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CFE stops solar credits


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11 hours ago, Mostlylost said:

My system worked before the meter was installed. I didn't build credit for the night  but  consumed zero during the  day. 

As to the pole..... Never herd of that. You don't change the  cables from the street to the meter. Have your solar company help you with CFE  something is not right. 

He could have new construction on the property that required a new pole due to distance.  I saw this once in Joco with a casita addition.  

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Deposit to bank account sounds like  scam, any payments should be made directly at an office with official receipt

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On 6/15/2020 at 8:21 PM, Dandy said:

Hi everybody! I just had ten solar panels installed. I paid the solar company, and they said it would be 2-3 weeks before CFE would install the bi-directional meter. During this time, the system just sits and cannot be turned on. A week later, I got an email from CFE saying that I needed to deposit $16,800 MX to a bank account to pay for a new pole and wiring. Has anybody else had this happen? I am near Chapala, in San Antonio Tlayacapan. I appreciate any advice or insight this group can offer me. 🙂

 

More info is needed here to answer this - did you have a CFE connection before the solar?    

Was the service  110 V 1 phase (fase), or 220 V, 2 phase?    Did that need to change?

What is the tarifa?   Is the transformer public or private?

Your solar provider should be able to assist you with this; FYI have never seen or heard of this, and you should fully explore it before paying anything.

Agree with Spencer on the payment also - CFE does not ask for payments to go to a bank account.   Who did the email really come from, and what is the banking info they gave you?

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  • 4 months later...

I know this is an old topic but I just came back from Europe and most countries are backtracking on solar credits, the rules are changing now that you are hooked to solar energy and government run energy companies which is the case in most countries, will get a piece of the action through fees or whatever they decide to get you pay for your privilege to use solar energy.

Sounds familiar??

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53 minutes ago, joco69 said:

I know this is an old topic but I just came back from Europe and most countries are backtracking on solar credits, the rules are changing now that you are hooked to solar energy and government run energy companies which is the case in most countries, will get a piece of the action through fees or whatever they decide to get you pay for your privilege to use solar energy.

Sounds familiar??

No  doesn't sound familiar to me.

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It's called capitalism... even when it does not meet the true definition of that word. All  companies, energy or not, are in the business to make money for the "stockholder". They say they are just in the business to 'serve the people' but that's just their public relations mantra. "They" will continue to try and chip away and chip away at anything that deters them from making more money or getting more taxes thru fees.

As an example, I just renewed my car plates NOB. In addition to the $81 fee to do that, there were 17 OTHER FEES TOTALING $40.37 THAT MY STATE HAS ADDED OVER THE YEARS, from as little as $0.10 to $23.00!  "Clerk Hire Fee, Peace Officer Standardized Training Fee, Material Fee... $0.17 for the little year-Tab they give you to put on your plate!  

 

 

 

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  • 7 months later...

All of these posts are a good source of info, but way out of date with most of them written back in 2018.

With 100W solar panels on Amazon USA dropping down to the delivered in Mexico price of around $140 a panel (including IVA/Transport) I predict a surge of purchases. I am waiting for my final shipment this weekend of the last of 8 x 100W panels and associated GTI, cables, crimp tool etc. A pair of 100A Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries are en-route from Amazon MX (those were 550 bucks each). Anxious to see what happens at MX customs!

I am anxious for an update from some of you of recent CFE billing/credits as I am about to apply for a bidirectional meter. If these credits have been discontinued it would make sense to buy a GTI with a "Limiter" that does not send excess power back to CFE via their meter.

I typically use 900 kW in a 2 month billing period for my house in Cancun. Since in general the first 500 kW in a billing cycle are in the lower tiers of CFE billing cost it makes complete mathematical/financial sense to shave off those extra 400 kW with a few solar panels and GTI. The 2 batteries are for backup for fans/lights and a small cooler when we have a tropical storm or hurricane.

For me, going totally off grid seems astronomical in price (for urban city dwellers)... the cost of batteries will kill the benefits. You would gain only the ability to run a fridge and all your lights/fans/washer etc. But at horrendous cost for what probably will be only a few days without power if bad weather hits.

