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Net metering – All you need to know

May 31, 2022 admin 29 Comments

Net metering is a method of electric invoicing that allows you to store excess energy generated by your solar panels on the grid.

We’ll go over all you need to know about net metering in this article.

Let’s dive deep into how electricity bills work with net metering, and the benefits, and disadvantages of net metering. Let’s go!

Is net metering worth it?

Going solar becomes a more appealing investment with this incentive, especially for properties with little daytime consumption.

During the day, homeowners can convert their roofs into mini-power plants, which is deducted from their nighttime use.

This implies that if your solar energy system generates more electricity than your home requires, the excess is delivered to the power grid, where your utility will compensate you.

Rooftop solar panels are a terrific method to save money because of net metering!

In fact, the best states for solar installation are those with the best net metering rules, not those with the most sunshine.

Solar panels offer a shorter payback period and a higher return on investment where net metering is provided.

If you don’t have this benefit, you’ll only save money on electricity bills if you use solar energy directly, and any surplus generation will be lost unless it’s stored in a solar battery.

In general, areas with favorable net metering rules will see more home solar systems.

How does net metering work?

In a nutshell, net metering provides you credit for returning solar energy to the grid and also offsets future electricity you could take from the utility, providing you the full economic value of all the solar energy your solar panels generate.

You may be able to remove all of your monthly electric expenditures if your solar system is suitably sized.

Solar panels generate the greatest electricity when the sun is shining in the middle of the day.

The issue is that the hottest part of the day is also when you consume the least amount of electricity.

As a result, your panels are generating far more energy than your home requires at the time.

When solar panels generate more electricity than a home requires, the surplus is fed into the grid. This is when net metering enters the picture.

Your electric meter spins backward when a net-metered system transfers solar energy to the grid, and your utility credits your account for the full retail value of electricity.

You then use electricity from the grid at night when your solar panels aren’t producing, spinning your electric meter forward once more.

The utility nets how much electricity you provided to the grid versus how much you used to determine your total cost at the end of the billing month, hence the name net metering.

How does net metering affect your utility bill?

Net metering increases the value of solar power systems for households by allowing you to “sell” any excess energy produced to your utility provider.

It’s crucial to understand how charges and credits are handled, though:

Utility providers will not write you a check for the power you contribute, but you can earn credits for it.

Instead, the credits will be deducted from your power bills.

If your net metering credit is more than your use during a billing period, the difference is carried over to the next month.

Although some electricity companies may continue to roll over your credit indefinitely, many have a yearly expiration date that resets your credit balance.

With all of this in mind, you can cut your annual electricity bill to zero.

During the sunny summer months, you can save up credit and use it during the winter months when solar generation drops.

When your solar power system has just the proper capacity to cover your annual home use, you’ll get the best results.

Oversizing your solar array isn’t a good idea because you’ll wind up with a lot of unused credit each year.

To put it another way, you can’t overproduce each month and charge your power company.

Some power companies will let you choose when your annual net metering credits will expire.

Benefits of net metering

Find below the benefits of net metering

Utility bill savings

The utility bill savings are the most significant benefit of net metering for solar homeowners.

Over the life of your solar panel system, net metering can save you tens of thousands of dollars.

Solar panel systems can be structured to offset all of a solar customer’s energy use charges within a billing cycle, as we mentioned before.

However, net metering cannot eliminate some set charges found on most electric bills.

Shorter payback periods

Payback periods will be substantially shorter in areas that offer complete retail net metering than in areas that do not.

This is due to the fact that solar households will save more on their electricity bills, allowing them to repay their investment expenditures more quickly.

Net metering isn’t the only factor that influences the length of time it takes for your solar system to pay for itself.

The size of your photovoltaic system, the quantity of electricity you use, the cost of your installation, and local solar incentives and rebates all factor into how long it takes to pay off your solar panels.

Reduces pressure on the grid

Residential solar panels aid utilities (as well as their consumers) by reducing the amount of stress on the electric grid distribution system.

Solar households utilize their own electricity instead of getting power from the grid, therefore there are fewer individuals drawing power from the grid directly.

