Rooftop solar: How homeowners should do the math on the climate change investment

Published

3 years ago

December 17, 2022

admin

Solar panels create electricity on the roof of a house in Rockport, Massachusetts, U.S., June 6, 2022. Picture taken with a drone.

Brian Snyder | Reuters

When Josh Hurwitz decided to put solar power on his Connecticut house, he had three big reasons: To cut his carbon footprint, to eventually store electricity in a solar-powered battery in case of blackouts, and – crucially – to save money.

Now he’s on track to pay for his system in six years, then save tens of thousands of dollars in the 15 years after that, while giving himself a hedge against utility-rate inflation. It’s working so well, he’s preparing to add a Tesla-made battery to let him store the power he makes. Central to the deal: Tax credits and other benefits from both the state of Connecticut and from Washington, D.C., he says.

“You have to make the money work,” Hurwitz said. “You can have the best of intentions, but if the numbers don’t work it doesn’t make sense to do it.”

Hurwitz’s experience points up one benefit of the Inflation Reduction Act that passed in August: Its extension and expansion of tax credits to promote the spread of home-based solar power systems. Adoption is expected to grow 26 percent faster because of the law, which extends tax credits that had been set to expire by 2024 through 2035, says a report by Wood Mackenzie and the Solar Energy Industry Association.

Those credits will cover 30 percent of the cost of the system – and, for the first time, there’s a 30 percent credit for batteries that can store newly-produced power for use when it’s needed.

“The main thing the law does is give the industry, and consumers, assurance that the tax credits will be there today, tomorrow and for the next 10 years,” said Warren Leon, executive director of the Clean Energy States Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of state government energy agencies. “Rooftop solar is still expensive enough to require some subsidies.”

California’s solar energy net metering decision

Certainty has been the thing that’s hard to come by in solar, where frequent policy changes make the market a “solar coaster,” as one industry executive put it. Just as the expanded federal tax credits were taking effect, California on Dec. 15 slashed another big incentive allowing homeowners to sell excess solar energy generated by their systems back to the grid at attractive rates, scrambling the math anew in the largest U.S. state and its biggest solar-power market — though the changes do not take effect until next April.

Put the state and federal changes together, and Wood Mackenzie thinks the California solar market will actually shrink sharply in 2024, down by as much as 39%. Before the Inflation Reduction Act incentives were factored in, the consulting firm forecast a 50% drop with the California policy shift. Residential solar is coming off a historic quarter, with 1.57 GW installed, a 43% increase year over year, and California a little over one-third of the total, according to Wood Mackenzie.

This roofing company says it's figured out how to make solar shingles affordable

For potential switchers, tax credits can quickly recover part of the up-front cost of going green. Hurwitz took the federal tax credit for his system when he installed it in 2020, and is preparing to add a battery now that it, too, comes with tax credits. Some contractors offer deals where they absorb the upfront cost – and claim the credit – in exchange for agreements to lease back the system.

Combined with savings on power homeowners don’t buy from utilities, the tax credits can make rooftop solar systems pay for themselves within as little as five years – and save $25,000 or more, after recovering the initial investment, within two decades.

“Will this growth have legs? Absolutely,” said Veronica Zhang, portfolio manager of the Van Eck Environmental Sustainability Fund, a green fund not exclusively focused on solar. “With utility rates going up, it’s a good time to move if you were thinking about it in the first place.”

How to calculate installation costs and benefits

Here is how the numbers work.

Nationally, the cost for solar in 2022 ranges from $16,870 to $23,170, after the tax credit, for a 10-kilowatt system, the size for which quotes are sought most often on EnergySage, a Boston-based quote-comparison site for solar panels and batteries. Most households can use a system of six or seven kilowatts, EnergySage spokesman Nick Liberati said. A 10-12 kilowatt battery costs about $13,000 more, he added.

There’s a significant variation in those numbers by region, and by the size and other factors specific to the house, EnergySage CEO Vikram Aggarwal said. In New Jersey, for example, a 7-kilowatt system costs on average $20,510 before the credit and $15,177 after it. In Houston, it’s about $1,000 less. In Chicago, that system is close to $2,000 more than in New Jersey. A more robust 10-kilowatt system costs more than $31,000 before the credit around Chicago, but $26,500 in Tampa, Fla. All of these average prices are as quoted by EnergySage.

The effectiveness of the system may also vary because of things specific to the house, including the placement of trees on or near the property, as we found out when we asked EnergySage’s online bid-solicitation system to look at specific homes.

The bids for one suburban Chicago house ranged as low as $19,096 after the federal credit and as high as $30,676.

Offsetting those costs are electricity savings and state tax breaks that recover the cost of the system in as little as 4.5 years, according to the bids. Contractors claimed that power savings and state incentives could save as much as another $27,625 over 20 years, on top of the capital cost.

Alternatively, consumers can finance the system but still own it themselves – we were quoted interest rates of 2.99 to 8.99 percent. That eliminates consumers’ up-front cost, but cuts into the savings as some of the avoided utility costs go to pay off interest, Aggarwal said.

The key to maximizing savings is to know the specific regulations in your state – and get help understanding often-complex contracts, said Hurwitz, who is a physician.

