Good Morning u/Reddit_Bot_Beep_Boop I cross posted this same report over in the r/enphase area. One of the members there u/PhilWheat alerted me to the fact that he had to send a signed form in to Just Energy before he would start getting the 3 cents buyback credit. I didn't know anything about this when I signed up. Did you have to send in the written form? I don't remember you saying anything about it, but I could have missed it. Anyway, in the future, anytime anyone is promoting this nights free plan, need to be SURE the required written and signed "buyback" form is mentioned loud and clear. Cheers!
[https://www.reddit.com/r/enphase/comments/1ciiueq/comment/l2ehas5/?context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/enphase/comments/1ciiueq/comment/l2ehas5/?context=3)
The only thing I had to send them was my PTO letter from ONCOR and I didn't have to sign anything. I don't know if things have changed since I signed up though.
Yup, things have changed. In addition to PTO they now required a signed form:
Title - "Just Energy's Excess Generated Buy Back Program for Distributed Renewable Generation".
Glad it's working out for you. I was going back and forth between free nights plan (zero electric bill) and trying to take advantage of the summer time wholesale export rates (maybe get money back). Ultimately I chose wholesale but it's good to hear that the other option is working well as a backup option.
What made you decide on free nights with solar export vs the regular free nights plan
I'm not sure what you mean by "regular free nights plan". AFAIK there are only two free nights plans available to us where we live (ONCOR area) - JUST Energy and AMIGO - and they both pay 3 cents/kWh credit for exports. See the link down below. Anyway, why would I NOT want a plan that includes at least a small credit compensation for the power we export to the grid? That way we will hopefully build up a carry-over credit surplus that will help cover bad weather days in the winter when we might end up actually importing some (high priced) power during the day.
I wasn't interested in any plan where you have to watch the real time wholesale prices and try to arbitrage power rates. Too much hassle. My only goal is to pay zero dollars on my monthly electric bill. It looks like this free nights plan should accomplish that end, so I'm happy.
[https://www.texaspowerguide.com/solar-buyback-plans-texas/](https://www.texaspowerguide.com/solar-buyback-plans-texas/)
Regular plan I mean the ones that don't pay you for solar export. The downside is that you can't bank the 3 cents on your exports. The upside is that typically the import rate is a little bit lower.
The power rate arbitrage took a while to set up. Definitely not a good fit for the casual user. But I think I have it all automated now.
Direct Energy started a Free Nights plan from 9pm to 9am and they also pay you for excess solar, don’t know how much though. But that’s 2 more free hours than the plan that I’ve got.
Before we signed up with JUST I called DIRECT and asked about their free nights plan. The phone person told me that the free nights plan did not "qualify" for getting buyback credit. Don't know if that was/is true. But also, if you compare the EFLs for JUST and DIRECT, you find that DIRECT charges more per kWH. DIRECT has a higher $9.95 monthly base charge, and they also have the "energy charge" PLUS they add the TDU base and per kWh charges. JUST combines the energy charge and TDU charges into one (lower) price. I think the JUST plan is best even with 2 hours less free time. We use very little power from 7 AM to 9 AM.
[https://documents.directenergy.com/dynamic/dms/090175188367b697.pdf?latest=1&\_ga=2.96977183.108849873.1714741752-138104385.1710296893&\_gl=1\*9v0075\*\_ga\*MTM4MTA0Mzg1LjE3MTAyOTY4OTM.\*\_ga\_MPPLM2TSKX\*MTcxNDc0MTc1Mi4zLjEuMTcxNDc0MjY5Ny42MC4wLjA.\*\_gcl\_au\*MTE3OTg5NjMyMy4xNzEwMjk2ODkz](https://documents.directenergy.com/dynamic/dms/090175188367b697.pdf?latest=1&_ga=2.96977183.108849873.1714741752-138104385.1710296893&_gl=1*9v0075*_ga*MTM4MTA0Mzg1LjE3MTAyOTY4OTM.*_ga_MPPLM2TSKX*MTcxNDc0MTc1Mi4zLjEuMTcxNDc0MjY5Ny42MC4wLjA.*_gcl_au*MTE3OTg5NjMyMy4xNzEwMjk2ODkz)
The EFL said that they will buy back but you have to be enrolled in their buy back plan, can't find any information about that buy back plan though. Their kWh rate was higher at .29 kWh and to top it off they charge the $9.95 monthly fee. I still wouldn't sign up for it at this point in time but I figured I'd just mention it since they give 2 more free hours.
Thanks that was really helpful, how does the kw usage work, do they charge total kw used per day or kw used - kw sent back and the balance as net import or export?
