DEBRIS.COMgood for a laugh, or possibly an aneurysm

Our PV installer sent a 7-month followup analysis, comparing actual production and consumption to projected, month by month. It boils down to two interesting numbers:

PG&E account balance: $4.51 in credit
PG&E bills we didn’t have to pay: $470.57

As electricity rates continue to rise, the second number above will grow quickly. If rates were to stay the same, it would take us about 15 more years to pay for the PV system, but a more honest prediction (accounting for rate increases) puts the breakeven date at January, 2015 — 11 years from our launch date, assuming an average usage of $70/month (2004 equivalent) and 6% per year cost increase.

In fact, juggling these numbers is about as interesting as watching the interest accrue on my savings account. Here’s a number that I’d rather see:

lbs. of CO₂ saved, to date: = 5378