Generac Rebate: Fill & Download for Free

I can answer this, because I have both. Kinda.Let me explain, at home, we thought about installing a generator, but living in Texas means that sun is rarely ever not shining and a $6000 generator (maintenance only once every 2–3 years or at 2500 hours) with a good ($2000+) pure sine wave inverter for the whole house seemed cheaper upfront but in the long term it could be expensive.I did the whole solar thing, along with a battery backup (used li-ion batteries from electronics). With this, I can sell excess electricity back to the grid. To get power when the grid is off, I have a very generator (800 watts only, and can last a long long time on a full tank of gas) that gives the voltage against to measure during the day and at night when the power is out batteries kick in through the humongous sine wave inverter. Peak power output is 4kw, continuous is 2kw. The small generator is required so that during the day when there’s no power from utility the power goes from the panels straight to the house and not panels charging the batteries and batteries powering the house - increases longevity of the batteries).Total capacity of the battery that I’ve been expanding is just shy of 50kWh. The solar panels are 10kWh on the roof, 2.5kWh on the shed, and another 5kWh near the well to operate the pumps. All in all, the batteries can be recharged in a day most of the year, and in during the colder months it takes a day and a half. It has been expensive to install and profitable to operate. Power flow is something like thisPower from panels replaces the grid power as the sun starts shining.The power increases as the sun starts its journey. Excess power is routed to the battery bank, and filling it upto 80% charge mark (I extend it to 92% during the hurricane season).Once the batteries are full, all that power is sent to the utility which makes the meter run in reverse.As evening approaches, power consumption of the house increases, so utility gets less and less power until the panels aren’t making any and the house starts to use power from the grid. (I don’t like to use the batteries, keeping their longevity preserved this way. Think of it like a generator - you won’t use it when the sun sets down, would you? only when the power is out).The sun shines basically all the year, so on certain occasions when power was out for more than 4 days after hurricane season, the batteries didn’t simply discharge completely. And by the next day evening, they were more than 75% charged from the sun.So, to summarize my costs are800 watt generator (that is more for the panels than the batteries but i’ll count them in here) ($500)massive inverter for the batteries ($4500)batteries themselves (averaged out to $1.2 per, 4600 batteries so that’s $5520).Installation inspection, wiring, piping, cost another $1k.All in all, $11500. This won’t need any maintenance, except cleaning the battery shed once every couple months, and a cheap $65 exhaust fan.A neighbor few houses away has installed two Tesla battery banks, and they charge them up during off-peak hours, and then use the power during the peak hours. This reduces their battery life but they say, the savings are enough to make the trade. Totally new Samsung Batteries cost something like $3. So that’d be 14720 for the batteries new.Installation costs - ~21kOperating costs - NoneMy parents live in Michigan where solar isn’t really a viable option. The weather can get so cold that the batteries will need to be in a heated space to be alive. So, battery is not an option.Instead, I got them a full house dual fuel Generac generator. It cost about $16k to install along with the base for the 250 gallon vertical propane tank, natural gas lines.The propane tank last for 4 days when “normal” consumption. With some cutting down of power usage, the tank can last for 6 days. Then the natural gas kicks in. (better to use propane for generator engine, and then switch to natural gas when only about 12 hours of propane is left). Every 4 months a refill is needed, which costs $475–500. And in winter sometimes during the storms, natural gas is also used.Thus $16k for the installations, and maintenance for 600 hours, fuel costs are $1600 per year. The maintenance is contracted, $1k/year and first 6 years are covered.Installation costs - $16kOperating costs - $1600 year, will be $2600 starting 2023.If you live in a state where there’s plenty sunshine, even with no state government rebates or support, go for the battery bank, but get yourself a decent 30kWh pack which can last you atleast a day. If you live in Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Florida, California, New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas, Utah - go for solar + battery bank. You’re nearly energy independent for 9–10 months a year. Your payback period is also about 4–5 years. But only standalone battery will be good for a maximum of 3 days. Our American homes can consume 30kWh of energy daily. Judicious use makes the battery last 3 days. Without solar is your option if you live in areas where the power doesn’t go off for more than 3 days at a time.If you live where sun doesn’t shine so strong, or power goes out for more than 3 days at once, or the solar+battery option is expensive for you, go for the generator option. It doesn’t really cost as much in terms of fuel. If you were to invest the difference money in a 7% mutual fund, your costs are the same.In Michigan at my childhood home, solar + battery would be a fool’s errand. In Texas, neighbors with generators are interested in my “setup”.