:17:00Z")
> [@echoreply](#): > > Does anybody know anything about the [Green Button Alliance](https://www.greenbuttondata.org/)? I didn’t realize it was an alliance. I used to use that functionality when I was a PG&E customer, in order to export my usage data. It was a lot of hoops to jump through for what ultimately was basically a CSV export (or maybe XML or JSON? can’t remember). I’d be wary of any government-associated initiatives right now, though… the Trump administration is pretty busily sunsetting old EPA pages and services and such, and briefly also threatened to shut down PVwatts and other NREL resources. (Edit: That said, there does seem to be quite a few utilities already using Green Button, so hopefully it’ll have some staying power: [Utilities - Green Button Directory Services - Green Button Alliance](https://www.greenbuttonalliance.org/ds-utilities). It’s also an independent 501c3, not a direct government service, for better or worse.) There’s also a [Overview — PVOutput documentation](https://www.pvoutput.org/help/overview.html) for people to upload their production and share it with the world (for whatever reason); looks like there’s a Powerwall adapter app for it, but not sure if that will work with just the bare solar and no Powerwall: [GitHub - ekul135/Powerwall2PVOutput: Send Tesla Powerwall data to PVOutput](https://github.com/ekul135/Powerwall2PVOutput) I think Tesla also offers a Fleet API, which (with a lot of hoops) might let you log both your car and solar: [https://developer.tesla.com/docs/fleet-api/getting-started/what-is-fleet-api](https://developer.tesla.com/docs/fleet-api/getting-started/what-is-fleet-api) That might let you put it on a Home Assistant dashboard, for example, if that’s your sort of thing: [Tesla Fleet - Home Assistant](https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/tesla_fleet/) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-home-solar/1020878.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-home-solar/1020878.md?page=6)