for what the installers want for a basic grid tie roof mount system around here, I can install my own ground mount, significantly larger, DC coupled system with battery backup. Which is next year's big project.
I would be super interested in reading that blog post. Be sure to take good photos as you go, and then write it up for all of us dreamers.
Of course. It'll probably be a several-part post with a summary at the end, like I did with my office (which, I suppose, is
almost net zero - I need about 5-7 gallons a winter of gasoline for my generator, and about 3-4 gallons of propane, but it's pure solar the rest of the year, with a good bit of surplus spent on Folding@Home and BOINC).
My plan is to go with the Outback Radian ecosystem - a 48V, grid tie capable inverter, and build the rest of the system around that. I'm going to have some massive ground mount A-frames for east-west panel facing (instead of the more common south), partly to lengthen the solar day for off grid use if needed, partly because I expect net metering to change at some point such that morning/evening production will be more valuable than solar noon production, partly because I get a tractor shed out of it if I do it right. ;)
I'm looking at around $30k-$35k materials cost, though I may be able to get significantly lower through some "I know a guy..." perks.
The goal is ~unlimited grid down operation, though winter would obviously require a generator. But I should be able to run 9-10 months of the year without the grid, if needed (I fully intend to export onto the grid when reasonable, but I can control the system to optimize this if/when net metering changes).
I don't know if it will ever "pay off" in terms of financial terms. Our power is stupid-cheap (
https://www.idahopower.com/service-and-billing/residential/pricing-2/idaho-residential-rates/) without much in the way of fixed fees, but I value uninterrupted power, and the learning that comes from putting something like this together. I expect it's at least not going to be comically expensive, and, even with battery replacement at the 10-15 year mark, I should still be able to come out more or less even. Especially if we add an electric car and replace some winter heat with biomass (which is a $5k project, by the time everything there gets installed - I'd have external combustion air).
And if I can make snarky comments about solar installers in the process, well... at this point, I consider that a minor bonus.