Many consumers who have thought about transitioning to solar power have heard of net metering but aren’t sure how it works. Whether you are a new user of solar energy or are considering the installation of a solar roof, here is what you need to know about net metering.
What happens when you don’t use all of your solar energy?
Net metering is a solar energy credit system. Solar energy systems typically generate the most electricity during the afternoon but the peak electric use of consumers is in the morning or evening. Net metering allows residential and commercial building owners to feed unutilized electricity back to the grid so that you can still run off of solar energy in times when your demand exceeds your supply. Your generated energy never goes to waste!
What are the laws regarding net metering?
The laws differ in every state and vary based on rules, regulations and legislation. The benefits of net metering will be different depending on what part of the country you live in. Although most states have laws about net metering now, it’s still beneficial to check your state’s stance on solar power crediting and determine any capacity limits.
How does net metering affect my electric bill?
During the day, most users produce more energy than they consume. If a solar roof generates more energy than it uses, the extra energy will be credited to a time when the home uses more than it produces. Net metering allows users to reduce future electric bills because customers are only billed for their net energy use, or the difference between the energy produced by the solar energy system and the energy consumed during the billing period.
As solar panels have dropped in price, many consumers are jumping on board and getting solar roofs installed at their homes or businesses. The amount of energy that you produce with a solar roof follows the path of the sun, therefore there are certain times of day where you will generate more energy than others. Net metering is a practice in place that ensures that generated energy doesn’t go waste, in effect, lowering your utility bills and protecting the environment.
