Your Solar Electric System and The Utility Grid

Your Solar Electric System and The Utility Grid

As more and more people are becoming aware of the need to find natural ways to generate power, solar generated power has gained in popularity due to it's ability to be environmentally friendly and an excellent source of renewable energy. Solar electric heating systems are an obvious choice for those who are looking for an alternative source of electricity.

Solar electric systems generate electricity silently and without any moving parts. Sunlight is collected in the solar panels to generate DC electricity. That DC electricity is converted into  AC electricity for residential use by the inverter. The AC electricity is fed into your electric meter and circuit breaker panel. The electricity then goes either to your appliances and lights, or is fed back into the grid, or both.

There are two types of solar electric systems: off-grid and grid- interconnected. Off-grid solar electric systems have no connection to the electricity utility grid and use batteries to power your home when conditions are not favourable for the solar systems alone, for example, on a cloudy day or during adverse weather conditions.

Grid-interconnected systems connect the solar electric system to the utility grid. This means that when there is not sufficient sunlight to power your home, electricity is drawn from the grid. When a surplus of solar energy is produced, the power is fed back into the utility grid to be used by other customers.

Grid-interconnected systems are less complex, they tend to be easier to install and less expensive because they do not need batteries. Off-grid solar heating systems are often used where there is no existing electrical service and by those who wish to have complete independence from the grid.

One of the drawbacks of off-grid systems is the inefficiencies of charging and discharging the batteries. They tend to be less efficient than grid-interconnected systems.

Being connected to the utility grid is also more efficient  because off-grid systems must store the energy, as in the
batteries. If you are connected to the grid the utility company stores the energy for you. The utility company keeps track of the energy you use on an hourly basis. On a sunny day you can produce more energy than you are using, so can build up credits. Ideally, the aim of your solar electric system is to produce as much power over the year as you use or more to build up credits.

At night or during cloudy weather, the solar electric system's output is reduced or even stopped. Your home will then gets it's electricity from the utility grid. As you are always connected to the grid you will have as much power as you need, when you need it, regardless of how much energy your system has managed to produce. If your system produces an excess of energy your meter will spin backwards, counting down your energy bill.

Depending on your energy company, special metering and billing arrangements can help you take advantage of higher daytime rates, allowing you to sell power at a high rate and buy it back at night at a lower rate. This can not only save you money but reduce the size of your solar electric system.

The advantages of installing a solar electric system are many - from  money saving, environmental factors and independence. However, before you buy a grid-connected system, make sure you choose a good installer, one who has experience in this field and one who is familiar with your utility company's regulations and interconnection requirements. Your installer should be able to provide everything you need in order to run your system.