John and Lila from Farmingdale, NJ have been Green Sun Energy Services clients since January of 2013, which puts this among the oldest projects on the site. The array was completed that May: 21 panels making 5.1 kW, each with its own Enphase microinverter, and an estimated 6,696 kilowatt hours in the first year. JCP&L interconnected it in June. The array is leased rather than owned. Thirteen years is a real test rather than a claim about one, and the microinverter design is the part that has aged best – each panel still converts on its own, so nothing that has happened to one panel in that time has ever taken the rest of the system down with it.
Project Facts
- Location
- Farmingdale, NJ
- Service
- Solar Panel Installation
- Client since
- January 2013
- Panels
- Canadian Solar Model # CS6P-245MX-ALL-BLK
- Panels
- 21
- System size
- 5.15 kW
- Inverter
- EnPhase M215-60-2LL-S22/S23 Micro-Single
- Mounting system
- Zep Solar
- Estimated first-year production
- 6,696 kWh
- Electric utility
- JCP&L
Green Sun installed our solar system in 2013, and we've been very happy with it ever since. The system was installed on time, it looks great, and it's on target for paying for itself ahead of schedule. In fact, we seldom have a balance due on our monthly statement from the local power company!
Green Sun monitors and manages the system for us, completes an annual inspection and panel cleaning, and manages and sells all of our SRECs!
I would highly recommend Green Sun for anyone considering solar in New Jersey.
Green Sun Energy Services replied
Thank you, Lila. The array at your home in Farmingdale was installed in 2013 and has been generating since, which is long enough to judge both the equipment and the installation. On time and looking right are the two things a homeowner can see on day one; the rest shows up in the years that follow.
Solar questions from Farmingdale homeowners
Does solar work well in Farmingdale?
Yes. New Jersey receives more than enough annual sunlight for residential photovoltaic systems to produce substantial electricity. Panels run on light rather than heat, so they keep producing through the winter. What varies from house to house is roof orientation, pitch, shading, system size, equipment and local weather.
Do solar panels lose output as they age?
Modules normally lose a small amount of maximum output over time. Manufacturers publish a long-term performance warranty setting out how much of the rated output should remain after a given number of years. It is worth comparing the actual warranty curve rather than the headline number of years.
Does a third-party electricity supplier prevent going solar?
Not necessarily. New Jersey's net-metering rules contemplate customers taking supply through Basic Generation Service or a third-party supplier, though billing arrangements can differ. The supplier contract is worth reading, particularly on exported energy and the annual true-up.