I’m going to get back to leasing, but here’s a great 3 minute conversation about net metering in Boulder, Colorado.

You’ll notice at the end of the video that the solar guy says that if your solar panels produce more electricity at the end of the year than you actually used for the year, then the utility will pay you a wholesale rate of electricity for that extra power. That’s may be the way it goes in Colorado, but that is NOT the case with every State.

Here in California, for example, if you size the system wrong and have produced more solar energy than you used at the end of the year, the utilities will not pay you anything for that extra energy. You will have “donated” your net extra power to the utility.

So check your net metering laws at this DSIRE solar site, but your local solar installer should be able to give you the scoop as well. Also, some utilities do indeed charge a minimum “usage” fee, while others don’t.

By the way, this video is from “Solar Dave,” who has no relation to Solar Fred, though we have the same goal of educating people about residential solar. Dave is apparently more of a solar video blogger–with some good info–albeit with a somewhat Colorado centric view. Check his site out for some more good info.