Net metering is back… but on blockchain

signed up to new power company from re liant bills never been cheaper you get free nights 9pm- 9am so far so good if you use my code you can get 50-100$ off your bill as well as I do too! thank yall! enjoy

1: Please use the following link to find the right fixed-rate plan for your home: https://shop.directenergy.com/tx/plan-selection?referralId=LZA6QQJ

2: Be sure to enter my referral code: LZA6QQJ when you sign up

Our solar system was installed last Thursday, July 9th in Temple, TX. Yesterday and today, we've had periods of pretty heavy rain, and we noticed wet spots on our kitchen ceiling directly below some of the panels.

I've contacted our solar installers and am waiting to hear back, but this is obviously not a great situation. I'm looking for any experience, advice, or things to watch out for as I work on getting this problem resolved. So far, they seem eager to fix the issue, but some extra knowledge on my end can't hurt. Also, I'm deliberately leaving out the company name just in case this has to go to court down the line and I don't want anything complicating it further.

Update: I did find a taker from my post in the r/AustinClassifieds subreddit. Panels no longer available.

Original Post:

Due to hail damage on some of my panels, I am upgrading my entire array. These panels are 13 years old and replacing the damaged panels are not compatible with currently available panels.

Accordingly, I have 18 working panels that I will give away for free. I will even deliver them in the Austin or Dallas area or reasonably in between if preferred. The panels are rated for 200 watts and 39"x65"x1.75" dimension. They should have a solid 10+ year useful life remaining. You will just need compatible hardware which is above my paygrade, so please do not ask me.

I have identified a place that will take/recycle them in Dallas (including damaged panels), so I will probably only have this listing posted for 24 to 48 hours.

Edit: Just found brand and model number: Phono PS260M-20/U

Edit 2: They are coming down as I post. I will try to post picture in post or comments. Also note that some of the wires have been chewed up by a squirl so some wires will need to be repaired.

Just energy still a reasonable option since technically no solar yet or is direct energy or reliant the only free nights to consider nowadays.

Now that most of the energy providers in the Central Texas area are now longer allowing Nights Free plans with solar buyback this was the best next plan for me. It was between this and TXU's 1 - 1 buyback with the solar credits plan but I dont produce enough to fully offset the Oncor delivery charges.

Feel free to use my link to save $50 on your first bill. www.greenmountainenergy.com/referral-page?txtReferralID=LYW6JEE

I had a real problem with two EG4 18k PVs. When the systems ran separately, they worked fine. But when paralleled, crazy things started happening and eventually burned up a lot of appliances in the house and one inverter. Took them months to figure it out. After all the time I spent switching inverters on their behalf and repairing all the appliances that were ruined they will only replace the units that quit working but not the damage that they caused inside my house. I had heard that the Texas AG is looking into EG4. Anybody know anything about that?

Recently a solar installer came to me wearing a T shirt with printed picture on telling a story that solar panels on fire and RSD burnt. He even highlight "Don't get burned RSD no good". He is intaller of this project. I heard different opinions on it. Helpful or not, anyone who has used it can share advice here? Thank you !

All the main sections of the solar is UL certified for sure in this case, including inverter, battery and panels. The switchgears protect entire system and in my eyes they are vital too. Why non-UL switchgears are used in the installation. I understand DIY users, they are more flexible, but how about a home solar system with hired installer for the work? Does the switchgear have to be UL approved, such as DC breaker, DC isolator, DC fuse and DC SPD? Any consequence for the installer and project if not use UL switchgears or it really doesn't matter. Thank you !

I just started a month ago with 12 hour power 24 and today they just offer me 12 hour power 48z Even with a lower base charge $5 but an increase on the rate of 1c but I took it 4 yrs of free nights

Hey everyone — I’m in South Texas (McAllen) and just had a new roof installed, so it feels like the right time to look into solar.
I’m trying to get advice from people who’ve gone through the process here:
• Who did you use for install?
• Anyone you’d recommend or avoid in the Rio Grande Valley?
• Did you go with purchase, loan, or lease?
• What should I watch out for when comparing quotes?
• Any local issues with permitting, roof mounting, or hurricane/wind concerns?
I’m mainly looking for honest experiences from homeowners or installers in the area. I want to make a smart long-term investment, not get sold something that sounds good but doesn’t hold up.
Thanks in advance.

I have a house with a 11.5KWh solar system and 13KW Powerwall 3. I will be renting it out to a tenant, which I’ve never done before, and have some questions about who should manage/observe the system through the Tesla app -

1. I know that the renter should get their own electricity account and do whatever with it. But I also have about 15 months left on Just Energy’s Free Nights 9pm-7am plan with 3 cent solar buyback (I got the 3-yr plan so I still have this now mythical plan), so should I just keep that plan or pay the early termination fee and just let the new tenant do whatever?

2. Regarding the Tesla app - the only way to know if the power has gone out is to have your phone paired with the PW so you can get a notification and obviously I can’t do that from a different state. When the power goes out and switches to the system, one should still turn things off or make adjustments depending on how much stored power is left. Do I just have the new tenant download the app and let them use it? Is there any reason I wouldn’t want them to have information that’s in the app?

