Run Your Electric Meter Backwards - Legally
Imagine being able to save money on your energy bills, help lessen the strain on utility companies, and reduce or eliminate harmful environmental emissions. That is exactly what many homeowners across the US are doing thanks to a program known as “net metering.” Net metering essentially allows homeowners who have invested in photo-voltaic (PV) solar panels to become “mini-power producers.” When more energy is produced by the solar panels than is consumed, homeowner’s utility meters run backwards, essentially selling electricity produced by the solar panels back to the local utility company.
According to the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, more than 40 states now offer net metering programs for those with solar panels, with Federal legislation adopting standards to require net metering by 2008. Programs vary by state and are usually coupled with additional incentives which make investment in solar technology more attractive. Despite widely available programs for those with solar panels, the number of homeowners taking advantage of these programs remains low because “many people don’t even know the programs exist since neither government nor industry is making a big advertising push.” It is up to individuals to tackle energy independence and lessen the strain on utility companies and on the environment through the use of devices such as solar panels.
