I\u2019d never heard of \u201cnet metering\u201d until my electric bill hit $600 last February. Desperate for a way to reduce utility costs that skyrocket in the winter because we use electric heaters, I started getting quotes for rooftop solar power.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when I learned about a state law that requires Colorado utilities to credit homeowners who send power back to the grid at the same rate they would pay to buy power from the power company. This \u201cnet metering\u201d policy<\/a> made adding solar to my home a good investment. Even though we didn\u2019t add batteries, which would have doubled our costs, our solar panels will offset a significant portion of our utility bills.<\/p>\n I\u2019m a fan of net metering because it forces Xcel Energy, which enjoys a monopoly in my area, to discount our bill for any energy our solar panels produce that I don’t use. They do this even though it cuts into their profits. Net metering made the economics of solar power work in my instance, and I save money when the sun shines brightly and spring days stay cold.<\/p>\n But after watching hurricanes knock out power across large regions of the country, I have a brand-new perspective on net metering. Rather than viewing it as a policy that lets homeowners save on utility bills, I\u2019m thinking of net metering as a way to make where I live more resilient to natural disasters.<\/p>\n My parents live in Asheville, North Carolina, which was devastated by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. They were out of town visiting family when the storm struck, but water and power outages kept them from getting home for weeks.<\/p>\n Until 2023, North Carolina had used net metering requirements to encourage solar installation, contributing to its status as the fourth-largest solar power-producing state in the country. But in recent years, power companies successfully persuaded legislators in North Carolina, as well as California, Nevada and Arizona, to switch from net metering to \u201cnet billing.\u201d That change and other policies now pay solar producers at significantly lower rates.<\/p>\n In those states, utilities argued that net metering hurts homeowners who don\u2019t have solar by increasing costs for non-solar power. But analyses, notably those conducted by public power consultant Richard McCann in conjunction with the California Solar & Storage Association<\/a>, show that increased solar production saves billions for non-solar producers in California.<\/p>\n When states move away from net metering — despite the dubious arguments justifying the shift \u2014 the pace of solar installations slows dramatically. In California, new solar installations dropped by 56% from 2022 to 2024.<\/p>\n For those of us with solar panels, I think it\u2019s time to think about adding storage batteries right from the start, using that extra electricity for battery charging. Batteries make any home more independent from the grid, but here\u2019s the catch: The cost can be prohibitive. I\u2019m saving up as solar batteries cost between $12,000 and $20,000 for a typical home, according to solarreviews.com.<\/p>\n