Here at Honey's Air & Solar, we make it our mission to let as many homeowners as possible know about the benefits of installing rooftop solar systems. If you’re considering investing in solar, you may think that a rooftop solar power system will eliminate your home’s electricity bills. In reality, this is rarely, if ever, the case. Most of the savings come from the usage of a system called net metering. Here’s an explanation of what net metering is, how it works, and how it makes rooftop solar installations worthwhile.
Rooftop Solar Generation Capacity
Before going over net metering, it’s important to understand why rooftop solar systems don’t typically eliminate a home’s electricity bills. The simple answer is that most of them lack the generation capacity to fully meet a home’s power needs at all times. There are a few reasons for that.
The first reason is a lack of space on a home’s roof. It’s only possible to install a solar rooftop system that’s as large as the space you have to work with. Most homes can’t support systems large enough to replace grid power. Second is the orientation of the roof. The direction a roof faces plays a key role in its generation capacity since it affects how much sun your panels get each day. The third reason is that solar systems generate more power in the summer than in the winter due to the difference in the number of hours of sunlight that strikes them each day.
All of those things translate into solar power generation that fluctuates throughout the day, changes with the seasons, and doesn’t work at night or in inclement weather. If you were to use such a system without a backup energy source, your home would go without power frequently. That’s where net metering comes in.
What Is Net Metering?
Net metering offers a way for your rooftop solar system and your existing grid power connection to work as a team. When your solar system produces enough power for your home, you won’t run up an electricity bill. When there’s a shortfall in production, your home can draw power from the grid, and you’ll get charged for it just as you did before you had your solar system installed.
But what about sunny days when you’re not using much power? Whenever your solar system generates more power than your home needs, net metering allows you to sell that power back to the electric company for a profit.
How Does Net Metering Work?
To take advantage of net metering, you’ll need a special power meter installed at your home. This is usually done at the time of your home’s rooftop solar system installation. Unlike conventional power meters, the type used for net metering can monitor power flows in both directions, not just from the grid to the home. So, when your solar system produces more power than you’re using at any given moment, the meter itself will begin to run backward.
In that way, the meter can tally how much grid power your home consumes each month, and automatically subtract the power your system feeds back into the grid. The result is that you’re billed only for your net power usage.
How Net Metering Makes Rooftop Solar Viable
Using net metering helps homeowners to maximize the benefits of their rooftop solar power system while ensuring their homes never go without power. Plus, here in California, homes that use net metering also participate in time-of-use rate plans. Doing that means owners of homes with solar panels can further tailor their energy usage to minimize their power bills each month.
If there were no such thing as net metering, the only way rooftop solar could work for the average home would be by using a much larger — and more costly — solar panel array. And it would also be mandatory to install sufficient battery storage to see the home through each night and rainy or cloudy days when their system’s output drops.
Trust the Rooftop Solar Experts
The good news is that the team here at Honey's Air & Solar knows everything there is to know about rooftop solar. We can help you design a rooftop solar system for your Modesto, CA home that leverages net metering to the greatest possible effect. That way, your home would be more energy self-sufficient, environmentally friendly, and have lower power bills each month.
There’s no better company to trust for your home’s solar power needs than Honey's Air & Solar. We’ve served the Modesto community since 2009, offering complete HVAC installation, maintenance, and repair services since that date. And in 2014, we expanded to include the sales, installation, and maintenance of rooftop solar products.
So, if you’re interested in a rooftop solar power system with net metering for your Modesto, CA home, contact Honey's Air & Solar today!