What is Net Metering? ... It means that the energy that your system produces and is not used goes through your meter to the main line making the meter go backwards and crediting your account so when the system in not producing you'll get the energy back.
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4 Benefits of Net Metering

 

Financial Credit for Extra Solar Power Produced

 

You will receive a credit for your excess solar power at the utility’s going rate for electricity.   When there is not enough electricity from the sun, the utility company will supply your electrical needs. You will pay only for the difference between the power supplied by the utility and the power produced by the solar panels. Typically, extra solar power that you produce can be banked for up to a year at which point the utility company has some arrangement for handling any excess.  For net metering, a bilateral meter is installed that records the solar power you have produced and fed back to the grid as well as the power you have used from the utility.  When you produce more than you use, you are effectively “spinning the meter backwards”.

 

No Battery Storage System Needed

 

With net metering the utility company essentially “stores” your extra solar power for times when you don’t have enough.  This means that you don’t really need an expensive battery bank, unless you want a small battery backup system for power outages.  When you have a grid-tied system like this your power will go down when the utility power goes down.  This is for safety reasons,  to protect the repair crew who are not expecting any power generated in the lines when they go out to repair the problem.

 

 

Low Maintenance - Solar Power Without Hassles

 

With net metering, we have now eliminated the batteries –  The only components you need for a grid-tied net metering system is the solar panels, which produce the power, and an inverter that converts the DC power from the solar panels to the standard AC power produced by the utility.  both of these components require low maintenance. The solar panels, which have a 25 year warranty, are made from a semiconductor material and usually protected by a tempered glass front.  The inverters, some of which also have 10 year warranties, are solid state and also low maintenance equipment

 

A grid-tied net metering system gives you the advantages of producing your own clean renewable energy with low maintenance hassles and with very durable components.