electricity costs

There are several newer technologies coming down the pipeline that will be even cheaper and more efficient than solar...and easier to hide from the WAPA tax collectors of the future.

There are several newer technologies coming down the pipeline that will be even cheaper and more efficient than solar...and easier to hide from the WAPA tax collectors of the future.

could you give us an idea of what they are? I'm always interested in learning about new stuff, especially if it helps me give less $$$ to wapa.

What a lot of poor excuses for NOT installing solar!

I have removed the 10 panels in about 30 minutes. So, if there were to be a significant storm, it is easily done if you are concerned about it. They are bolted into the 3x8 rafters with 6" stainless steel bolts so I feel that in most cases, they are fairly secure.

Prior to installing the racking and panels, I recoated the roof surface with a silicone elastomeric instead of the cheap stuff that is normally used.. It is 3 times the price and a significantly better product than the normal elastomeric coatings. Since the panels have been installed (nearly 2 years), I have never touched them but when I do powerwash the roof, I will powerwash the panels.

Bruno is absolutely correct. This is really a no brainer in the VI. I am not an advocate of solar power but here it is essential, IMO.

PS, I have no allegiance nor have I had any business dealings with Bruno.

All well and good for you to be able to get on your roof easily and lift/move the panels around without help and do your own stuff.
Not so easy for me and others doing t by themselves or on their own.

Dear Helen: Yes, electricity is expensive. This is one of the reasons people say you should come here for an extended visit. You need to see if the available housing, food, entertainment, etc. fits into your budget.

Folks on this board are sometimes like a big ole dysfunctional family- they get started bickering on a topic and forget what the question was. LOL!

WAPA is expensive. Period!

I certainly cannot afford a solar install; there are some financing options on the island here.

Scotia bank offers a 5 year loan at a fixed interest rate ( I think it was 9%) that has a lending cap; but other than that, or refinancing, or perhaps borrowing from your retirement it seems difficult to "get into" a solar installation unless you have a nice build up of savings.

I spend around 450-500 a month with no AC for a large family (4 kids my wife and my mom).

so yes,, expensive!

Wow...9% interest! No wonder banks are so profitable these days!

Wow...9% interest! No wonder banks are so profitable these days!

Really? Like late on one CC payment and they raise your rate to 39.9%?

Wow...9% interest! No wonder banks are so profitable these days!

Really? Like late on one CC payment and they raise your rate to 39.9%?

Eventually, we as a people will decided that the predatory banking practices in place now are not a "value added" to society and move away form them.

If you haven't heard about it already, a STRONG movement has already started: Bit Coin.

BitCoin is a true debt free money, free from banksters grubby hands, I highly encourage everyone to look into it as it is still in its infancy and as a currency that can only be worth MORE as time goes on (vrs the current world currencies that are worth less as time goes on) you only stand to profit by jumping into this freedom movement now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um63OQz3bjo
http://bitcoin.org/en/

I'm currently looking into using my retirement to finance a solar install, for the size of system I want it will cost around 30,000$ installed and pay itself off in 3.5 years... solar is suppose to last around 20 years so I'll be getting 16.5 years of free power (give or take a year or so I'm sure).

and it cost 700+ for one bit coin

and it cost 700+ for one bit coin

and more every day, yes.

you can buy fractional bitcoins however.

at the moment of this post 1 Bitcoin = $791.51
http://www.bitcoinexchangerate.org/

One year ago a single bitcoin cost $19
http://blockchain.info/charts/market-price

And now 1 Bitcoin = $792.28

You never know from minute to minute how much you have, or don't have.

Yes, the rates are insanely high. But the good news is that we lose power so often, your bill won't be so bad.

And now 1 Bitcoin = $792.28

You never know from minute to minute how much you have, or don't have.

well, you always know exactly how many bitcoins you have; the volitility is expected in a new currency (it started in 2009).

clearly you wouldn't want to jump into this with 100% of your finances, but these things are accepted all over now,,

Vegas even
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/vegas-casinos-now-accepting-bitcoin/

, there's Bitcoin ATMs.... it's not like it's some obscure thing anymore.

i first heard about it a few years ago. a co worker learned about it in school. the cost a few months ago was over 1000.00

For more information about the future of bitcoin, one can just google "South Seas Bobble" or "Dutch Tulip Mania".

