Q2 2016 summary: 23% cooler, 8% less usage and 11kWh more sun as compared to Q2 2015.

Overall, here’s how this quarter compared to 2015.

Chart showing usage, solar, net and hdd
Chart showing usage, solar, net and hdd
2015 Usage Solar PV Net usage or (surplus) Avg. daily usage HDD
Total 1,568 2,658 (1,090) 17.3 810
Apr 594 796 (202) 19.8 566
May 417 998 (581) 13.4 145
Jun 557 864 (307) 18.6 100
All values in kWh (except HDD which is base 65°F).
2016 Usage Solar PV Net usage or (surplus) Avg. daily usage HDD
Total 1,439 2,669 (1,230) 15.8 994
Apr 575 893 (318) 19.2 615
May 551 834 (283) 17.8 279
Jun 313 942 (629) 10.4 100

The last day we used heat was April 17 for a total of 120.4 kWh this quarter. Last year we turned the heat off on April 28th and used 150.3 kWh that quarter.

Here’s our breakdown on energy use and cost for the last four winter seasons.

Winter season Heat kWh Est. Cost
2012-13 957 $144
2013-14 1,804 $271
2014-15 2,200 $330
2015-16 1,305 $176

Est. cost based on $0.15 kWh.

We would have spent about $921 (if we paid for electricity) in the last four winters. That’s still a lot less than many of our neighbors would spend in one winter.

We netted out energy-wise on May 31 after 8am. Last year we were 637 kWh short of netting out for the year. In 2014 we netted out around mid-July. In years prior we were net positive by May or June.

Our water usage is up 66% from Q2 2015. June was very dry this year and we were determined not to let the garden die. Our reward is lots of tomatoes and other veggies.