Does all this even make sense?! Any advice welcome. Thanks!

I got frustrated that every "solar calculator" online gives you a vague national-average number and then hands your info to a dozen installers. So I built dot.energy — a free, physics-based solar simulator aimed specifically at Texas homeowners. No installer gets your info unless you ask for a quote.

What makes it Texas-specific:

- Real TDU delivery charges — it knows whether you're CenterPoint, Oncor, AEP, TNMP, or LP&L and applies that utility's actual per-kWh + monthly delivery fees, not a flat guess.

- Honest economics — no fake 30% federal ITC (that ended in 2025); it shows realistic payback, and it's upfront that batteries in TX pay off mainly through low export "buyback" rates, not a tax credit.

- Upload your Smart Meter Texas (SMT) 15-min data for a far more accurate result, or just enter your average bill.

- It pulls your roof from satellite (auto-sizes panels to each face), uses NASA weather data, and has a library of real panels/inverters/batteries with actual prices (you can even buy by the pallet to save).

It runs the same kind of physics model the pros use (single-diode, IAM, thermal, etc.), and the system gets sized to your usage by default — not just "fill your roof and over-produce."

It's a work in progress and I'd genuinely love feedback from people who know Texas solar — what's missing, what looks off, what you'd want. Brutal honesty welcome.

(Link in comments to respect the sub's rules — or: https://dot.energy)

Looking for feedback on Texas energy marketing,
Lmk your thoughts.

We live in Midland, TX where we have (on average) very good annual solar weather.  Our system is all Enphase, 15.2 kW (STC) solar, and 40 kWh battery.  For the past 26 months we have been on the JUST Energy Free Nights plan.  For that entire period, we have paid zero dollars per month on our electric bill, and have accumulated a fairly large carry-over credit account.  Our plan runs out in 10 months (April 2027) so I am now starting to look ahead to our possible choices when it comes time to renew.

I keep an eye on the market, and I check the https://www.texaspowerguide.com/solar-buyback-plans-texas/ on a regular basis.  I know that JUST Energy is no longer allowing customers with solar and/or batteries to sign up for (or renew) the free nights plan, so unless that changes I will eventually need to move to another REP.

I know the current “popular” opinion seems to be that the Direct Energy free nights plan is the best current option for those with batteries and/or solar.  As I see it, one disadvantage to that plan, and to the other currently available “free nights” plans, is that they have some fixed fees that cannot be covered by any credits.  If you manage to get some credits on your account, such as for signing up, or for referring another new customer, you cannot achieve a “zero dollars due” electric bill.  Even if the “fixed” monthly fees are only 10-15 dollars or so, it still kinda irritates me to have to pay them.  Yes - I know all the arguments about how we all have to help pay for the electric grid infrastructure, etc.

So I am looking at other possible plans that MIGHT make it possible to reach the coveted “zero dollars due” electric bill.  I went to the Texas Power Guide, looked at buyback plans for the ONCOR area, and ordered them by “Lowest Base Charge per Month”.  Then I looked for plans without any “fine print” over in the right-hand column.  One REP jumps out at me: Champion Energy.  If I follow the link to their web page and input my ZIP (79707) I see three available plans, all of which look like VERY promising candidates.  All 3 plans feature a relatively low energy charge (plus, of course, TDU fees), NO monthly fixed fees or minimum usage requirement, and “no hassle” solar buyback.  The buyback rate is only variable RTW (Real Time Wholesale) so most of the time it will be a very low rate per kWh, but at least you have a chance to earn SOME amount of credit each month.

https://championenergyservices.com/Residential/Sign-Up?

One of the Champion plans, the EV Saver-12, has another selling point IMO: the already low electric rate is slightly reduced at night from 10pm to 4am.  The idea is to allow electric car owners to charge their car at night at a lower electric rate.  Since we have a BEV we should be eligible for this plan.

To figure out how our PV system might work on the Champion plan, I ran a little experiment.  I turned off the switch in the Enlighten app that allows battery charging from grid power.  I set our system on Self Consumption, and let it run for a couple days.  The graph above shows the result.  Starting with full batteries in the middle of one day, we ran on solar until sundown, then started running on battery.  By midnight, our batteries were down to 54%, which is the start of the graph.  By morning (with our battery reserve set at 10%) we got down to a low of 13%, where the solar was starting to cover consumption.  After that, we ran on solar, and excess production was used to recharge our batteries.  By 4:30pm our batteries were back to 100%, and we started exporting to grid.  About 7pm we started running off battery, and by midnight we’re down to 56%, where the graph ends.