These seem to be the topics of interest (to me) in 2021 as costs for solar panels/GTI are attractive.

Ideas? Comments? Updates?

 

 

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Mine are 350 watt monocrystalline Canadian panels and were installed in 2017. Five of them are enough to run my whole house although I have no pumps operating. Always running a credit which I draw down from by running a small electric fireplace heater for 2 1/2 months and 7 fans during the heat. Haven't had a charge for electricity since installation. Best investment ($4500 U.S. dollars complete and installed) that I've ever made.

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On 6/12/2021 at 3:53 AM, Scott in Cancun said:

All of these posts are a good source of info, but way out of date with most of them written back in 2018.

With 100W solar panels on Amazon USA dropping down to the delivered in Mexico price of around $140 a panel (including IVA/Transport) I predict a surge of purchases. I am waiting for my final shipment this weekend of the last of 8 x 100W panels  

 

The credits have not been discontinued. Your excess "production is "sold" to CFE in the day & you "buy" it back at night. 

You paid $1120US for 800 watts of panels. or $1.40 per watt.  

Your 800 watts of panels will produce about 750 watts at the peak time of the day. Your inverter working  at about 95%  will generate about 725 watts at peak. 

Panels are much cheaper in Mexico than they are in the US.  330 watt panels can be bought in Mexico for under $150 per panel, or or about $0.45US per watt......... less than 1/3 of what you paid. 

In April this year I purchased for a neighbor,  4 330 watt panels for $2730 each and a 1500 watt inverter for $7763.  A total of $18,683  Mount & wiring & breaker cost under $2000 additional  (under $1,200USD. total investment. Plus interest free for 12 months.) 

 

That package produced 290kw in the first 30 days (with a few cloudy days)

 

 

 

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Thanks guys! Wish I knew some of this before I spent all that cash on Amazon. Duh!!!  I just looked on Mexico Mercado Libre now and see some of the 300+ watts in the $150 range. Some of those panels are huge compared to my 100W ones. These larger 300+ Watt ones are probably easier to mount... less clips.

Now I am looking for metal shops, clip suppliers, etc to build a solid base. I am 400 yards from the Caribbean Sea and we get hurricanes here. I plan to unscrew the panels and put them inside the house if a big storm is coming. Gotta come up iwth some design that makes it easy to remove them in a few hours.

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On 6/13/2021 at 5:19 PM, Scott in Cancun said:

Thanks guys! Wish I knew some of this before I spent all that cash on Amazon. Duh!!!  I just looked on Mexico Mercado Libre now and see some of the 300+ watts in the $150 range. Some of those panels are huge compared to my 100W ones. These larger 300+ Watt ones are probably easier to mount... less clips.

Now I am looking for metal shops, clip suppliers, etc to build a solid base. I am 400 yards from the Caribbean Sea and we get hurricanes here. I plan to unscrew the panels and put them inside the house if a big storm is coming. Gotta come up iwth some design that makes it easy to remove them in a few hours.

Scott, I strongly recommend you get a consult with a good local solar provider.      Much of what you mention is likely not compatible with each other......and,

1 - you don't need to remove panels during strong winds,

2 - the grid tied inverter must have the ability to work from both panels or battery backup (most don't),

3 - and many need 48 V DC at a minimum so if your batteries are 12 V x 100 AH, you're going to be 2 short.     

4 - As MC mentions also, you're pretty light on panels as well for the consumption / use you mention.      Also, DAC at most coastal areas is 800, not 500.    You can verify that with your tarifa code on the CFE bill. 

You really need to have a full review and system design IMHO, it will save you $$, not cost you $$.    

Feel free to PM or email me.

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Thanks GoSolar! I did notice that panels from IUSA which has a solar panel factory in Mexico ships anywhere in the country for about 100 pesos. Those panels are dirt cheap. And yes, not compatible with my Amazon ones should I plan for an expansion.