Furthermore, when a solar system transmits extra energy to the grid, that energy is used by non-solar utility users to meet their own energy needs.

This relieves even more strain on utility-scale power plants.

Relieving some of the strain on the electric system is especially critical now, as heatwaves become more prevalent and utilities struggle to satisfy electricity demands in certain regions.

Disadvantages of net metering

There is minimal to no harm from the consumer’s perspective.

You are generating energy and saving money on your electric bill.

From the standpoint of the power company, they are losing money.

Because the consumers’ load requirements vary with the solar output, it makes it a little more difficult to regulate their load.

When the sun shines brilliantly, for example, the load on the electricity company is reduced.

If a large thunderstorm blankets a city, thousands of customers’ solar production may be disrupted, and the utility company must make up the difference almost seamlessly, a difficult task.

Understanding the term – Host consumer

The customer is self-sufficient in terms of power.

They usually already have a relationship with the distribution company and/or a private business, which makes using the net meter easier.

In terms of controlling the amount of electricity utilized and/or billed, the host customer is given both independence and empowerment.

What is a monitoring process?

The methods of metering range from one country to the next.

Depending on the country’s existing energy or environmental legislation, processes might also vary greatly from area to region or state to state.

It basically determines how much power customers can use at any one moment.

The majority of monitoring and reimbursable fees are done on a monthly basis.

Advantages of using the monitoring process.

A minimal fee is imposed.
There is only one meter used.
Currents are measured in both directions.
There is no need for prior arrangements or notices.
Credits can be carried over to the following month.

Disadvantages of using the monitoring process

Deficit payments were necessary in some circumstances.
It may be necessary to settle a residual account or obligation on an annual basis.
Revenue collection shortages are a problem for municipal and government-controlled grid systems.
Net metering/power generation system owners are not required to pay the full cost of the regional or national grid.

Other terms include:

Aggregate net metering

Multiple meters on a property can be offset by a single solar system using aggregate net metering.

Assume you live on a ranch with a house, a barn, and a workshop, all of which have their own meters.

All three meters are included in the total net energy use on the property under this agreement.

This works in the same way that ‘traditional’ net metering does.

The only distinction is that you can track multiple meters on a single property.

Virtual net metering

Virtual net metering differs from traditional net metering in that it allows several consumers to share a solar energy system and participate in net metering.

Individual tenants can be metered and billed under their own account under this arrangement, which allows shared houses such as apartment buildings to establish a centralized solar system.

Similarly, residents in the neighborhood can construct a community solar farm to provide power to several residences in the area.

Those that invest in the community solar scheme gain a piece of the shared system’s ownership.

They would be entitled to credits and/or compensation based on their percentage ownership in the system.

Rounding up

Are you considering going solar?

Make a phone call to your local utility and inquire about their net metering policies. Many have their policies available on the internet.

They’ll explain how they credit you for the solar energy you generate, which is crucial to know if you want to get the most out of your system.

Don’t forget to share this article.

Energy

Benefits of solar energy for commercial use

April 26, 2022 admin 22 Comments

Electricity is one of the most expensive overhead charges you’ll face as a business owner. You’ll be vulnerable to electric rate changes if you rely on the commercial power system.

Unexpected price rises create uncertainty in your firm, particularly in terms of cash flow management. Perhaps it’s time to lighten your load and investigate how solar panels can help your company.

Solar panels are quickly gaining traction as a viable alternative energy source. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at the commercial benefits of solar panels

Benefits of solar energy for commercial use

You’re probably aware that solar energy is a long-term investment with a slow payoff. Finally, you’ll base your decision on the advantages of solar electricity for your company. Here are a few of the most important advantages:

Sustainability of solar panels

Commercial electrical power is a commodity, which many people are unaware of. It is purchased and sold according to supply and demand.

When you take electricity from the grid, you’re subject to market forces and user rates. You are not covered against future charges. This is due to the fact that the future is unpredictably unpredictable.

You’re making an investment in your company’s future by switching to solar energy. You save money on electricity while also protecting the future of your business when you use solar power.

Control future energy bills

It’s tough to predict running costs because you never know what the future holds. When you install solar panels, though, forecasting your electric bill becomes a lot easier.

