Friends:
After years of not quite understanding the intricacies of the newer, more complicated utility rate schedules I have spent the last 72 hours diving deeply into the rabbit hole. I have one question I need answered. Maybe someone has the answer. If you are on a tiered electric utility rate I know you pay more for energy after you exceed certain daily amounts—the baseline. I am clear that if you avoid paying the higher rates, the value of the energy you generate is equal to the money you save. However if you ratchet your daily usage below zero and are net-exporting for part of a day, at what value are you credited in an NEM contract? Is it: You get the baseline rate no matter how much energy you export. Or is it: After you export more than the baseline rate, you start getting credited at the over-baseline rate. Or is it something different altogether. If anyone knows the answer to this arcane question I would be very grateful to learn it. It may vary from utility to utility or plan to plan. PG&E E-6 is the tiered rate I most commonly encounter. If any of you are particularly masochistic you can review some work I have published on the subject here: https://millersolar.com/MillerSolar/case_studies/28_UtilityRates/UtilityRates.html This is an intricate subject and I believe anyone working in grid-tied solar should have at least a passing familiarity with the topic. It affects the realized benefits of investing in grid-tied solar. Thanks again for being the great group of friends that you are. William Miller Miller Solar 17395 Oak Road, Atascadero, CA 93422 805-438-5600 www.millersolar.com CA Lic. 773985
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