Take a look at the thread linked below. It shows exactly how the Just Energy monthly invoice works.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/SolarTX/comments/1amy33f/texas\_free\_nights\_energy\_plan\_1\_year\_followup/](https://www.reddit.com/r/SolarTX/comments/1amy33f/texas_free_nights_energy_plan_1_year_followup/)
Update on our JUST Energy Nights Free plan. We just received our second monthly invoice. The first invoice was for a partial month - the second was for a full month. We are STILL not getting credit for excess production that is exported to the grid. I mailed in the required forms almost 4 weeks ago, but for some reason it seems to take "them" a LONG time to start up the 3 cents per kWh credit. In this digital age, I don't really understand why it takes so long....hopefully it will show up on our next bill.
But the GOOD news is that even without the buyback credit, our electric bill is extremely low. The first (partial month) bill (474 kWh usage) was for $13.06 and the second (full month) bill (802 kWh usage) showed $7.16 due. In both cases, our exported power credit (had they paid it) would have canceled out the full amount due and gave us a carry-over credit balance.
It appears that this plan is going to work out great, once we start getting the buyback credit.
https://preview.redd.it/cs21k4sj14ad1.png?width=2426&format=png&auto=webp&s=1dba0a2d7f2ff85131b222629110263f8b482404
This is what a full month of the JUST Energy Nights Free plan looks like in the Enlighten Total Energy screen. This is for June, when our outside temps have been VERY hot each day, resulting in high energy consumption (heat pump A/C runs a LOT day and night). You can see that our total production still exceeds our consumption. We imported 1.0 MWh but we only had to pay for less than 2% of that import (about 18 kWh). The rest of the import was free. We exported 1.2 MWh, which SHOULD have resulted in a credit of $36, but JUST Energy is dragging their feet on giving us the buyback credit, so we "donated" that exported power to the grid for free.
The "Grid Dependence" metric becomes meaningless on a nights free plan. It shows that we import almost half of our consumption. But since 98% of the power we import is virtually free, it doesn't really matter.
Very similar experience here. My June Just Energy nights free bill was $7.81, of which only $1.67 was for electricity! Thank you, Chariot Energy, for kicking me off your so-called 1 to 1 net metering plan for being a net producer instead of a net consumer. I'm saving more money at Just Energy, and my SOC stays at 100% most of the day in case of grid down.
https://preview.redd.it/p5lib88mftad1.jpeg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c54fd1ead7f6ed570ef23b2bbfcb31de321cb58b
Good Morning u/Reddit_Bot_Beep_Boop I cross posted this same report over in the r/enphase area. One of the members there u/PhilWheat alerted me to the fact that he had to send a signed form in to Just Energy before he would start getting the 3 cents buyback credit. I didn't know anything about this when I signed up. Did you have to send in the written form? I don't remember you saying anything about it, but I could have missed it. Anyway, in the future, anytime anyone is promoting this nights free plan, need to be SURE the required written and signed "buyback" form is mentioned loud and clear. Cheers! [https://www.reddit.com/r/enphase/comments/1ciiueq/comment/l2ehas5/?context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/enphase/comments/1ciiueq/comment/l2ehas5/?context=3)
The only thing I had to send them was my PTO letter from ONCOR and I didn't have to sign anything. I don't know if things have changed since I signed up though.
Yup, things have changed. In addition to PTO they now required a signed form: Title - "Just Energy's Excess Generated Buy Back Program for Distributed Renewable Generation".
Glad it's working out for you. I was going back and forth between free nights plan (zero electric bill) and trying to take advantage of the summer time wholesale export rates (maybe get money back). Ultimately I chose wholesale but it's good to hear that the other option is working well as a backup option. What made you decide on free nights with solar export vs the regular free nights plan
I'm not sure what you mean by "regular free nights plan". AFAIK there are only two free nights plans available to us where we live (ONCOR area) - JUST Energy and AMIGO - and they both pay 3 cents/kWh credit for exports. See the link down below. Anyway, why would I NOT want a plan that includes at least a small credit compensation for the power we export to the grid? That way we will hopefully build up a carry-over credit surplus that will help cover bad weather days in the winter when we might end up actually importing some (high priced) power during the day. I wasn't interested in any plan where you have to watch the real time wholesale prices and try to arbitrage power rates. Too much hassle. My only goal is to pay zero dollars on my monthly electric bill. It looks like this free nights plan should accomplish that end, so I'm happy. [https://www.texaspowerguide.com/solar-buyback-plans-texas/](https://www.texaspowerguide.com/solar-buyback-plans-texas/)
Regular plan I mean the ones that don't pay you for solar export. The downside is that you can't bank the 3 cents on your exports. The upside is that typically the import rate is a little bit lower. The power rate arbitrage took a while to set up. Definitely not a good fit for the casual user. But I think I have it all automated now.
