Net metering
A utility billing arrangement that credits you for the solar electricity you export to the grid, offsetting the power you draw later.
Net metering lets your meter run backward: when your panels produce more than your home uses, the surplus flows to the grid and your utility credits it against future usage. The credit rate is the single biggest factor in solar payback. Traditional 1:1 net metering credits exports at the full retail rate, while newer 'net billing' programs (like California's NEM 3.0) pay well below retail.
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See also