Let our experts find the best solar system for you
NEM 3.0 is now open for applications!
Let our experts find the best solar system for you
NEM 3.0 is now open for applications!
Net metering benefits you with reduced electricity bill by cutting down the amount of electricity from the distribution company. You receive credits for the electricity that you generated but didn’t use. On top of getting a monetary benefit, you get the peace of mind that you are positively contributing towards the environment with renewable energy.
It has been available to customers since the 1980s. Moving forward to 2008, when a legislation got enforced then
In 2016, the legislation made changes in the net metering laws thereby:
First of all, you must be a customer of a specific electric distribution company.
Secondly, you must meet all the requirements of your electric distribution company before you begin interconnecting your generating facility.
Thirdly, if on a single phase circuit your net metering facility is larger than 10kW or on a three phase it’s larger than 25kW then you must receive a cap allocation for your facility.
Under the net metering regulation, you don’t need to necessarily buy and/or own the generating facilities. They can be financed and/or owned by someone else other than you (the host customer).
You get billed on the net consumption of electricity.
i.e. your Net Consumption = (total electricity consumed) – (total electricity generated).
If net consumption is positive, you will pay the bill to the distribution company. If negative, you receive money for that billing period.
In simple words, what you get billed for totally depends on the amount of electricity produced. If you use more electricity than it is generated on the site then you owe the distribution company money. On the other hand if you use less electricity than you produce then you earn a monetary credit.
For example:
Imagine if you have solar panels installed on the rooftop of your home. At night when the panels aren’t generating electricity, your retail meter spins forward because you are consuming electricity for may be your computer, refrigerator or any other power appliance. During the day when the panels generate electricity, your meter spins in reverse. In this case, the excess electricity produced is sent to the electric grid.
At the time of paying the bill, you only pay for the net consumption.
It takes 12 months from the date you submit NEM application to the date of proposed contract with TNB/SESB. In case your application is refused the quota allocated is offered back to other potential NEM applicants.
You need 3 types of meter for NEM. Below are the details.
1. TNB/SESB’s bi-directional meter – This meter comes with import-export feature and is primarily needed to record the amount of electricity you will produce, consume or export
2. Check meter – This meter’s purpose is to measure the amount of energy exported (if applicable). It’s measurement is equivalent to or same as the standards of the consumer meter installed by TNB/SESB at your premises
3. PV meter/data logger/inverter – This type of meter (along with monitoring feature) records the total amount of electricity your PV system generates.
200 MW quota will be offered on 1st Nov 2016 as allocated for 2016 and 2017. For 2018, quota release is scheduled (yet to be approved) for Ist July 2017. This will be released with prior announcement.
Your eligibility to participate in NEM depends on your electricity bill. This precisely means if you are a registered customer of TNB/SESB, you are eligible. All you have to do is ensure that your name/ company name appears in the TNB/SESB bill.
You don’t need to apply for NEM in such a scenario. However, if your PV system’s capacity is above 72kWp, you’d require a generation license (private) from ST which should comply with the relevant rules under the Electricity Supply Act (ESA).
The contracts becomes effective from the same day both parties sign it. And it remains in effect unless either party terminates it or the main electricity contract gets cancelled.
There’s no cap on the number of customers who can participate in net metering scheme.
Yes, you will need a bi-directional supply meter.