Not sure about leaving the panels up in a hurricane. Maybe at Lake Chapala it's okay but here in Cancun the winds tear down walls and Oxxo stores, stuff flies in the air like missiles, and I am 400 yards from the beach.. That's another good point... the larger 300W+ panels are HUGE. Aerodynamics alone might blow them to pieces here even if the underlying framing survives.

You are correct on the CFE bill. The first 800 kW in a 2 month period here are subsidized in the summer months, but in the winter it drops to 450kW or so before the price hike kicks in. (For people reading this new to Mexico... we have a tiered electrical bill... if you have a couple of fans, a few light bulbs, and a small fridge/TV you will pay peanuts for electricity. Add some air conditioners and a 2nd or 3rd fridge and your bill gets exponentially higher fast as they charge you MUCH more per kW hour as you surpass certain levels that seem to change all the time).

I'm an electronics engineer with a background in physics so this solar installation technically is well within my understanding. What I don't know is where to buy framing and brackets at the moment. Amazon sells thin little solar panel brackets that might work in places other than Cancun, Tornado Alley or Florida/NC/TX/OK etc. I'm still convinced that I need some kind of aluminum or galvanized T-Slotted framing (like in a 3D printer but larger) so I can remove the panels quickly as a hurricane approaches.

I'm open to ideas, suppliers of framing, etc. In a few years I suspect there will be a global standard for snap in T-Frames and brackets... so don't laugh you people of the future. We ARE the pioneers in 2021. There IS no standard in 2021 for solar panel framing. It's "wing it and guess/experiment" at this point in time. I wish I'd be around to find out... maybe you will just glue flexible panels to any outside surface in 2031 not worrying about shade etc as all the electronics and connections will be in the panel itself. I already see that coming with Micro Inverters and LiFePo4 batteries.

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Just for fun... questions in 2031... "i glued the new Stick-a-Watt solar panels in a light beige color with a faux English Brick impression on the outside walls of my house, and reflecting iridescent light blue ones on the roof on our dance deck. A small natural movement of the house caused a minor fissure in 50% of the panels and they no longer interconnect. Does anyone know of a micropatch material I can use to harmonize them again?"

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  • 1 year later...

I have a question about CFE net metering. I had a new solar system with a hybrid inverter with battery backup installed this year in Boca de Tomatlan, just south of Puerto Vallarta. I have a bi-directional meter but my CFE bill does not reflect the solar power sent to the grid. The GroWatt system has a data logger so I know exactly how much power is going to the grid. My installer contacted CFE but nothing has happened. My CFE bills are going up and are higher now than before the solar panels were installed. My installer said some special form is needed, but I can't seem to get what I need. I am frustrated and I am tempted to go off grid. Wondering if getting legal service would help. Anyone have any suggestions or advice?

Thanks

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48 minutes ago, Mikechartier said:

I have a question about CFE net metering. I had a new solar system with a hybrid inverter with battery backup installed this year in Boca de Tomatlan, just south of Puerto Vallarta. I have a bi-directional meter but my CFE bill does not reflect the solar power sent to the grid. The GroWatt system has a data logger so I know exactly how much power is going to the grid. My installer contacted CFE but nothing has happened. My CFE bills are going up and are higher now than before the solar panels were installed. My installer said some special form is needed, but I can't seem to get what I need. I am frustrated and I am tempted to go off grid. Wondering if getting legal service would help. Anyone have any suggestions or advice?

Thanks

Contact Go Solar and ask him.

 

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17 hours ago, Mikechartier said:

I have a question about CFE net metering. I had a new solar system with a hybrid inverter with battery backup installed this year in Boca de Tomatlan, just south of Puerto Vallarta. I have a bi-directional meter but my CFE bill does not reflect the solar power sent to the grid. The GroWatt system has a data logger so I know exactly how much power is going to the grid. My installer contacted CFE but nothing has happened. My CFE bills are going up and are higher now than before the solar panels were installed. My installer said some special form is needed, but I can't seem to get what I need. I am frustrated and I am tempted to go off grid. Wondering if getting legal service would help. Anyone have any suggestions or advice?

