Net Metering

• The panels produce DC power

• AC power goes into the home after the inverter

• Sunny hours of the day will produce more energy than the home uses.

• Extra energy is pushed into the grid through the net meter.

• The Net Meter is a bi-directional meter.  Electricity can flow both ways.

• During daytime the meter goes goes backwards as you push power into the grid

• When the sun goes down, the net meter draws like a normal meter from the grid back into the home.  

• The hope is the number of credits you push into the grid gets you to a net zero where you are not paying for electricity.

Example of Net Metering

• A home needs 50 kW hours in a day

• The solar array produces 70 kW hours in a day

• 20 kW hours pushed into the grid

• The next day the home consumes 50 kW hours

• The solar array produces 30 kW hours

• This puts the system at net zero

Some utilities don't give full credits for energy pushed into the system.

Most systems are designed to try and achieve net zero over the course of the year.