The short version
Your panels make the most power in the middle of the day. Most households use the most power in the evening. Net metering is the arrangement that lets your home send extra daytime power to the grid and pull power back at night, with the utility tracking the difference on your meter.
Think of it as a running tab. When you send more than you use, you build a credit. When you use more than you send, you draw that credit down first and pay for what is left.
A month, walked through
Here is a simple, illustrative example. The numbers are round on purpose and are not a prediction for your home.
- Your home uses 1,000 kWh over the month.
- Your panels produce 900 kWh over the same month.
- Some of that production is used in the house as it is made. The rest goes out to the grid and comes back at night as credit.
- The utility nets it out: 1,000 used minus 900 produced leaves about 100 kWh you buy from the grid.
In a sunnier month with lighter air conditioning use, you might produce more than you use. That surplus typically rolls forward as a credit against a future bill, subject to your utility's rules.
Why a solar home still gets a bill
You will hear “zero bill” in solar marketing. Be careful with it. Even when your production covers your usage, utilities generally charge some fixed amounts that solar does not erase:
- A basic monthly customer or connection charge.
- Minimum bill provisions, depending on the utility.
- Taxes and fees that apply regardless of usage.
A good proposal shows you the expected floor of your bill, not only the savings.
Rules vary, and they change. Net metering terms depend on your utility and on state regulation, and both can be revised. This page is general education for a fictional demo company. Confirm the current terms with your utility before making a decision.
Sizing follows from this
Because surplus credit has limits and timing rules, the goal is not to build the biggest system your roof can hold. The goal is a system sized against your actual usage. That is why we ask for a year of bills before we quote, and why you will see 8kW, 10kW, and other sizes on our pricing page rather than a single package for everyone.
Questions worth asking any installer
- What does my bill look like in the worst month, not just the best?
- How are extra credits treated at the end of the year?
- What fixed charges will I still pay?
- What happens if the utility changes its rules later?
- How does a battery change any of this?
If an installer cannot answer these plainly, keep looking. If you would like our answers, ask on a free quote or call (727) 555-0148.