Solar Basics and
Benefits of Solar Energy
Save on Utility Bills Right Away
Avoid Future Utility Price Increases
Reduce Greenhouse Gasses
Increase Property Values
Power Home Electrification
Many people decide to go solar when they get ready to buy their first electric vehicle (EV). Once you have solar on your roof, you can leverage new technologies like Heat Pump Water Heaters, Induction Cooking, and Heat Pump Space Heaters/Coolers in addition to EVs. Through adopting these new electrification technologies, you’ll further reduce your emissions of greenhouse gasses such as gasoline and natural gas. You’ll also take advantage of additional cost savings.
How Does Grid-Tied Solar Work?
In most cases in California, net metering is coupled with time-of-use billing, in which the smart meter notes the time of day electricity is being used, or produced, along with the quantity. A time-of-use rate schedule values electricity at a higher rate during the times of day when demand is highest and most expensive to generate (due to the use of peaking power plants). This is particularly true in summer when the use of air conditioning places the most strain on the grid. Solar systems that are generating excess during peak hours will yield credits at a higher rate than the cost of electricity consumed at night during off-peak hours. This is changing as more solar is added to the grid, and PG&E moves the peak rates to later in the afternoon and evening. You can check out PG&E’s Time of Use rate schedule here.
Solar System Components
This electric current is transmitted through wires to the inverter, which changes the direct current into an alternating current (ac), the kind most home appliances are designed to operate with and the kind which is transmitted on the utility grid. Grid-tied inverters track and regulate the voltage level of the photovoltaic modules at the point that optimizes the energy produced as this point changes with conditions, and shut down automatically when the utility grid goes down to safeguard the welfare of line workers. The inverter is most commonly wired directly to a circuit breaker in the utility panel of the home or business, through which it feeds power to the loads there or elsewhere on the grid. Many grid-tied inverters have integrated direct current disconnect switches, and in some municipalities additional disconnecting means are installed as well.Financial Incentives to Go Solar
Power Outages
