Do you already have utility power but would like to reduce your power bill by using clean, renewable energy? A Grid-tied System provides a renewable energy alternative if you are already connected to the utility grid. The grid becomes your battery and backup - any excess energy you produce is fed back into the grid and in some jurisdictions, such as Saskatchewan, you will earn credits against future energy bills through a net metering program.
On a sunny day, solar panels will produce more than enough electricity to operate household appliances so the extra power will be used against future power bills – the electrical meter will run backwards. At night SaskPower will supply the electrical needs of the home. The homeowner will pay only for the difference between the power supplied by SaskPower and the power produced by the solar panels. This is called “net metering”, because you only pay for the “net” amount used. Similarly, a wind turbine can also be connected to the grid and the homeowner will benefit from net metering.
This “grid-tied system”, so called because the house is tied to the utility grid, operates differently from an off-grid system that is not connected to the utility grid. An off-grid system uses a battery bank to store energy for overnight and a backup generator for occasional times during the winter when there is not enough sunlight to produce the amount of electricity needed. A grid-tied system is more convenient for the homeowner because there are no batteries or backup generator to maintain. The grid becomes your battery and your backup.