With a business solar panel system that drastically decreases your energy expenditures, you won’t have to worry about unpredictable and wildly changing energy bills each month. Because you won’t have to worry about growing energy rates, your budgeting just got a whole lot easier.

Highly reliable

Solar panels for commercial use are essentially maintenance-free and silent. Commercial buildings are usually designed in such a way that they are conveniently accessible.

The solar cells are protected by tempered glass and non-corrosive aluminum frames. They’re made to withstand the elements and can survive rain, hail, wind, and snow – pretty much any weather-related threat.

Now is the best time to invest in SOLAR. The above benefits of solar energy for commercial use are valid!

Energy

The best ways to use solar water heaters

December 2, 2021 admin 10 Comments

Did you know there’s a cost effective way of generating hot water for your home? Have you been searching for the best ways to use solar water heaters?

Solar water heaters can be used in any climate, so it is highly recommended. It makes use of renewable energy – the sun.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through what solar heaters are, the uses and best ways to use solar water heaters.

What are solar water heaters?

A solar water heater is a device that generates hot water using solar heat energy. It is made up of a solar collector that is put on a building’s roof and connected to a water storage tank. Unheated water can be pumped from the tank through the collector to be directly heated, or it can be heated by a high-capacity heat-exchange fluid that was warmed in the collector and transmits its heat through tubes in the water in the tank, depending on the system.

While heat transfer from the solar collector to the unheated water can be accomplished passively without the need of mechanical devices, “active” solar hot water systems rely on energy to circulate the heat-exchange fluid as well as to power mechanical pumps and controllers.

Types of solar systems

Active systems

Mechanical pumps and differential controllers are used in active solar hot water systems to regulate and guide the flow of the heat-transfer fluid or water from the solar collector to the tank.

Passive systems

Passive systems, which rely on gravity rather than electricity, are most efficient in hot climates where night or wintertime freezing is not present.

Uses of solar water heaters

The basic requirement for hot water is extremely costly because it consumes a significant amount of energy. Heating water consumes more than 18% of all domestic energy. The majority of houses and businesses get their energy from fossil fuels like gas and oil. The majority of modern household boilers are gas-powered and heat water on demand.

Furthermore, many individuals prefer to heat their water with electricity, which is the most expensive technique of all.

Humans also can’t deny that we use hot water on a daily basis, and that hot water is the lifeblood of various manufacturing operations.

The introduction of “green energy” has aided individuals in adopting more efficient and sustainable means of carrying out daily tasks.

Benefits of using solar water heaters

There are numerous benefits of using solar water heaters, they include:

Hot water throughout the year

The solar water system works throughout the year, though you’ll need to heat the water with a boiler or immersion, especially during Harmattan.

Reduced energy bills

You don’t have to worry about bills anymore because the sun is free, so your hot water costs will be reduced.

Lower carbon footprint

Solar water heating is a renewable energy source that can help you lower your carbon footprint.

Conclusion

Leveraging the sun has numerous advantages. Solar energy has played a big role in generating hot water for the home.

Solar Panels

Solar energy and sustainable development

November 5, 2021 admin 55 Comments

Fossil fuels are hazardous to the environment. Excessive burning of fossil fuels in the environment releases large amounts of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the air. Greenhouse gases trap heat in our atmosphere, causing global warming.

Achieving solutions to the environmental problems we face today will require long term action plans for sustainable development. Renewable energy (e.g solar energy) is one of the most efficient ways to provide solutions for the environmental problems we face.

Sustainable development and solar energy are greatly intertwined.

What is sustainable development?

According to the United Nations, sustainability means “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Solar energy embodies this widely accepted definition of sustainability because the sun’s energy can be used indefinitely without diminishing its future availability.

In addition, most experts agree that the sun is the most important source of renewable energy.

Solar energy doesn’t just help reduce your electricity, it helps save humanity.

What are sustainable development goals?

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

Use of solar energy provides environmental, social and economic benefits that can accelerate the world’s trajectory towards SDGs. Solar energy contributes to the reduction of poverty, and access to affordable and reliable electricity.

