What is net metering and what are the benefits for you? If you’re thinking about having solar panels installed, this is one of the most important questions to ask.
Net metering plays a significant role in the savings that you will enjoy with solar. With a bi-directional meter, you’ll be able to export excess solar to the grid and will receive compensation from your electric utility provider.
Here’s how it works with solar panels in New York…
Solar Output Varies Throughout the Year
To understand net metering for solar and the advantages that it provides, you have to consider how solar output can vary throughout the year.
Solar generation isn’t consistent. While solar works all year, production is lower in the winter when the daylight hours are reduced. During the longest days of the year, solar production during daylight hours can exceed the needs of the customer.
Whatever the situation, net metering offers flexibility by compensating for excess production and periods of low production.
Efficient Billing with Net Metering in New York
What is net metering for solar? Let’s break it down by covering some common scenarios…
In ideal conditions, your solar panels could generate more electricity than you use. The excess will be exported to the grid. When this happens, your meter will spin in reverse.
As it spins in reverse the consumption number will decrease. At night, when there is no solar production and you draw energy from the grid, the meter will move forward again.
This process, which repeats every day, offsets the electricity that you take from the utility provider. So, at the end of the month when you receive your bill, the actual consumption will be much lower than if you were to have taken all of your electricity from the grid.
There will be times when you end the month having exported more than you consumed. This excess is placed into a “credit bank” which is essentially a monetary credit on your bill. It is used on future bills when you consume more than you export. If you end the year with a positive figure in your credit bank, you’ll be paid by the utility company at a market rate. Your solar, in some cases, will literally pay for itself.
A Fairer Way to Reward You for Your Solar Panel Installation
Net metering ensures that you are fairly compensated for your investment in solar and the energy that you export to the grid. You can make your system even more efficient by adding a battery backup solution. This will store excess energy before exporting to the grid.
With a battery backup system, your battery can deploy electricity in the evenings when there is peak demand on the grid, so you’ll avoid the higher rates. Your battery backup can also keep your lights and appliances on when there is a grid outage. True energy independence is possible with a solar panel and solar battery installation in New York.
Talk to a Solar Energy Consultant Today
New York solar power is the most effective way to make your home more efficient, more environmentally friendly, and more affordable. Start with your ballpark estimate and full consultation with a solar expert. We provide a cost/benefit analysis based on your usage and the solar potential of your home, giving you all the data you need to make an informed decision.
We provide the information. You make the choice. Talk to New York Power Solutions to start your switch to reliable solar power.
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