Energy storage and excess power

Some states have more generous subsidies than others, and more pro-consumer rules mandating that utilities pay higher prices for excess power that home solar systems create during peak production hours, or even extract from homeowners’ batteries.

California had among the most generous rules of all until this week. But state utility regulators agreed to let utilities pay much less for excess power they are required to buy, after power companies argued that the rates were too high, and raised power prices for other customers.

Wood Mackenzie said the details of California’s decision made it look less onerous than the firm had expected. EnergySage says the payback period for California systems without a battery will be 10 years instead of six after the new rules take effect in April. Savings in the years afterward will be about 60 percent less, the company estimates. Systems with a battery, which pay for themselves after 10 years, will be little affected because their owners keep most of their excess power instead of selling it to the utility, according to EnergySage.

“The new [California rules] certainly elongate current payback periods for solar and solar-plus-storage, but not by as much as the previous proposal,” Wood Mackenzie said in the Dec. 16 report. “By 2024, the real impacts of the IRA will begin to come to fruition.”

The more expensive power is from a local utility, the more sense home solar will make. And some contractors will back claims about power savings with agreements to pay part of your utility bill if the systems don’t produce as much energy as promised.

“You have to do your homework before you sign,” Hurwitz said. “But energy costs always go up. That’s another hidden incentive.”

Environment

Ford’s new Universal EV Platform is a game changer

Published

2 hours ago

August 11, 2025

admin

Ford's new Universal EV Platform is a game changer

Ford claims its new midsize EV pickup will have a lower cost of ownership than a Tesla Model Y and more space than a Toyota RAV4. Starting at $30,000, it will also cost about the same as the RAV4. Here’s how the new Ford EV Universal Platform will make it happen.

Ford reveals new affordable Universal EV platform

Ford’s big bet is about to pay off. The company is preparing to launch a family of affordable electric vehicles based on the new Ford Universal EV Platform.

The first vehicle based on the platform will be the promised midsize four-door electric pickup. Ford’s new EV pickup will start at around $30,000 and will be assembled at its Louisville Assembly Plant.

Based on the new Ford Universal EV Platform, it will also have more passenger space than the latest Toyota RAV4.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

“We took a radical approach to a very hard challenge: Create affordable electric vehicles that delight customers in every way that matters – design, innovation, flexibility, space, driving pleasure, and cost of ownership,” Ford’s CEO Jim Farley said during the event in Kentucky.

According to Farley, Ford is done with the “good college tries” from other Detroit automakers to make affordable EVs, promising the company’s new platform will change the game by lowering costs and optimizing efficiency.

Ford is the first automaker to build prismatic LFP batteries in the US, which will not only cut costs but also free up interior space.

Farley explained that the new platform reduces parts by 20% compared to the average vehicle. It also has 25% fewer fasteners, 40% fewer worstations dock-to-dock in the plant, and 15% faster assembly time.

Perhaps, most importantly, Ford’s leader explained that it will help reduce costs for owners. Farley claimed that the new Ford Universal EV platform will enable “lower cost of ownership over five years than a three-year-old used Tesla Model Y.”

How so? For one, it’s significantly more efficient than the first-gen Ford EVs. The wiring harness alone in the new midsize truck will be 4,000 feet shorter and 10 kg lighter.

The LFP batteries lie flat under the floor, which improves handling, creates a quiet ride, and “provides a surprising amount of interior space,” Ford said. In fact, it will have more passenger room than the latest Toyota RAV4. And that’s not even including the added Frunk and truck bed.

Doug Field, Ford’s Chief EV, digital, and design officer, said the company took inspiration from the Model T to make it more than just a utility vehicle.

Ford promises that the new electric pickup will also be fun to drive, with a targeted 0 to 60 mph time as fast as the Mustang EcoBoost, and even more downforce.

The company will release additional information for the midsize electric pickup soon, including a reveal date, final prices, range, battery sizes, and charge times.

Ford said it’s aiming for a starting price of around $30,000, with customer deliveries set to begin in 2027. The company invested around $5 billion into its Louisville Assembly Complex, creating nearly 4,000 jobs to deliver its new EV pickup and LFP batteries.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Environment

Tesla does a rare ad and it’s pathetically misleading

Published

3 hours ago

August 11, 2025

admin

Tesla does a rare ad and it's pathetically misleading

Tesla is slowly starting to advertise, and it has now done a rare ad on a billboard in Los Angeles. It’s pathetically misleading about its “self-driving” capabilities.

Just last month, Tesla was in court in California being sued by the DMV over its alleged misleading communications around its ‘Autopilot’ and ‘Full Self-Driving’ advanced driver assist (ADAS) systems.

The judge hasn’t released their verdict on this case yet, but Tesla doesn’t seem deterred whatsoever.

