Net Metering - What is it?
What is Net Metering? When your solar system generates energy it offsets the cost of your power usage through your utility company.
How it works:
When your system is generating more power than you use, it flows back into the utility grid making the meter ‘run backwards' and creating a possible credit to your account. When you use more energy than your system generates, you take energy from the utility grid. A specific meter will be installed to measure the energy used by your home.
Net Metering allows customers with solar systems to cut down on energy costs and can even zero out their rates. It also is a great way to measure your energy usage and performance stats of your solar system.
In the Bay Area, PG&E is the major energy provider. They currently provide two ways to apply Net Metering;
- Standard Rate Schedule: cost per kilowatt is a set number and will not change by time of day
- Time-of-Use Rate Schedule: cost per kilowatt varies by season per day. Peak Hours apply.
To read more about these schedules click here
With a Net Metering agreement with your utility company you can elect to receive a monthly bill for your net usage or ‘settle’ your account after a 12 month period.
Have questions about going solar and lowering your energy costs to zero?
Call us today! 510.559.7700
Hurray! Our Pres. Metin Saglam is BPI Certified!
BPI (Building Performance Institute) is an organization spanning all 50 states. Individuals with BPI’s certification are experienced in the standards used for house-as-a-system approach to improving the performance of existing homes – an approach proven to reduce home owner annual utility bills by as much as 20% or more.
ALLY's president, Metin Saglam is now a BPI Certified Professional! BPI certified professionals can help you improve your home's energy efficiency while providing important safety functions such as mold prevention, carbon monoxide testing, and combustion appliance safety checks. They an also help prepare your home for solar, geothermal, or other types of energy upgrades.
Call us today for a home energy efficiency consultation! 510.599.7700
Bay Area Electric Vehicles - Top Reasons We Buy
The California Center for Sustainable Energy collected data on their Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP) applicants who purchased their vehicle between September 2012 and April 2014. One of the areas they highlighted in this study are the driving factors for choosing to buy an electric vehicle. In the Bay Area, just over 3,000 people were asked and the top reason was savings on fuel costs. With gas prices shooting higher every day this is not a surprise. Other top reasons included; reducing environmental impact and HOV lane access.
Another important driving factor for Bay Area drivers was the Federal Tax incentive and the CA State Rebate granted to electric vehicle buyers. 40% of buyers noted that these programs allowed them to choose to go electric. Read more about the study, here.
ALLY has a fleet of electric vehicles as well! We can install electric vehicle charging stations for you at your home or business! Give us a call at 510.559.7700! Or contact us for a quote, here.