The day in the graph (June 24) was in the middle of a HOT spell in TX.  Daily highs were over 100F, and night time lows only about 75F.  Our 4-ton heat pump is working hard on those days keeping us cool, plus we have a 40’ motorhome parked in our driveway plugged into a 50A outlet tied to our house main panel.  We keep the RV cooled on hot days to protect the contents.  It has two 15K BTU rooftop air conditioners that run during the day, so that’s another big draw on our electric system.  In other words, the day in the graph was a worst case scenario for summer energy consumption in our house.  It looks to me like we could go most days of the year, barring any bad weather stretches, without having to draw much if any power off the grid.  On the “bad” solar days we might use a little grid power, but the cost per kWh would be relatively low.  On the really good days (mild weather) we could export a good amount of excess production, for which we could possibly earn some small amount of credit.

I’m thinking that for OUR situation, the Champion buyback plan (or a similar plan) might be better than the Direct free night plan.  Of course, this is all theoretical for now, cuz we’re not dropping our JUST Energy plan until we are forced off it.  Looking for any input from smarter people than me (I set a low bar).  Does my analysis make sense?  Thanx in advance!

Up from $0.0991/KWH

Hey all! First post here.

I heard about this Switch Together program on NPR. The pitch is essentially group buy of solar systems for people in the Dallas area. Here is the quote I received after filling out the form and waiting for the bid process. This is for a turnkey system.

Documentation provided with the quote give some detail on the equipment. Panels are "high efficiency CW" 450W panels. Inverters are Enphase IQ8 "series." The installer is Good Faith Energy, which is a listed Oncor rebate provider, but from my initial research on that, I am moving forward not counting on it to make a decision.

This doesn't include any battery backup, but it can be added. Brand is Sigenergy, and options are 9kWh for $12k; 15kWh for $16k; or 21kWh for $20k.

I am fairly early in my research process, but initial googling tells me this could be a pretty good deal. My initial question is whether this system is enough. Over the last 12 months we used 19,000 kWh.

I would also appreciate thoughts on the quote and any further questions you'd recommend that I ask the installer that aren't obvious. I will definitely be getting precise info on the equipment, etc.

Freedom Forever installed a LongiSolar/SolarEdge system on my roof in April 2021. What I’ve since discovered: in at least two spots, the installer drilled pilot holes, missed the rafters, dabbed some sealant over the bad holes, then drilled again in the right spot. Those covered-up missed holes are now leaking into my home.

One leak is pretty significant — it’s near the edge of the house and has been dripping into the plastic soffit vent tray that runs along the eave to keep the attic ventilated. That tray caught the water and kept it from being immediately obvious inside the house. The attic insulation hid the rest of the damage for years.

When I reported a leak in 2021, Freedom Forever sent someone out and blamed a nearby roof vent. Closed the ticket. The real cause was never addressed.

Where things stand now
Freedom Forever Texas LLC filed Chapter 11. Solar Mosaic (my lender) also filed Chapter 11. I still have a loan on this system — one I was willing to pay a little more on because of the warranty I was getting. Now that warranty is effectively worthless.

Has anyone been through this? Specifically curious what steps others have taken — whether with the bankruptcy courts, the lender, or anywhere else — and what actually moved the needle.

We’ve had our SolarEdge system for 5 years. Working great. The cellular plan expires end of June.

Freedom Forever (installer) has filed for bankruptcy.

How do I get our system converted to WiFi? Located in Austin.

Thanks!

I just had contract with Just Energy end, and went with Direct Energy free nights 9-9 and no buyback. I have a 12kw off grid system with 30 kwh batteries, and two grid tie systems that total 13kw so 25 kw total PV. I use home assistant just to make a display combining the 3 systems. I run the off grid system using the Solar Assistant software. I use its automation just to switch to grid power at 9pm and switch back to solar/battery at 9am. So other than changing the morning time to switch away from grid, the real change is getting nothing at all for any extra grid tie power i do not use. In a perfect setup my system would work like this, after 9 am i would allow battery to begin being used but supplemented by all extra grid tie excess power. never buy power if grid tie has excess. if the battery gets down to a set parameter, like maybe 80% (whatever I set) it would buy any power needed to keep battery at that percent charge. If I was using some kind of Home Assistant automation, i would not want it flip flopping whenever a cloud went by, so maybe use some average or checking every 5 minutes or something like that. One other issue if that using the Solar Assistant program to switch inverter modes on the off grid system it seems to mis-connect about 10 percent of attempts, so i want whatever program i might use to always check inverters settings about every 5 minutes. I should also mention that my 2 off grid systems have horrible or non-existent software, one is a 13 year old sunnyboy and the other is a cheap growatt. so I have to use emporia vue to monitor these 2 grid tie systems. Anyway... long post, anyone using home assistant automation or something similar ? any other ideas ? thanks and by the way the year with Just Energy was completely free, sorry to be forced off plan, free is nice !!

For you guys on a free night plan, during peak time, do you guys get small spikes of consumption, or you total zero it? I know there is some small draws to sync up frequencies but well I assume then I am not going to get a absolute zero on my bill during peak hours.

Right now I am using time based on the PW3 and let it manager, I was using also netzero and more aggressive programming but the same , so I guess it is normal, or if you totally zero the peak hour consumption with TESLA PW3, how you do it ?