Photovoltaic (PV) systems convert sunlight directly to electricity. They work any time the sun is shining. Unlike other systems that are used for solar heating or solar hot water, Photovoltaic (PV)  does not use the sun's heat to make electricity. Instead, it's the power of the sunlight shining down on the panel that causes the electrons in the circuits of the solar panels to become excited and produce electric current.

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The straightforward answer is as much or as little as you like. Typical residential PV systems commonly have a power production of between 1,200 and 5,000 watts and require anywhere from 150 to 1,000 square feet of installed area depending on the efficiency of the PV panel technology used.

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Net metering is a special metering and billing agreement between utilities and their customers who produce their own power. When  the home is producing more power than it is using, the meter runs backward generating credits. When the home uses more power than it produces, the meter runs forward. You are charged only for the “net” power that is consumed. If your system makes more electricity than it consumes, you are either credited or paid directly by your utility for the excess electricity produced.

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What Does On-Grid and Off-Grid mean?

On-grid systems are Photovoltaic (PV) systems that remain connected to a source of utility supplied power either as a backup or for the purpose of selling excess power back to the utility. Off-grid systems are Photovoltaic (PV) systems are those systems that generate 100% of their own power and do not use any utility supplied power whatsoever.

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You'll be pleased to learn that the price of solar technology has dramatically dropped in recent years. Also, tax incentives and cash rebates from both the state and federal governments generally now cover the entire cost for the average system installed in New England. That makes now the time to “Go Solar and Save”.

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