It may sound like an insider term for those who are electrically educated, but it is based on a simple axis. It is a billing method that credits owners of solar energy systems for the electricity they supply to the grid. Imagine having to bake too many cookies, but being able trade them with your neighbors for slices of pizza. Except the cookies are solar bolts of power and the pizza is electricity from the grid.
Net energy metering will help those that are thinking about going solar make the right decision. Let’s break down its wires and sparks.
The symphony that this solar story scores is the dance between your electricity production and consumption from the grid. When your panels are producing more power than your home needs, they don’t simply disappear. The excess energy is sent to the municipal grid. Not only are you spinning the meter backwards, but you’re also accumulating energy credits.
Imagine a night when the sun has snuck out of its celestial clock, and darkness is reigning. Your solar panel won’t help you at this time. This is where your credits come into play. This team will take over the field and offset your utility costs. This tag team helps you keep your electricity bill down, and we all think that’s pretty cool. It is like teaching your pup to fetch the paper without eating it first.
When the sun isn’t shining, and your solar panels are getting less light than a pickled salmon sees in a grain of rice, it might be worth considering how the meter reads. The benefit of net metering is it worth these days when the sun doesn’t shine? You don’t have to worry, as your system’s grid connection ensures that you will always receive electricity, no matter what Mother Nature decides. You can fill in any financial dips or dives with your previously earned credits.
Considering a yearly cycle–because let’s face it, seasons spin round like a merry-go-round–homes usually generate more electricity than they consume during summer’s sun-soaked days. These credits are accumulated as the surplus energy is fed back into the grid. Winter’s ballet reverses these roles by reducing those accumulated credits as solar production falls.
What’s that noise you hear? Not only does the meter move both ways in your favor, but it stabilizes the wider electric grid. Each net-metering house acts as a mini power aid, reducing the load placed on the main infrastructure, particularly during the sun-roasted peak hours. This helps to protect the grid from brownouts, and also contributes to a more sustainable, cleaner energy portfolio.
When state policies enter into the story, the plot gets more complicated (as it usually does). The net energy meter’s effectiveness can change depending on where your tent is located. Some states will offer you full retail prices for excess energy. Other states may charge you wholesale rates.
Cast a line before sailing into the solar waters. Check out your state’s net energy metering policies and look into financial incentives or rebates to sweeten up your solar venture. Consulting with a solar installer in your area can be likened to finding an experienced navigator that will guide you through fog.