‘Net metering’ allows people to be mini-power producers

Their electric meter runs backward when they produce more power than they use

HYDE PARK – When the sun shines bright on their home in New York’s Hudson Valley, John and Anna Bagnall live out a homeowner’s fantasy.

Their electricity meter runs backward.

Solar panels on their barn roof can often provide enough for all their electricity needs. Sometimes – and this is the best part – their solar setup actually pushes power back into the system. The Bagnalls “net meter,” a state-sanctioned setup that allows homeowners to adopt renewable energy without taking the more radical step of disconnecting from their local electric utility, Central Hudson Gas & Electric.

Net metering essentially allows people to become mini-power producers. Programs vary state to state, but they are typically coupled with financial incentives that make it easier to invest thousands of dollars for photovoltaic panels, windmills or fuel cells. Since sun and wind are intermittent, customers still rely on the grid for steady service. The meter runs backward when more energy is produced than a customer consumes.

AP