Questions About Solar Energy From Clermont/Lake County Residents
Dear Friends & Neighbors,
Solar Panels (photo by Neville Mecallef, presented at WindermereSun.com)
(Please click on red links & note magenta)
After our post of Dec. 7, 2017, OUC Kenneth P. Ksionek Community Solar Farm (The First Solar Farm of Orange County) Dedication Event, I’ve received mixed responses. Most of our readers are excited about taking part in using the solar power from this solar farm, but some are raising questions/concerns (such as W). Allow me to explain, below:
- W: So sad to me… they are building this great wonderful solar farm and that’s great! Lower emissions is always a plus. But YOU try to add solar to your house, try to go off the grid which can EASILY be accomplished with today’s technology and lower costs and these same politicians will help OUC, Fl Power to enact laws to keep YOU from doing to same thing they are doing!!! It’s all about money!!
- Windermere Sun: W, you can collaborate with others to build a solar farm atop a landfill too. You can add solar to your house, use mostly solar powered energy or 100% of the energy from your own solar generation. The monthly about $10 connection fee to the power company is not too bad and would help to provide safety/backup in case your own solar generation is insufficient or has problems.
- W: no, I actually cannot go solar! My power company in Clermont is SECO. They won’t allow it! That’s right, even if Tesla installed a unit to get me 100% off grid, SECO will not allow it! To have your certificate of occupancy in Lake Co. you MUST be connected to the grid. If your not, even if 100% off grid, the county will revoke your certificate and have you evicted!! Look it up!!
- Windermere Sun: It costs about $10 per month for the connection fee at Orange County (I believe). How much is that connection fee in Clermont/Lake County? W, can’t you stay connected to the grid while also using solar to offset the cost of your utility bill?
- W: yes, but only if your electric company allows it! Currently, SECO does not allow it! SECO claims it endangers their workers and infrastructure if you can believe that. Typically you would feed your excess energy back to the electric company but they don’t allow that either. Bottom line, solar people cost them money!
- Windermere Sun: You can put in an automatic transfer switch so that the house is either running on your solar power or power company’s power (this would prevent problem that would endanger their workers). Even if you don’t feed your excess power back to the power company, you can still use your own solar power. You simply need to pay that minimal monthly connection fee to the power company. Call Richard Smith of Universal Solar at 407-834-0664 to come out to do a free estimate for you and he will help to explain the specifics. If you tell him that you found out about Universal Solar from Windermere Sun, he might be able to give you a discount. W., if your solar panels are not connected to the grid, why do you need permission from the power company (SECO) to install solar panels? Think of any home or business needing a back-up generator: they don’t need permission from the power company to install their back-up generators. As long as you’re still connected to SECO, paying your minimal monthly connection fee, and do not expect to sell your excess power to SECO, install the automatic transfer switch to prevent problems, and pay your own installation fee and solar panels, your solar panels won’t be interfering with power company’s operation. But be sure to get a professionally certified solar installer to avoid problems.
Lake County/Clermont residents, if you have any additional information or comments regarding this topic, please feel free to email: info.WindermereSun@gmail.com so Windermere Sun can share it with others.
Gathered, written, and posted by Windermere Sun-Susan Sun Nunamaker
More about the community at www.WindermereSun.com
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Please also get into the habit of checking at these sites below for more on solar energy topics:
www.kiva.org/team/sunisthefuture
www.facebook.com/sunisthefuture
www.pinterest.com/sunisthefuture
www.youtube.com/user/sunisthefuture
www.cafepress.com/sunisthefuture
