Net metering
From Free net encyclopedia
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Net metering is a state level electricity policy for consumers who own "qualifying facilities," which are generally smaller, renewable energy sources such as a wind or solar power. Under net metering, a system owner receives retail credit for at least a portion of the electricity they generate. The ideal has your existing electricity meter spinning backwards, effectively banking excess electricity production for future credit. In reality, the rules vary significantly by country and possibly state/province if net metering is available, if and how long you can keep your banked credits, how much the credits are worth (retail/wholesale), etc. In North America, 40 U.S. states have some form of net metering in place, and Canada has an ongoing net metering project.
Net purchase and sale
Net purchase and sale is a different method of providing power to the electricity grid. It is however a lot less profitable for home users of small renewable energy systems.