Solar energy and sustainable development

What is the impact of solar energy on the environment?

The sun provides a tremendous resource for generating clean and sustainable electricity without toxic pollution or global warming emissions. The sun is finite. Hence, the use of the sun in generating electricity has the following advantages:

Conserves water

A lot of traditional electricity production requires the use of water. This can consume thousands of litres of water per year.

Water is used for cooling generators, processing and refining fuel and transporting fuel through pipes.

However, generation of power through solar panels does not require the use of water.

Reduces air pollution

Burning of fossil fuels results in environmental pollution. It can generate harmful carbon dioxide and methane gases in the atmosphere which affects the air we breathe in.

Generating electricity from solar panels produces no harmful emissions, and the more homes and businesses that rely on solar power means less toxic emissions from fossil fuels into our air.

It reduces our reliance on fossil fuels

The energy from the sun is free, which means there’s enough to go round. Fossil fuels aren’t free, and they’re running out quickly.

Therefore, reducing our reliance on these finite resources and taking advantage of an abundant, free source of energy, such as sunlight, could mean lower energy prices, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and a stronger, more stable energy future.

Conclusion

Solar energy consumption leads to sustainable development. It creates a pollutant free environment, eradicates poverty and leads to economic growth.

Energy Solar Panels

Why Is Solar Power Important?

May 29, 2021 admin 58 Comments

The sun gives off far more energy than we need to power everything on earth everyday. It’s no news that solar energy is the key to a clean green energy future.

There are numerous advantages attached to investing in solar power. Research has shown that burning fossil fuels regularly is hazardous to human health.

Think about it! Everyday the fumes from generators,industries, etc., produce large quantities of carbon dioxide when burned. Carbon emissions trap heat in the atmosphere and lead to climate change.

In this blog post, we’ll be covering reasons why you should use solar power, incase you’re yet to.

Let’s dive in.

5 reasons you should consider using solar power

1. It is beneficial to the environment

The most commonly known fact about solar energy is that it represents a clean, green source of energy.

Solar power is a great way to reduce carbon in the environment. There’s nothing about solar power that causes pollution.

Solar power doesn’t release any greenhouse gasses, and uses no resources, except for needing a source of clean water to function. It is safe and environmentally-friendly. Yet, people are still in doubt why solar energy is good.

You should be among the 1% of the population contributing to a sustainable future. All you need to do is install solar panels on your roof and do away with burning of fossil fuels. Starting on your home is a great way to show you care about the environment.

2. The sun is a renewable energy

The sun provides us with more energy than we could ever use, and no one can monopolise the sunlight.

The solar resource is enormous. According to the US Department of Energy, the amount of sunlight that strikes the earth’s surface in an hour and a half is enough to handle the entire world’s energy consumption for a full year.

The sun can never get exhausted, and so does your power supply.

3. Saves you from utility bills

Home solar panels and a home battery can offer freedom from the utility companies with predictable electric bills. This helps you avoid peak electricity rates and provides reliable back-up power when the grid goes down.

Solar service agreements can offer low and predictable rates that are typically less expensive than your electric company’s rates, so you can expect, on average, to pay less for power when you go solar.

Electricity is more expensive during periods of peak demand and less expensive during low demand periods. With a rechargeable home solar and battery system, you can avoid the most expensive rates.

4. It is very accessible

You may continue to wonder why solar power. With the increasing need of solar energy, it’s become easily accessible to most of us. Across countries, there are vast land that are far away from big cities or capitals, and are not used for anything at all.

With solar power, we can actually make use of the land and subsequently generate great value; solar energy provides a source of power for everyone. In this way, we don’t need to use high priced land that might be better suited for other applications.

5. Uninterrupted power supply

Rooftop solar power is helpful in increasing electricity efficiency, considering the short distance. Your energy becomes domestic and as a result you’re in control of your own bills and energy usage.

Furthermore, solar power systems are durable, thus chances of service interruption are reduced.

Conclusion

Solar power has numerous advantages. You’ll be saving the environment by investing in solar energy, have uninterrupted access to electricity, and saved from heavy utility bills.