Rooftop solar is booming here in Southern California thanks, in part, to net metering. In fact, in California alone, net metering has helped us grow the amount of energy generated by the sun by leaps and bounds in just the last 5 years alone — making us a leader in the nation.
Net energy metering is a special billing arrangement that provides credit to customers with solar PV systems for the full retail value of the electricity their system generates.
With the right size solar energy system, you can produce enough electricity to match your home’s electricity use for the entire year. However, the amount of electricity your solar panels produce will vary throughout the year. Net metering (also known as net energy metering, or NEM) helps you account for these differences by crediting you for the excess electricity your panels produce so you can use it later.
California is one of 41 states in the country that have mandatory net metering rules.
With net metering, excess electricity is fed into your electric utility’s grid when your system is producing more than you need. When this happens, your meter actually runs in reverse. On the flip-side, when your system isn’t producing enough electricity, you can draw it from your utility. This “back-and-forth” between your system and the grid ensures that your excess production will still be used and your shortages will be met. Net metering basically covers the times when you don’t produce enough.
Nope. With net metering, you can receive utility bill credits for the electricity that your solar panels produce. However, you won’t receive a monthly cash payment from your utility for your excess solar electricity, no matter how much you generate.
However, customers who generate a net surplus of energy at the end of a 12-month period may receive a payment for this energy under special utility tariffs.
Contact your utility's Net Energy Metering tariff offices by following these links:
Thanks to net metering, homeowners are credited for the energy that their solar panels generate at the same rate that they would pay to their utility. As a result, you can save tens of thousands of dollars on electricity costs over the lifetime of your solar energy system.
Net metering also optimizes the rate of return on your solar investment by:
You are eligible for net energy metering if:
To participate, you must apply and receive approval from your utility to have your system interconnected to the electricity utility grid.
If you already have a solar energy system, you should contact your electric utility and request an application for net energy metering.
There has never been a better time than RIGHT NOW to go solar. In addition to utility and tax credits, expect to see a DRAMATIC drop in electricity bills. You’ll also reduce your carbon footprint, and be a proud user and supporter of green energy.
It’s a win-win — for you and the environment.
Contact Infinity Solar of Orange today for a FREE Solar Consultation Quote — and start harnessing the sun for all your energy needs.
