Is It Too Good To Be True?

Locally, there’s an uptick in companies advertising solar power generating systems. Some members thought the ads were ours. They are not.

There are economic and social reasons for choosing to install a solar system. When a member considers purchasing a system, we encourage them to do their homework to determine a realistic payback. If it sounds too good to be true, it just might be.

At Wood County Electric Cooperative (WCEC) there are almost 120 members that have grid-tied solar systems ranging from 3 kilowatt (kW) to 36 kW, and most are happy with them. But we’ve also had members who are not getting the return they thought they would, in the time they believed they would.

We don’t sell or install these systems, nor do we recommend any specific installer. But we do encourage members to contact us before making a final purchase decision if they plan to tie into our system. We can’t advise on a company, but we are happy to help our members look at the potential kWh production data, so they achieve a realistic outcome with the size system they are considering.

Importantly, for members planning on tying their solar unit into our grid to sell us excess energy, there are technical interconnection rules that address any safety and reliability impacts. It’s important and necessary that members and their installers meet these requirements. Read about them and download the Application and Interconnect Agreement here. http://www.wcec.org/resources/customer-generation-documents/

Above all, we want to help all members get the outcome they desire and expect. Just call and ask for our Solar and System Engineer at (903) 763-2203 or inquire by emailing our Solar team.