Author Topic: Arcadia Power - Wind Offsets & Community Solar  (Read 7890 times)

tj

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Arcadia Power - Wind Offsets & Community Solar
« on: December 11, 2017, 10:47:41 AM »
I'm surprised Arcadia isn't talked about more around here.

Recently I've learned that you can get a discount on their community solar panels if you do to the paid wind option.

Premium wind users can save $25 off a community solar panel. The community solar panels usually cost $100. Each panel is expected to average out to a $1/mo credit for 120 months. This doesn't make sense strictly from a financial investment ,but if you want to support solar and can't put actual solar on your roof, it's a fun way to do that and pre-pay some (very future) electric costs.

The current project has panels in New Jersey, so obviously summer months are going to generate a higher credit than winter.

They tell me "The fixed payback rate for the Passaic River project is $0.168/kWh. We used the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's PVWatts Calculator to determine the projected output of the panels according to location, orientation, etc. The projected output, the value of the associated SRECs, local incentives, and our agreement with the solar host all factor into the payback rate we're able to offer you. Over the course of 10 years, the net savings for 1 panel is $20 (or $45 if you get the discount.)

2021 edit: Nationwide Solar Co-Op seems to no longer be available - they have community solar in specific locations only.


Plus, if you live in state with deregulated electricity, they have algorithms to search all your options and notify you when there's a better deal.


If anyone is interested, my referral link is in my signature, you can receive $10 for creating an account.


Basically you pay Arcadia and Arcadia pays your utility. No charge for bank account payments, and they have removed the fees for using credit cards. These are what the monthly statements look like:

« Last Edit: August 12, 2021, 08:02:14 PM by tj »

tj

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Re: Arcadia Power - Wind Offsets & Community Solar
« Reply #1 on: January 12, 2018, 11:11:57 AM »
Arcadia Power has released it's 2017 "Impact Report". Lots of interesting stuff. Apparently Asheville, NC has the most users.


http://static.arcadiapower.com/resources/2017_Arcadia_Power_Impact_Report.pdf

DrumAllDay

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Re: Arcadia Power - Wind Offsets & Community Solar
« Reply #2 on: January 12, 2018, 11:55:54 AM »
I switched over to Arcadia Power a few months ago and I have no complaints. I use the the service that has no extra charges and issues 50% of my electricity as renewable.

tj

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Re: Arcadia Power - Wind Offsets & Community Solar
« Reply #3 on: January 12, 2018, 01:31:37 PM »
I switched over to Arcadia Power a few months ago and I have no complaints. I use the the service that has no extra charges and issues 50% of my electricity as renewable.

Same here. I'm not sure how it is going to be sustainable for them to just buy REC's on behalf of people at no charge, unless they can monetize our usage data somehow. They seem to really push the premium option - there was a promo e-mail a while ago that they were sending out free Google Home Mini's to people who would upgrade.

DrumAllDay

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Re: Arcadia Power - Wind Offsets & Community Solar
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2018, 09:57:49 AM »
I switched over to Arcadia Power a few months ago and I have no complaints. I use the the service that has no extra charges and issues 50% of my electricity as renewable.

Same here. I'm not sure how it is going to be sustainable for them to just buy REC's on behalf of people at no charge, unless they can monetize our usage data somehow. They seem to really push the premium option - there was a promo e-mail a while ago that they were sending out free Google Home Mini's to people who would upgrade.

Yes I agree, I wonder how many customers actually have the premium. I have been thinking about switching to premium but for my personal situation I would still rather not pay the premium price for 100% renewable. My rational is at least I have made one step to greener energy.

tj

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Re: Arcadia Power - Wind Offsets & Community Solar
« Reply #5 on: July 04, 2019, 11:38:11 PM »
I switched over to Arcadia Power a few months ago and I have no complaints. I use the the service that has no extra charges and issues 50% of my electricity as renewable.

Same here. I'm not sure how it is going to be sustainable for them to just buy REC's on behalf of people at no charge, unless they can monetize our usage data somehow. They seem to really push the premium option - there was a promo e-mail a while ago that they were sending out free Google Home Mini's to people who would upgrade.

Yes I agree, I wonder how many customers actually have the premium. I have been thinking about switching to premium but for my personal situation I would still rather not pay the premium price for 100% renewable. My rational is at least I have made one step to greener energy.

At least I don't getall those  e-mails asking me to upgrade any more. Last time they actually sent me a Google Home Mini after I cancelled an upgrade after the first bill was higher than I expected - there was a minimum USD amount for premium rather than just the 10% or whatever charge.

tj

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Re: Arcadia Power - Wind Offsets & Community Solar
« Reply #6 on: February 29, 2020, 01:59:31 PM »
At some point Arcadia stopped charging a fee to pay by credit card, so that's pretty cool.

tj

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Re: Arcadia Power - Wind Offsets & Community Solar
« Reply #7 on: April 26, 2020, 10:14:05 AM »
Apparently now there's a new Susbcription Energy Program in some localities. With my energy provider, they are offering free ecobee lites, they move you to a time of use plan with the provider, but Arcadia is going to charge the consumer a flat rate that is 95% of the prior year's cost while themselves paying the actual provider costs. Guess they are gambling that your costs on a time of use plan will be significantly lower.


LennStar

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Re: Arcadia Power - Wind Offsets & Community Solar
« Reply #8 on: May 04, 2020, 09:04:09 AM »
In Germany, if you want 100% Green Energy you just open one of the many specialized price search sites, select 100% green and get dozens of options. (Of course companies that use your money directly to build new PV for example are not that many).

