How Does Net Metering Work?

Net metering is a billing arrangement between solar customers and their utility company (such as PG&E). This allows you to earn credits on your electricity bill when your solar panels produce surplus energy that is sent to the power grid. You then pull energy from the grid at night and use the credits produced during the day to cover the energy costs.

THE BASICS OF NET METERING

At Cascade Power, we’re experts at fitting your home with the right size solar system, ensuring you will produce enough power to balance the use of electricity in your home for the whole year. However, throughout the year the amount of power generated by your solar panels will vary. Net metering allows you to compensate for these variations by crediting you for excess electricity created by your panels so you can use it later. When your system produces less energy, you will need to draw electricity from your utility company to make up the difference. If you draw more power from the grid than you produce, you will end up with a charge for the month. If your solar system  produces more energy than your home consumes in a month, this will result in a credit on your statement.

THE YEAR END STATEMENT

Each month you will have either a credit or a charge for the month, but you’re not actually charged monthly. At the end of the year you’re presented with a statement (if you’re a PG&E customer this is known as a True-Up statement), so the goal is to have is to have all your monthly charges and credits offset to zero so nothing is owed at the end of the year. Because our Solar Experts are skilled at matching customers to the perfect solar system, most of our customers find a True-Up statement of $0 (or even with a credit).

To find out how much you can save with solar, contact one of our experts for a free home assessment.