Best energy provider if you have PV panels and sell some energy back to the Grid?

[willfuse]

Any feedback would be great! thanks

[Mike 134]

Any feedback would be great! thanks

Currently in Illinois ComEd pays the same as they charge.

[peakbagger]

I would suggest the OP get a lot more specific. Like where in the country?.

[SunEagle]

I would suggest the OP get a lot more specific. Like where in the country?.

I agree. Net metering is the best way to financially justify a grid tied solar installation. But depending on your POCO there could be other charges or barriers that can extend the ROI time line.

[peakbagger]

As an example, one of my coworkers called me once to ask about installing solar on his house in Mass. Mass was in the process of putting in incredibly generous solar incentives. They created a carve out for small residential solar users for a large block of renewable power with a ten year guarantee of SREC prices in the $300 a MWhr range. He also got a federal incentive, state and local incentive for the upfront cost. Power is expensive in Mass and even without the SRECs the payback was in the 4 to 5 year range. After he got the SRECs, the payback was in the 2 year range and for the next 8 years he was getting some very hefty checks. He also had true net metering, he could build up a credit as big as he wanted for as long as he wanted and get it back anytime. Mass pays for these incentives by surcharging power rates so no only did he lock in "free" power he avoided the typical year rate increases of 8%. The financial folks figured this out real quick and conned a lot of folks into installing solar on paper where the companies got the profits. In Mass if you are not putting on solar, you are paying your neighbor to.

SRECs are an ongoing potential revenue stream, but most SREC markets are rigged. In my state NH right next door to Mass, that $300 SREC was worth $25 bucks to me as the utility goes to the PUC every year and convinces them that they cant afford to pay a reasonable rate for SRECs and the PUC buys it. At least my rate structure is granfathered for this house "forever". The subsequent rate plans now in effect are a major step down and a lot of solar firms have switched away from residential as the payback is far longer and are going toward community solar as the incentives and grants are higher.

BTW in states with competitive supplier programs, very few competitive suppliers offer any incentive for solar so if there is default rate the solar owner ends up on default rate program that usually has state mandated solar.

So ultimately the devil is in the details and you have to research the current and future incentives.