When considering installation of solar panels, most homeowners often get confused about whether the solar panel system should be connected to the grid or off the grid. Though off-grid systems are quite popular earlier, grid-tied systems are gaining popularity because of their affordability and greater ROI.

What is exactly an on-grid system?

A grid-tied solar system is connected to the electric grid and uses electricity from the solar panel system and the electrical grid. Due to this reason, a grid-tied system doesn’t require to meet all the electricity demands of homes.

If required, the home can draw energy from the grid even on cloudy days or at night. If more energy than your requirement is produced by the solar panels, the excessive amount of energy will be fed into the grid for use elsewhere.

How do you connect your home to the grid?

When it comes to connecting your home to the grid, it will require the involvement from you and your solar panel system provider.

First of all, your solar system provider must be aware of the local interconnection laws and guidelines. These laws are the procedures applied specifically to situations when the renewable energy system like a solar system is plugged into the power grid.

Both solar energy system owners and utilities should follow the terms stated in the interconnection laws. If you want to get started with an on-grid solar system, your solar system provider will file for interconnection and net metering applications to the utility company.

Why do you install a grid-tied system?

Generally, grid-tied solar PV kits have several advantages over off-grid solar systems. Some of them are discussed below:

Reliability –

Solar panel systems are not that much perfect. There are bound to be days when the efficiency is not what it requires to be and the system doesn’t produce enough. Most of your daily activities will require maximum use of electricity.

Unlike off-grid systems that may run out of power, grid-tied solar systems are less likely to leave you in the dark during the inopportune times. If the energy generated from the solar panel system is less than its capability, the additional energy will be pulled from the grid. This means, grid works like a backup for your solar energy system.

There’ll be less wastage of energy at the end and thereby improving the solar power system efficiency. Apart from the power outage situation, you’ll get access to electricity during just any time of the day as long as your solar system is connected to the grid.

Affordability –

For proper functioning, off-grid solar systems need more specific expensive equipment. Obviously, less equipment means lower maintenance and installation costs. This is really the case with the most grid-tied systems. Though power grid works like a battery for your system, you don’t need to pay for batteries and the maintenance involved with them.

Net Metering –

The important aspect about a grid-tied solar PV system is that it offers you the ability to feed power to the grid during day time, when it produces excess energy and uses the grid supply at night.

Net metering credits the grid-tied system owners when they produce more energy than their daily requirements at home. Though grid-tied homes are net-metered, the power meter records the exchange between your solar system and the grid.

When it generates excess energy, it leads to spinning your power meter backward direction than forward, allowing you taking advantage of a credit. You can use the credit for offset payments for power usage in the future.

Installing Solar PV Kits at Home –

If you’re thinking about investing in solar PV kits, you should look no further than Latitude51 Solar. For more information about grid-tied solar energy systems, please visit our website at https://www.latitude51solar.ca/solar-pv-kits-on-grid.