Plug-in solar savings on Anza Electric Cooperative
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The short answer: on Anza Electric Cooperative's Rate 1 rate of 23.8¢/kWh,[source] the example kit (800 W, $1,000) saves about $188 a year and pays for itself in about 5.3 years, assuming typical placement and that you use most of its power at home.
What the example kit saves on Anza Electric Cooperative
| Where the panels go | Saves a year | Pays back in |
|---|---|---|
| Excellent: south-facing, tilted, no shade | $248 | 4.0 years |
| Typical: well-placed | $188 | 5.3 years |
| Shaded or vertical balcony | $137 | 7.3 years |
Power you send back to the grid is valued at $0, so a kit sized to what you use during the day saves the most. Run your own numbers, including how savings add up over the years.
Where this rate comes from
Anza Electric Cooperative's standard residential rate sheet (dated October 2024): $0.21795 for the first 700 kWh, $0.23795 for 701 to 2,000 kWh and $0.28795 above that. We use the second tier. The $29 monthly charge is excluded. This utility also adds a monthly per-kWh power cost adjustment that can raise or lower the price; its current value isn't published, so it isn't included and your bill may differ.[source]
Discounts
CARE and FERA are CPUC programs for investor-owned utilities, so they don't apply here. City, district and co-op utilities run their own discount programs, which we haven't verified.
SB 868 and Anza Electric Cooperative
SB 868 names investor-owned and local publicly owned utilities. Anza Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative, which the law doesn't name, so check with Anza Electric Cooperative before you install a kit.[source] Read SB 868 explained and run through the checks before you buy.
Estimates only. Not electrical, legal or financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
- How much could a plug-in solar kit save on Anza Electric Cooperative?
- About $188 a year for an example 800 W kit with typical placement, at Anza Electric Cooperative's Rate 1 rate of 23.8¢/kWh, paying back in about 5.3 years. Your result depends on your usage and where the panels go.
- Does SB 868 apply to Anza Electric Cooperative customers?
- It isn't clear. The law names investor-owned and local publicly owned electric utilities; Anza Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative, which it doesn't name. Check with Anza Electric Cooperative before you install a kit.