At their North Hollywood location, Tesla put up a billboard advertising demo drives for its ‘Full Self-Driving (FSD) Supervised’ system:

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Environment

Review: Dabbsson 2000L power station – compact, fast-charging, and ready for anything

Published

3 hours ago

August 11, 2025

admin

Review: Dabbsson 2000L power station – compact, fast-charging, and ready for anything

Portable power stations long ago became one of those “why didn’t I get one sooner?” products for me. Whether it’s keeping a fridge running during a power outage, charging cameras in the field, or juicing up my growing fleet of electric bikes, a good battery box is worth its weight in gold. Sometimes I use them simply when I’m too lazy to go find an extension cord! I recently got my hands on the new Dabbsson 2000L power station, and after putting it through its paces, I think this one’s going to earn a permanent spot in my gear lineup – and yes, probably a spot in my e-bike charging garage!

For starters, it’s relatively compact for its 2,048Wh capacity. Measuring roughly the size of a small cooler (11” × 18” × 9” or 28 x 46 x 23 cm) and weighing 41 lbs (18.6 kg), it’s not exactly a lunchbox, but it’s light enough for one person to carry and small enough to stash in a car trunk or camper van shelf without rearranging your life.

One of the first things I tested was the fast-charging claim, and I can say that it’s the real deal. Using Dabbsson’s “P-Boost” mode, I was able to charge the battery from empty to 80% in under an hour from a standard wall outlet. That’s faster than most high-capacity big-name brands, and it’s a huge benefit if you only have a short window to top it up before hitting the road or before the power comes back on after an outage. The 2000L can even handle short bursts of up to 3,300W output, which is overkill for most small electronics but perfect for starting up tools or appliances with a big surge current. I recently got in some electric jet boats, and they have weirdly high power chargers at 2,400W, so this would be for quick field top-ups down by the lake!

There are six 2200W AC outlets, two USB-A ports, a 100W USB-C as well as a 30W USB-C, a 126W car port, and a surprisingly rare 50W DC5521 round port.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

That last one might sound niche, but it’s perfect for powering certain fridges, monitors, or field communications gear without wasting energy by going through the inverter. If you’ve ever run a 12V fridge on a power station that only has AC, you know how much extra juice gets lost in conversion – so having a native DC port is a nice touch.

But back to the big test: charging my Velotric Triker. This is a three-wheeled electric cargo trike that can haul kids, groceries, or a whole lot of camera gear for filming days. Its battery isn’t small, but the Dabbsson 2000L can fill it up multiple times without itself needing to be recharged. I plugged the trike into one of the AC outlets, and while the onboard charger isn’t drawing anywhere near the 2000L’s full output rate, it was nice knowing I could recharge multiple e-bike batteries in a day and still have power left over for lights, a laptop, and even running a small fan during breaks.

For anyone using e-bikes off-grid, whether that’s camping, filming, or just riding far from civilization, this power station could keep you rolling for days.

I also tried it in a few other scenarios. In the garage, it ran my shop vac without breaking a sweat. Out in the yard, I plugged in a power saw for a cordless cutting session. The 15ms EPS (Emergency Power Supply) switchover time means that if I use it as an electrical outage solution and the power ever cuts out, like is common in a big storm, the fridge or other major devices I could plug into it would barely blink.

Dabbsson also put some serious thought into off-grid use. The 2000L can take up to 800W of solar input, which means you can recharge it from the sun in around 3.5 hours under ideal conditions, if you have enough solar panels. I had a single panel, which will still let you charge up with a trickle!

Better yet, you can charge from solar and AC at the same time, with solar prioritized. That’s handy for vanlifers who want to grab some extra juice at a campground while still getting the most out of their rooftop panels.

And if you’re worried about battery life, the LiFePO₄ chemistry here is rated for an impressive 4,000 cycles to 80% capacity. That’s years longer than the standard lithium-ion cells found in many cheaper power stations. LiFePO₄ also tends to be more thermally stable, and Dabbsson doubled down on safety with some extreme testing, claiming to pass the nail penetration test (meaning the cells didn’t catch fire when pierced) and withstanding surface temps up to 500°C. I didn’t do a nail penetration test myself, so we’re going to have to decide whether or not to take their word on that one.

They also claim 56 separate extreme-weather tests, so whether it’s sitting in a hot car trunk in summer or running in a chilly campsite, it seems built to handle it.

Noise-wise, it’s impressively quiet. In “silent charging” mode, it stays under 25 dB, which is around the level of a whisper, so you can charge it overnight in a bedroom or use it in a tent without feeling like you’re sleeping next to a server farm.

If I had to nitpick, 41 lbs is quite heavy for longer carries. It’s manageable for short carries, but you’re not throwing it in a backpack and hiking into the woods. And while the compact size is nice, the handle design could be a little more ergonomic for long hauls. But these are small trade-offs for the amount of capacity and features packed into this form factor.

At its current sale price of $649, the Dabbsson 2000L undercuts most of the big-name competition while matching or beating them in fast charging, solar input, and safety features. For e-bike riders, vanlifers, campers, or just anyone who wants a reliable backup power source at home, it’s an easy recommendation. After charging my electric trike, running my chest freezer, and powering tools around the yard, I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface of what it can do.

And honestly, that’s the best kind of problem to have with a portable power station, knowing you’ve got way more capability than you’re likely to ever need. It may be heavy, but that weight is all the extra capacity that is there if you ever need it.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.