Green Energy is usually one of the cheapest options, thanks to both high general prices and the Renewable Energies Law.
Actually it can happen that you get paid to accept energy on very sunny or windy days, because the big coal or atmic plants cannot shut down (fast) enough.

I guess Arcadia is using a method based on that: Energy prices are constantly changing, and by using the cheapest source they can be cheaper than the local constant rate supplier. (Or they use a bulk buying strategy)
And just a 0.1% margin makes quite some money if your customers use energy in the million dollars each month ;)


tj

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Re: Arcadia Power - Wind Offsets & Community Solar
« Reply #9 on: June 10, 2020, 01:13:10 PM »
Arcadia has increased the normal member referral incentive from $5 to $10 for the free accounts.
« Last Edit: December 05, 2020, 12:53:28 PM by tj »

tj

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Re: Arcadia Power - Wind Offsets & Community Solar
« Reply #10 on: December 05, 2020, 12:55:02 PM »
People are reporting that Arcadia is getting rid of the 50% free option and charging everyone $5.00 per month.

I haven't received an email, so I don't know if people have been grandfathered or not.

tj

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Re: Arcadia Power - Wind Offsets & Community Solar
« Reply #11 on: August 12, 2021, 08:00:15 PM »
Looks like Arcadia has definitely killed the free accounts for new accounts, and possibly for existing.


I moved to a place with utilities included (while selling my old place), moved back and have attempted to restart my Arcadia.

I've had an odd customer service experience in re-activating my account. They told me that I would be reactivated under  the free basic plan, but that they are transitioning everyone and I will have at least 60 days notice to decide if I want to keep the $5/mo plan.

Originally paid $75 for a virtual solar panel, the solar savings up through the time I closed my old account was $39.26

My first statement on the new plan posted, thankfully, they did include the several skipped solar credits. bringing my total solar credits to date of $47.73.

I also apparently had some referral credits over the time I had closed Arcadia.

Going forward, I just can't believe that it will make sense to pay $5/mo to get my $0.30-$1.70/mo solar credit. Maybe I should be thankful it lasted as long as it did, and referrals certainly dwarfed the "lost funds" on the solar panel if I really am given teh choice of paying $5/mo and don't have the option to keep using the solar credit as  standalone.

tj

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Re: Arcadia Power - Wind Offsets & Community Solar
« Reply #12 on: August 12, 2021, 08:03:22 PM »
I switched over to Arcadia Power a few months ago and I have no complaints. I use the the service that has no extra charges and issues 50% of my electricity as renewable.

Same here. I'm not sure how it is going to be sustainable for them to just buy REC's on behalf of people at no charge, unless they can monetize our usage data somehow. They seem to really push the premium option - there was a promo e-mail a while ago that they were sending out free Google Home Mini's to people who would upgrade.

Yes I agree, I wonder how many customers actually have the premium. I have been thinking about switching to premium but for my personal situation I would still rather not pay the premium price for 100% renewable. My rational is at least I have made one step to greener energy.

Have you been forced to switch over to a paid plan?

JJ-

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Re: Arcadia Power - Wind Offsets & Community Solar
« Reply #13 on: August 14, 2021, 08:03:59 AM »
I did a bit of shopping around for community solar after realizing panels for our house were a no go. We found a company that would offset 100% of our usage and bill us for our normal rates minus 10%. Our electricity bill would still come in but show the credit for the offset so would be zero.

There were other companies that was a net zero on bill/credits or even +10%. However why would I go with one of those when I can "go solar" and save money?

tj

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Re: Arcadia Power - Wind Offsets & Community Solar
« Reply #14 on: August 14, 2021, 12:32:02 PM »
I did a bit of shopping around for community solar after realizing panels for our house were a no go. We found a company that would offset 100% of our usage and bill us for our normal rates minus 10%. Our electricity bill would still come in but show the credit for the offset so would be zero.

There were other companies that was a net zero on bill/credits or even +10%. However why would I go with one of those when I can "go solar" and save money?

Interesting. How is this company making money? Is the service available nationally?

JJ-

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Re: Arcadia Power - Wind Offsets & Community Solar
« Reply #15 on: August 14, 2021, 01:17:25 PM »
I did a bit of shopping around for community solar after realizing panels for our house were a no go. We found a company that would offset 100% of our usage and bill us for our normal rates minus 10%. Our electricity bill would still come in but show the credit for the offset so would be zero.

There were other companies that was a net zero on bill/credits or even +10%. However why would I go with one of those when I can "go solar" and save money?

Interesting. How is this company making money? Is the service available nationally?

I have no idea how this company is making money, other than maybe leveraging tax credits ? They also may be looking to get a customer base in place and are offering discounts when their real money makers may be industrial customers? I don't know the game there so can't really give an informed answer.

It is not a nationwide provider. I looked on their website and they offer generally in Colorado and New York. PM me if you want the name.

tj

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Re: Arcadia Power - Wind Offsets & Community Solar
« Reply #16 on: September 13, 2021, 11:19:17 AM »
Arcadia is currently giving people $25 bill credit for answering 1 trivia question:

https://www.arcadia.com/electrivia

The free $25 covers 5 months of the fee. I do plan to keep mine open. I use my US bank Cash+ card for 5% cashback on utilities.

During the summer months, because there's no fee to use the credit card, I am pretty close to break even if not slight profit.

During the cooler months, it's definitely an extra cost to use Arcadia vs just paying my utility directly, but as long as they keep doing these promos, it probably evens out over the year.
« Last Edit: September 13, 2021, 03:17:47 PM by tj »