This article introduces you to the term” net metering” and its benefits for homeowners with a residential solar system. Many readers are quite unfamiliar with the term net metering. Particularly those that are looking for sustainable energy options to improve the environment and drastically reduce carbon footprint. Turning to green energy is a huge step towards conserving the environment, and is now, the need of the hour. Governments, non-profit organizations, research institutes across the globe are working towards spreading awareness and incentivizing the adoption of renewable sources of energy. In line with the same efforts, governments across various countries have introduced the concept of net metering for green energy generation and usage.
What is net metering?
Net metering is a system of control designed to maintain checks and balances specifically for the residential solar system. It also works as a net preserver of energy, which means that homeowners can monitor and control the amount of energy they use during the day or at night. The extra energy produced is fed back to the grid. This is called net metering.
Net metering helps solar energy customers to credit their energy bills for the electricity they add to the grid. For instance, you can use solar panels to produce electricity at your home. Solar panels may generate more power than what your home needs during the day. So, when you have net metering attached to your solar PV system, it allows you to send your extra power to the grid. And provides a credit that you can use when you need it. Net metering ensures that the energy you generate at home doesn’t get wasted.
What are the benefits of net metering for home solar system owners?
- One of the main advantages of net metering is a tremendous reduction in your energy consumption costs. You only pay for the net power you use. In simple terms, between the units of solar energy credited to the grid and the units bought from the grid, the remaining balance is what you pay for.
- If your solar panel system generates electric power higher than your consumption, you get a chance to get paid for the excess energy sent to the grid via net metering.
- When you have a net metering system, you have a ready-made storage medium for storing excess electricity. So the owner need not spend on an expensive battery bank to store the excess power.
- With the net metering system, you can eliminate the dependency on the back-up system. As you can switch between the energy sources, you can avoid the dependency on batteries
- The grid purchases any excess energy produced by your solar panel system with net metering installed. This way you can contribute towards an environmentally friendly and power-efficient energy evaluation system.
- When we use solar power with net metering attached, the utility benefits by having extra electricity fed into the grid for general usage. This is particularly helpful in areas where there is an energy shortage. Since net metering uses the existing meter, there is no additional expense for the utility.
- When you feed the excess electricity to the utility, it may also have the benefit of having less demand on its systems during peak demand hours.
- Another major benefit is to the environment because more electricity is coming from solar and less produced by fossil fuels.
- Net metering is inexpensive and requires low maintenance. Since solar panels themselves require low maintenance. The only components that require maintenance would be the battery and generator. However, when you choose net metering, you can eliminate these components and further decrease the maintenance requirements.
Final Thoughts:
One of the biggest attractions to turn towards solar is, it helps homeowners save a lot of money. That they would have spent otherwise on electricity. So, understanding the benefits of net metering helps you make the right decision to switch to solar. Then by providing you a broader perspective on how switching to solar will put more money in your pocket. Dare you looking for the best green energy options? Then you are in the right place. Wattz is one of the leading solar panel installers in Dubai, UAE, who can provide you with the best solar panel installation services for your homes. We help you power your homes with cleaner and greener energy!