"But this time it's different!"

Uh, nope, it's not. Caveat emptor.

i would not want to jump into the bitcoin thing at all-but maybe we could make our own currency?

Our "own currency" I would guess is the US dollar. Bitcoin is owned and operated by no one and everyone. It is independent of the power structures that go around most currency.

My brother did quite a bit of explaining what Bitcoin is to me over a December vacation a month and a half ago. He invested something like $20 some time ago, and because of people investing in Bitcoin, his investment is now worth more than $600. I'm impressed with Bitcoin and I think it will play a significant role in finances globally, in the future.

//brother is not talking to me at the moment, otherwise I would invite him to join us

Look folks solar is a no brainer for us. The pay back is around 3 years give or take a few months. All that stuff about cleaning the panels is a bunch of crap. Even with the sahra dust they decrease their productivity by 5-10 percent. And then it rains and you are back to square. They are all good for 120+ mph, if installed right.

Now the bigest excuse is they cost SO MUCH. BULL! When there is little in this world that after 3 years you can get 200 back FREE. Yes FREE. So it now becomes an income producer. So take out a loan and do it. I have four apartments plus my own use. I have 13 solar panels . I am going to put down another 38 panels. Then my wapa bill will be around 50!

There is a catch. WAPA gives you back what ever the rack rate is. They can, and probab,y will drop it some time. If they drop it 10 cents then it just takes longer for it to pay back. But remeber that during the day most of your power is used up by your house so you are really paying the equlivent of the rack rate then. It is only the excess power that you are sending back and getting the credit for.

The only real problem with the solar is that incase of a monster storm you will still be without power. You can take a panel of in. about five minutes. So if there is a storm coming you would have plenty of warning to take them off.

Then there is commitment that WAPA will go to propane and save us 30%. That is yet to be seen. But the way they want to raise the rate to 60 cents.

Billd

for most people (well, me) it doesn't seem like "getting a loan" is that easy.

I may have to use an address in the states to get a loan; or use my retirement, but other than that there's not much of an option on the island.

We financed two cars with loans through Banco Popular with reasonable interest. But we'd lived on-island for more that 5 years had regular income and really good credit.

We financed two cars with loans through Banco Popular with reasonable interest. But we'd lived on-island for more that 5 years had regular income and really good credit.

I have excellent credit and can get a vehicle anytime. solar is another issue, sometimes it's treated like a signature loan, other times not.. it's a weird "grey" area from what I've found.

I gave up looking a month or two ago, too busy now, haha

Our "own currency" I would guess is the US dollar. Bitcoin is owned and operated by no one and everyone. It is independent of the power structures that go around most currency.

My brother did quite a bit of explaining what Bitcoin is to me over a December vacation a month and a half ago. He invested something like $20 some time ago, and because of people investing in Bitcoin, his investment is now worth more than $600. I'm impressed with Bitcoin and I think it will play a significant role in finances globally, in the future.

//brother is not talking to me at the moment, otherwise I would invite him to join us

This is a report on the Bitcoin Conference in Miami this weekend:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/paularosenblum/2014/01/27/bitcoin-the-currency-of-the-future/

Question about WAPA energy costs...

hey everyone, I've been using the site to read your posts and comments as I try to learn more about life on St. John - so I thank you for contributing.

I know that 'your' bill is different from 'my' bill because of usage - obviously. My question, however, is what charges, or how much of your WAPA electric bill is for the general 'provider fees' - stuff that WAPA charges before your usage if even taken into consideration.

I don't use a lot of energy here in the states - my last bill was maybe $20. BUT, something like $12 of that was comprised of general fees and charges, so I really only used $8 worth of energy.

Hopefully this is clear enough.
So, can you comment on those type of fees from WAPA?

Thank you very much.

thxs to all who gave me the information .it was very helpful
i will keep checking this message board and keep gathering all information i can before my pvm