If I own solar panels, is it legal for me to sell my extra energy?

Question

If I own solar panels, is it legal for me to sell my extra energy?

Answer 1

It's legal, but unlikely you will have any extra energy unless you have acres of solar cells.

Answer 2

I don't think so.

Answer 3

YES!

How you sell it is Dependant on the regulations of your state ( or country if outside the US)

A great example would be the First Net Zero electric commercial building in the US.  The building does not have acres of solar panels, but it creates excess electric while providing all the power it needs to run a 42,000 square foot commercial building.

The building is in a state that allows it to be grid tied. When the building produces excess power it is sent back out to the grid. Their electric meter literally spins backward.

At the end of the year the amount of energy used is subtracted from the amount of energy produced. In this case, the "31 Tannery Project" produced 13 months of electricity in 12 months, making it the First Net Zero Electric commercial building in the US.

The process is more common on the residential level where it is much easier to produce excess electricity.

First check with your state to see if they are grid tied and facilitate the selling of excess electricity. If not, you then have to either have a direct connection to other homes or you need a battery system to save the excess electricity and then manually provide it to others.

Answer 4

Mother Earth Magazine did an article a few years back about this process, and some of the homeowners in the article were getting money back from their local electric company.  It may not be alot, yet if hundreds of people follow your example the results could be substantial.

Thank you for your , I appreciate you for it!!

The Garden Lady

Answer 5

Many states have laws regarding net metering. Check out this link for more information:

http://www.awea.org/faq/netbdef.html

this explains net metering and has links to current net metering programs.

Answer 6

I don't know where you live, but in our area, the electric company is obligated to pay us. -The meter actually runs backward.