The neighborhood solar co-op cut our electric bills in half over 18 months

I joined a group buy program in Austin last year where 40 houses put solar panels on at the same time. We all got a 22% discount on install because of the bulk order. My monthly bill went from $145 to about $65 after net metering kicked in. Has anyone else tried a co-op setup in their area?

3 comments

3 Comments

linda50028d ago

22% discount? That's wild, I had no idea bulk buying could knock that much off.

rowan_roberts4928d ago

Put aside the volume for a minute, what was the actual price per unit before and after the discount? I'm always curious how much the discount is a reflection of the real cost savings versus just giving you a better deal.

kelly_nelson9527d ago

@linda500 I mean, 22% is a solid discount but whether it's "wild" depends on the product. @rowan_roberts49 is asking the real question though. A lot of times stores hike up the "regular" price before a sale so the discount looks bigger than it is. I bought dog food that was supposedly 25% off, but I checked old receipts and the "sale" price was barely cheaper than what I paid two months ago. So you gotta look at the actual per unit cost before and after, not just the percentage. Sometimes the discount is just marketing fluff.