GOING GREEN

I'm not sure what the costs are in Mexico for a solar power system, but, I just completed install of a 36 panel system in Casa Grande, AZ. Our first full month we generated 1627 KWH. After credits the system cost was $12,500.00 USD. Something to consider for all home owners here that care about the environment......and saving Pesos....long term!

Jim:

MexicoPete aka Johanson has been pontificating for years on the benefits of solar power and has probably the longest experience of anyone Lakeside other than maybe the models for Day of the Dead. With the drop in solar panel costs and improved technology, this concept has come into it's own for the average homeowner in areas with a good deal of sun.

It's worth it, especially here in Mexico. We don't eat processed food so I stay home, make and bake everything, run a dishwasher & an electric convection oven. DH, told me to go ahead and use it, if we didn't use it in electric, we'd be buying gas to run the oven. Electric heat gives a more even bake than gas. Someone told me, "good luck keeping the pool clean w/electric prices." Last bill we paid $25 US a month to run everything. We're pleased.

We can generate up to a 1000 KWH in a two month period w/14 panels. 180 watt panels. You have to run a/c in Arizona. 36 panels, that's huge! Nice credits!! How many watts are your panels?

When I saw that Chapalagringa had posted a response, I figured that we were going to get a lecture as to how her guard dog was generating electricity.

By the way, Lori there are numerous professional bakers who might dispute your claims on an electric oven versus a gas oven.

I have both, it works better for me but will have them both running for Thanksgiving & Christmas. btw, the dogs are doing great

After spending several winters in AZ, I was amazed at how many communities "banned" solar panels.
We almost bought a home in a subdivision where all homes came equiped with solar panels.
Too little.. too late, who knows?
We discovered Ajijic and moved here. Solar panels will be part of our future.

I understand that the first electrical panel system was installed lakeside in late 2007. I'm told that mine was second in early 2008. It was a great investment; especially because the funds for the project came from the sale of stocks immediately before the 2008 stock crash.

As a result of my panels, my last two month bill (actually 67 day bill) was $95 pesos. I've got a 3,500 watt inverter that I have maxed out. It would be fun to put in another very small inverter and add a few more panels. That way I could be more wasteful with a small lake and waterfall that I usually don't fill with water and use.

And of course I use solar panels for hot water allowing me to fill my gas tank about once every 10 months.

Investing in the sun and going green has been much more profitable than the stock market.

I've had an 18 X 240 watt panel configuration installed since May, 2012. On a yearly average it should generate a little over 600 kwh per month. Cost about $13,500 USD. From conversations I’ve had that unit is probably less costly already and of course I’m sure soon they will be 260 or 280 or 300 watt panels for even more power per square meter of roof space.

The inverter was sized to allow me to add up to four more panels should that ever be required – landscape lighting, Koi pond, waterfalls, fountains.
It was a two day installation if I remember correctly. Very professionally done.

We do probably consume a large amount of electricity - pool, TV. sound systems, computers and all those rechargeable things like tablets, cell phones, iPods.

Our last two CFE bills have been for the monthly administration charge only – something like 46 pesos.

A PV system sure makes sense to me. At this point I’m actually feeding electricity into the grid for free for other residents to use.

SunFan (I just realized how appropriate my username is now)

I should also give recognition and thanks to Peter J. who alerted me to the value of PV electricity generation months before I moved to Lakeside.

My daughter in Toronto tells me she actually had solar panels installed on her roof this fall. In Canada! Who’d a guessed!

SunFan

CheenaGringo wrote:When I saw that Chapalagringa had posted a response, I figured that we were going to get a lecture as to how her guard dog was generating electricity.

By the way, Lori there are numerous professional bakers who might dispute your claims on an electric oven versus a gas oven.

Well generally Baking chefs prefer electric because it is more accurate and less moist as natural gas ovens put out moisture and are as a rule less accurate
temperature wise. Remember Baking chefs need a better oven than a normal cook. I am sure one can find excellent gas ovens somewhere. We had an all
gas stove and not a cheap one and frankly the oven was not as good as the same quality electric oven for us. I am not impressed by most Mexican stove
ovens. Even thermostatic controlled ones do not keep a very even temperature in my opinion. I am sure a good chef can deal with it and make very good
food but I find the gas ovens down here disappointing.

Z

If we owned we would invest in a solar system. It makes so much sense and the cost of electricity isn't ever going to go down, only up.

Bob

I wonder if it makes sense for a landlord to install PV to make their property more attractive to tenants. As well it should increase the re-sale value or make for a faster sale or both.

Try that arguement on your landlord!

SunFan

We've had PV solar for almost 2 years. Our CFE bill used to be $3200 on average. Now it's $200 or less, recently $75. The economics of solar here make it a no-brainer.

We hainstalled solar after trying to go below DAC for a year. Now our bills are 200 pesos and less. It makes sense in this climate to have solar.

SunFan wrote:Bob

I wonder if it makes sense for a landlord to install PV to make their property more attractive to tenants. As well it should increase the re-sale value or make for a faster sale or both.

Try that arguement on your landlord!

SunFan

Not a bad idea however we haven't been in this rental long enough to be asking for something like that. I suppose I could purchase a system myself and take it with me (or sell it) if we moved.

Do any of the local installers offer cheap financing?

Zedinmexico wrote:

CheenaGringo wrote:When I saw that Chapalagringa had posted a response, I figured that we were going to get a lecture as to how her guard dog was generating electricity.

By the way, Lori there are numerous professional bakers who might dispute your claims on an electric oven versus a gas oven.

Well generally Baking chefs prefer electric because it is more accurate and less moist as natural gas ovens put out moisture and are as a rule less accurate
temperature wise. Remember Baking chefs need a better oven than a normal cook. I am sure one can find excellent gas ovens somewhere. We had an all
gas stove and not a cheap one and frankly the oven was not as good as the same quality electric oven for us. I am not impressed by most Mexican stove
ovens. Even thermostatic controlled ones do not keep a very even temperature in my opinion. I am sure a good chef can deal with it and make very good
food but I find the gas ovens down here disappointing.

Z

Z - I disagree with you on gas oven temp vs. electric oven. We have a high quality, not one of the cheaper Mabe gas stoves with a broiler. The temp is dead on. We do a lot of cooking and nothing has ever come out of that oven that was improperly cooked or dry. We make the most moist chicken breasts and meatloaf at lakeside. You know the chicken breasts are moist when you cut into them and juice runs out.

joec wrote:

Zedinmexico wrote:

CheenaGringo wrote:When I saw that Chapalagringa had posted a response, I figured that we were going to get a lecture as to how her guard dog was generating electricity.

By the way, Lori there are numerous professional bakers who might dispute your claims on an electric oven versus a gas oven.

Well generally Baking chefs prefer electric because it is more accurate and less moist as natural gas ovens put out moisture and are as a rule less accurate
temperature wise. Remember Baking chefs need a better oven than a normal cook. I am sure one can find excellent gas ovens somewhere. We had an all
gas stove and not a cheap one and frankly the oven was not as good as the same quality electric oven for us. I am not impressed by most Mexican stove
ovens. Even thermostatic controlled ones do not keep a very even temperature in my opinion. I am sure a good chef can deal with it and make very good
food but I find the gas ovens down here disappointing.

Z

Z - I disagree with you on gas oven temp vs. electric oven. We have a high quality, not one of the cheaper Mabe gas stoves with a broiler. The temp is dead on. We do a lot of cooking and nothing has ever come out of that oven that was improperly cooked or dry. We make the most moist chicken breasts and meatloaf at lakeside. You know the chicken breasts are moist when you cut into them and juice runs out. Ask CBob about the meatloaf.

I did say I thought there were probably good ovens down here I just have not seen one myself. Glad you got a good one.
The one we have now which was not cheap bounces up and down 40 degrees F. One we had took 45 minutes to make cornbread.

Z

CanuckBob wrote:

SunFan wrote:Bob

I wonder if it makes sense for a landlord to install PV to make their property more attractive to tenants. As well it should increase the re-sale value or make for a faster sale or both.

Try that arguement on your landlord!

SunFan

Not a bad idea however we haven't been in this rental long enough to be asking for something like that. I suppose I could purchase a system myself and take it with me (or sell it) if we moved.

Do any of the local installers offer cheap financing?

Bob, talk with Matt, he's the sales manager at ESun. Tell him you're my friend ;)

Z - We have cornbread (Jiffy Muffin mix) in the oven right now in two small loaf pans. 17 minutes to cook. We always go under on baking times, like those delicious brownies from Costco.

Bob, I can have you talk with a couple of our neighbors on the E2 Energias panels that are less costly than ESun. I can give you a rundown on the owners that have installed PV panels here in LAS. They are getting better and cheaper by the month.

This oven conversation in between is a hoot!! I've had the Mabe brand that couldn't regulate the temps, nor had temperature settings available on the nob, 1,2 3, selection. We bought a thermostat to put in the oven so we could have an idea and it was all over the place...couldn't stay regulated at one temperature, made turkey baking a challenge. That's why most Mexicans don't bake. Their range comes with a stove and storage unit. I can't even fathom why they make them like that.

We have a profile gas range, gas oven. I thought it worked perfect and didn't want an electric. There wasn't a gas wall unit available and baking with one oven around the holidays was a fiasco. When the electric was installed I immediately recognized the baking difference & could see the unevenness that I'd never noticed before. It's still good baking but is different. I was brave and tried the convection oven bake to bake the turkey's last year, turned out great but I was afraid to try the setting for anything else, not sure what took me so long to come around. It wasn't until someone bought a small convection oven and told me how well it baked that I started using it to bake pizzas and now love it.

On the topic side, has anyone tried baking with a solar oven and how did that work for you?

Lori, any stove in Mexico that has 1,2, 3 settings for oven temp should tell you immediately "Stay Away". They are the cheapest in Mexico and you do get what you pay for. Our Mabe stainless steel and costs between 12,000 - 14,000 pesos. And that's not a lot of money. Check out good quality brands in the US, like Sears. They sart at over 1,000 US.

Does anyone know if it would be possible as a renter to install solar that would be easy to remove and take with you in case you ever moved?

Here is a National Geographic article on:
How to Add Solar Panels to a Rental Property:




http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/add-solar-panels-rental-property-2280.html

kipissippi wrote:Does anyone know if it would be possible as a renter to install solar that would be easy to remove and take with you in case you ever moved?

It wouldn't be too hard but I couldn't do it.

By all means, check out all of the solar companies in town, they aren't selling the same product so it's good to be informed when one does make a purchase. I guess it's the same if you call apples, apples, even if one is a granny and another is a red delicious :) Same with an oven. An oven is an oven, except one is gas, electric, solar and wood. We're all clear that not even all gas are the same. My dh obviously checked around before investing. Panels are more powerful and more affordable now! Have fun shopping!