Solar Power System Types In Bakersfield, Fresno, Central Coast, CA and, Surrounding Areas
Types of Solar Power Systems
Solar Power Systems
What is a traditional solar power system?
The most common type of solar power for homes and businesses is connected to the power grid. Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels convert sunlight into electricity which allows you to produce clean energy from your property. The energy is then cycled into the grid to offset your utility bill using an inverter.
This type of system functions kind of like a battery and allows your home or business to be powered by your solar system or the traditional utility grid. When your system produces more electricity than it needs, you earn credits toward your utility bill. The goal when building a system is to produce enough so that the credits cover as much of your bill as possible. This type of solar power system is best for most situations because of its affordability.
Solar Power System with Battery Back-Up
This system has the added battery storage that allows crucial appliances, medical devices, and machinery to keep running for long periods if utility company blackouts occur. These systems are typically more expensive because they are more complex and require additional equipment that isn’t fully utilized unless the grid goes down. These systems are also usually not designed to power your whole house or business off of battery power—only a couple of isolated circuits that contain things like refrigerators, freezers, internet, and phones. Battery storage systems like Tesla Powerwall can be configured to be both partial and full backup solutions.
Rooftop + Ground-Mounted Solar Power Systems
Both rooftop and ground-mounted solar power system options are available, depending on your needs and your property.
Net Metering
*Net metering is subject to change at any time with legislation passed by the CPUC. For any proposed changes, please speak to one of our Sales Consultants.
Customers who produce electricity with a solar power system enter into an annual billing cycle program with their utility company under the Net Energy Metering Agreement.
Over the course of the year, the energy that is put onto the power grid through your smart meter is tracked along with the amount of energy pulled from the grid. At the end of the annual billing cycle, the utility company sends a “true-up” bill which accounts for the “net difference” between the two. Depending on how your solar power system is designed and your usage throughout the year, you can achieve “net-zero” and only owe your utility company grid-connection fees.