Tinder Creeps

Imagine that you have baked a massive batch of cookie but can only eat a few. What will you do with your surplus? You could consider trading the cookies with your neighbor to get some lemonade. It’s similar in many ways to the neighborhood swap. Except the cookies are the excess solar energy and the lemonade the electricity you use from the power grid when necessary.

Net energy meters have become an important strategy for encouraging the installation of renewable sources of energy in homes, businesses and other buildings. NEM, which allows individuals to feed back unused energy into the public network, makes renewable energy accessible and financially viable for the average customer. The process is simple: Your solar panels produce power, your home consumes what it needs and any excess energy is sent to the community grid as a credit.

Harnessing the sun involves more than installing solar panels and watching a meter run in reverse. Each sunrise not only brings light, but a number of variables that influence how much energy is produced on a daily basis. Imagine how different the colors of the sky are at dawn. There is never a similar shade. The output of solar cells is not constant, but changes with weather patterns, seasonal shifts, and even passing cloud cover.

Solar enthusiasts also need to consider the rollercoaster ride that is net energy billing. It is not uncommon for the amount of money you make from these extra kilowatts to vary greatly depending on local laws or utility policies. In this way, solar energy economics often resembles trading stocks. You may get dividends now, but rules can change tomorrow. Your returns could be drastically altered.

Take a look at the technological tango. Solar technology is constantly improving in a culture where people are always chasing innovation. Solar panels from the past may not work with smart grids today. Compatibility poses a significant challenge. This can make certain older systems less profitable or require upgrades more often than expected.

In spite of these challenges, net energy metering offers compelling narratives to both individuals and community. Homeowners are attracted by the idea of reducing their electrical bills and earning credits. They also contribute to an environmentally friendly planet. Imagine turning your rooftop in to a miniature power plant. Community grids will benefit from reduced stress during peak periods. Imagine an extremely hot day, when everyone cranks the AC up as the sun blisters over their heads. Solar homes reduce demand for power by pumping surplus energy into the system.

But the dynamic of grids and solar power is not one-sided. Community cooperation is essential. The energy cooperation that can take place on a wider scale can look like a choreographed performance.

Participating in net energy meters also represents a shift to the way that communities view energy usage. As a result, neighbors become proactive producers instead of mere consumers. This paradigm shift of energy responsibility can help build stronger communities, rooted in sustainability principles. As if every solar array on a roofing is a vote to create a more self-sufficient and sustainable community.