IF I SELL MY POWER, DO I NEED A NEW UTILITY METER?
An electric (utility) meter works continuously. It measures how much electricity you consume and provides the basis for your electric company to bill you for that energy.
But how does it work? Is it analog, digital, smart, or net metering? Can it run in the opposite direction?
WHY IS AN ELECTRIC METER NECESSARY?
Well, it has a big impact on how the utility charges your electricity. Depending on the type of meter (analog, digital, or smart), the utility knows more and more about your consumption pattern.
By monitoring your electric meter yourself, you can gain knowledge on your own consumption pattern and maybe find ways to save on your electric bill.
For solar installers like SOLANA4U, it is important to know your energy (consumption) profile so we can design the optimal capacity of solar panels in your place, which will guarantee the fastest return of your invested money.
ANALOG
In the Philippines, a lot of houses are still fitted with a traditional analog meter. This meter has two conducting coils that generate magnetic fields. One coil measures the voltage, the other the amperage; their interaction produces a magnetic field that turns a disk at a controlled speed.
DIGITAL
There is more than one type of digital meter. They are fitted with AC sensors that detect amperage and voltage. They are normally more accurate than their analog counterparts.
When you have solar, this meter will measure and register both the power you export and the power you import from the Electric Company.
SMART METERS
These meters enable continuous measurement and can be used to determine your electric consumption profile. It sends information via radio signals or cellular communication.
All utility meters measure your consumption in kWh (kilo-Watt-hour). If you run a 50 Watt electric fan for 24 hours, then that is 50 x 24 = 1,200 watt or 1.2kW
With an electric rate of 15 Peso/Kwh, when you run this fan for 30 days (1 month), you will pay
1.2 x 15 x 30 = 540 Peso! You better switch off your electric fan when you are not around!
As mentioned before, SMART/DIGITAL meters are more accurate than the older analog meters. Gradually, all analog meters will be replaced by digital ones. All meters have to measure within an acceptable level of accuracy. These standards differ from country to country, but accuracy levels normally fall between 0.1 and 0.5 Percent. In net metering, the test conditions must be applied twice, one for the import and one for the export.
NET METERING
This is a billing method that credits solar owners for excess electricity they produce and export to the electric company. If you consider solar, net metering can provide a lot of financial benefits. If you apply net metering, you will also get a new electric meter that can measure both import and export electricity.
What can solar do to your electric meter? A big electric bill is nobody’s favorite. When you use a lot of electricity, you may want to make the meter spin slower or even reverse! You can do that with solar. With solar, you can slow down your meter.
Even better, if you have net metering, you can even reverse your meter!
Are you interested in checking out what solar can do for your savings and returns? Check out Solana4U, visit the site, fill out the contact form or (better) send an email to hello@solana4u.ph to make an inquiry!