Thanks

First go to your bi directional meter. It will flash the incoming total of KW hours with an arrow point one direction (mine points to the right). Then it will flash the outgoing total KW hours with an arrow the opposite direction(mine points to the left).  What does your meter show for the outgoing number? If there is no total kWh for the outgoing your meter is not working correctly.

Visit the CFE office and report it. 

If it is showing the outgoing then....

The meter and the bill should match on the day they check.  

Your bill should read as follows:

The energy actual and anterior should be checked in the small box medida or estimada  Measured or estimated. To be accurate it should be measured. 

the first line on your bill will have energia (kWh) lectura actual xxxxx    lectura anteriorxxx   total periodo xxx (net used)

 the second line on your bill should have the same information showing energy sent to CFE. 

The third line should reflect the difference between the 2 with the net total used listing Basico. etc. 

Reading your post you are you saying that your bill does not reflect the second line showing energy sent to CFE? 

If it is showing the sent total kWh and the bill is different than the meter then take a picture of your meter and go to the CFE office with your bill and your meter picture and ask why they are not the same. 

 

 

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Thank you so much! I will have my maintenance person look at the meter. He is an electrical engineer, so he will know what to look for. I do know he has looked at the bill but there is no second line for the power sent to CFE as you indicated. I personally think the solar installer doesn't know how to solve the issue with CFE. He did inform me that CFE is not counting and crediting the solar power to the grid. He never informed me about reading the meter. The information you gave me on the bi-directional meter is a great starting point. As I posted originally the data logger from the hybrid inverter shows how much power that was sent to the grid. I do know that the solar system is delivering 10.2 KWH to the grid every day. I am in the United States and will be returning to Mexico on January 18th. My maintenance guy is on holiday leave but will return this weekend. I will send him the information from your post. I'll provide an update once I have more information.

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I check my meter every day and yesterday I sent back to CFE about 10 KW hours during the last 24 hours. However, today I purchased 8 HW Hours during the same 24 hour period. So, my net profit yesterday was 2 KW. Today, I am filling my aljibe or water tank, so, I will be most likely using my excess energy today. Everything seems to be working fine, just like it has for the last 15 or so years since I first installed the system.

I'm able to keep my bi-monthly CFE billing to close to $100 pesos per billing period, most of the time.

That wouldn't be the case if I use d my electric heater to heat any part of the house during the cold winter nights. My electric bill would go way up, I simply don't use the heater and have it stored somewhere in the house.

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1 hour ago, Mikechartier said:

Thank you so much! I will have my maintenance person look at the meter. He is an electrical engineer, so he will know what to look for. I do know he has looked at the bill but there is no second line for the power sent to CFE as you indicated. I personally think the solar installer doesn't know how to solve the issue with CFE. He did inform me that CFE is not counting and crediting the solar power to the grid. He never informed me about reading the meter. The information you gave me on the bi-directional meter is a great starting point. As I posted originally the data logger from the hybrid inverter shows how much power that was sent to the grid. I do know that the solar system is delivering 10.2 KWH to the grid every day. I am in the United States and will be returning to Mexico on January 18th. My maintenance guy is on holiday leave but will return this weekend. I will send him the information from your post. I'll provide an update once I have more information.

Based on your statements, and assuming the bill is marked as measured and not estimated I am betting the meter is the problem as CFE is not reporting receiving any energy.   Will be interesting to see if your meter shows any sent kWh on it.  In either case none showing or showing and not on the bill a trip to CFE will be in order.

One more possibility...... Because you have a battery backup there is one other possibility.

When the grid is down electronic switching sends power from the battery to the house, but isolates the whole system from the grid until the system senses the grid being back up. At that time the system will switch to sending excess power to the battery first and when the battery is fully charged to the grid.  If there is a problem with that part of the system there is a possibility the excess power is being produced but not actually being sent through to your meter and the grid.

So if your meter shows nothing to the grid then it is either the meter or the switching system for your battery backup system.

 

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