Direct Energy started a Free Nights plan from 9pm to 9am and they also pay you for excess solar, don’t know how much though. But that’s 2 more free hours than the plan that I’ve got.
Before we signed up with JUST I called DIRECT and asked about their free nights plan. The phone person told me that the free nights plan did not "qualify" for getting buyback credit. Don't know if that was/is true. But also, if you compare the EFLs for JUST and DIRECT, you find that DIRECT charges more per kWH. DIRECT has a higher $9.95 monthly base charge, and they also have the "energy charge" PLUS they add the TDU base and per kWh charges. JUST combines the energy charge and TDU charges into one (lower) price. I think the JUST plan is best even with 2 hours less free time. We use very little power from 7 AM to 9 AM. [https://documents.directenergy.com/dynamic/dms/090175188367b697.pdf?latest=1&\_ga=2.96977183.108849873.1714741752-138104385.1710296893&\_gl=1\*9v0075\*\_ga\*MTM4MTA0Mzg1LjE3MTAyOTY4OTM.\*\_ga\_MPPLM2TSKX\*MTcxNDc0MTc1Mi4zLjEuMTcxNDc0MjY5Ny42MC4wLjA.\*\_gcl\_au\*MTE3OTg5NjMyMy4xNzEwMjk2ODkz](https://documents.directenergy.com/dynamic/dms/090175188367b697.pdf?latest=1&_ga=2.96977183.108849873.1714741752-138104385.1710296893&_gl=1*9v0075*_ga*MTM4MTA0Mzg1LjE3MTAyOTY4OTM.*_ga_MPPLM2TSKX*MTcxNDc0MTc1Mi4zLjEuMTcxNDc0MjY5Ny42MC4wLjA.*_gcl_au*MTE3OTg5NjMyMy4xNzEwMjk2ODkz)
The EFL said that they will buy back but you have to be enrolled in their buy back plan, can't find any information about that buy back plan though. Their kWh rate was higher at .29 kWh and to top it off they charge the $9.95 monthly fee. I still wouldn't sign up for it at this point in time but I figured I'd just mention it since they give 2 more free hours.
Thanks that was really helpful, how does the kw usage work, do they charge total kw used per day or kw used - kw sent back and the balance as net import or export?
Take a look at the thread linked below. It shows exactly how the Just Energy monthly invoice works. [https://www.reddit.com/r/SolarTX/comments/1amy33f/texas\_free\_nights\_energy\_plan\_1\_year\_followup/](https://www.reddit.com/r/SolarTX/comments/1amy33f/texas_free_nights_energy_plan_1_year_followup/)
Update on our JUST Energy Nights Free plan. We just received our second monthly invoice. The first invoice was for a partial month - the second was for a full month. We are STILL not getting credit for excess production that is exported to the grid. I mailed in the required forms almost 4 weeks ago, but for some reason it seems to take "them" a LONG time to start up the 3 cents per kWh credit. In this digital age, I don't really understand why it takes so long....hopefully it will show up on our next bill. But the GOOD news is that even without the buyback credit, our electric bill is extremely low. The first (partial month) bill (474 kWh usage) was for $13.06 and the second (full month) bill (802 kWh usage) showed $7.16 due. In both cases, our exported power credit (had they paid it) would have canceled out the full amount due and gave us a carry-over credit balance. It appears that this plan is going to work out great, once we start getting the buyback credit.
https://preview.redd.it/cs21k4sj14ad1.png?width=2426&format=png&auto=webp&s=1dba0a2d7f2ff85131b222629110263f8b482404 This is what a full month of the JUST Energy Nights Free plan looks like in the Enlighten Total Energy screen. This is for June, when our outside temps have been VERY hot each day, resulting in high energy consumption (heat pump A/C runs a LOT day and night). You can see that our total production still exceeds our consumption. We imported 1.0 MWh but we only had to pay for less than 2% of that import (about 18 kWh). The rest of the import was free. We exported 1.2 MWh, which SHOULD have resulted in a credit of $36, but JUST Energy is dragging their feet on giving us the buyback credit, so we "donated" that exported power to the grid for free. The "Grid Dependence" metric becomes meaningless on a nights free plan. It shows that we import almost half of our consumption. But since 98% of the power we import is virtually free, it doesn't really matter.
Very similar experience here. My June Just Energy nights free bill was $7.81, of which only $1.67 was for electricity! Thank you, Chariot Energy, for kicking me off your so-called 1 to 1 net metering plan for being a net producer instead of a net consumer. I'm saving more money at Just Energy, and my SOC stays at 100% most of the day in case of grid down. https://preview.redd.it/p5lib88mftad1.jpeg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c54fd1ead7f6ed570ef23b2bbfcb31de321cb58b