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<< How to Generate Your Own Green Power
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WHAT TO DO
Net Metering – Getting Credit for the Electricity you Generate
Net metering is a financial agreement in which utility customers
generate some of their own electricity and use a single meter to
measure the net electricity bought from the utility.
At various times, the customer will not use all the electricity
generated. The excess is fed back into the grid and makes the meter
run backwards. When the meter is read, it will usually show a net
purchase from the utility. If for some reason the customer generated
more electricity than was consumed that month and the meter shows
a negative value, it will be read as zero or credited to the next
month's bill.
At the moment, few Canadian utilities offer their customers the
option of connecting renewable energy generators to the grid. But
that is changing. The convergence of environmental issues, political
pressure for utility restructuring, and the wider availability of
viable household-scale renewable energy generating equipment, such
as solar panels and wind turbines, can only mean one thing: net
metering will eventually come to a utility near you.
Measurement Canada has yet to approve a meter that could be used
for single-phase applications, such as those usually found in houses.
While some utilities have worked around this issue, others still
consider it a major problem. As of mid-2005, net metering was available
to customers of BC Hydro, Manitoba Hydro and at least one marketer
in Ontario where the provincial government has passed Ontario
Regulation 541/05 introducing province-wide net metering by
January 26, 2006. At the moment, meters suitable for this service
can cost a customer $1,000 on top of the renewable energy system
itself. Over the next five years, Ontario will introduce Smart Meters
that will be compatible with net metering requirements.
A utility customer who wants to become a supplier of electricity
must meet certain technical, legal and contractual requirements.
These will vary according to where you live. Contact your utility
to find out whether it supports net metering, and if so, what you
need to do to get your generator connected to the grid. The Hydro
One brochure is an example of how utilities are dealing with
customers who want to install net metering.
| Utility |
Comments |
| Alberta Energy |
Net metering available. |
| BC Hydro |
Net metering is available in BC Hydro's service
area since April 2005.
www.bchydro.com/info/ipp/ipp8842.html |
| Hydro One |
Net metering available.
www.hydroone.com/en/electricity_industry/renewable_tech |
| Hydro Ottawa |
Net metering under development. |
| Hydro Quebec |
Net metering available.
http://www.hydroquebec.com/autoproduction/fr/index.html (French) |
| Manitoba Hydro |
Net metering is available. At the moment, customers
are required to purchase a bidirectional meter, but MB Hydro
is working on selecting a suitable alternative, and a formal
net metering policy is expected to be in place by the end
of 2005. |
| