What is Net-Metering?

Net-Metering means you are paid the same for your solar power as you pay for electricity. In the early days of solar, you "ran the meter backwards". At the end of the month, you paid only the different between what you used and what you sent to the utility, or the "Net". This was a VERY good deal for the person owning a solar array. You "stored" your excess power in "The Grid" for use later.

The reality is no storage was taking place. It was shipped out for someone else to use. Early on it was OK for the utility. They kept the basic electrical infrastructure the same and it was cheaper and easier with only a few people with Solar.

The reality is the power is only a part of the charge from the utility. They maintain the electric lines. The Utility keeps equipment running standby in case the solar array doesn't produce enough power. These have significant costs! Every kilo-Watt you send to the grid, the power company has to cut back power production, and it reduces efficiency, further driving up costs. And your non-solar neighbors pay!

Dumping excess solar to the grid can create instability. On a partially cloudy day, as cloudy shadows cross your solar array, you switch from producing to using. Like suddenly switching from downhill to uphill in a car. The power company has to suddenly produce more power. Then reduce power when the cloud shadow leaves. Imagine this happening all over the network!

By this point, many people think they are being "ripped off" if they do not get as much for the power as they pay. Some of the sales pitches relied on Net Metering to convince people to install solar. Without Net-metering, the payback period is much longer

Net Metering was a short-term solution. As a solar user, you should provide your own way to store excess power and then release it for your own use later. This leads to REAL net-metering no matter what your electric plan.