Feeding electricity into the power network

Grid-connected solar systems feed electricity generated by solar equipment into the public grid. State subsidies and feed-in schemes, in place in many countries, can make investments in solar power systems highly attractive.

A grid-connected solar system feeds the excess electricity not used by your home into the grid and draws electricity form the grid whenever the solar panels do not produce sufficient power to meet your demands (e.g. at night).

The interface between the PV system and the grid can be controlled either

• by net metering, whereby an electric meter tracks the net power usage, spinning forwards when grid electricity is used and backwards when the solar system generates more electricity than needed. The utility pays the customer the applicable retail rate for the net electricity produced

• or by using a separate meter which measures the electrical energy the solar system feeds into the grid. The utility then pays one price for the electricity produced and charges another price for the electricity consumed.

Inverters convert the direct current (DC) power produced by the solar module into alternating current (AC) power to be fed into the utility grid.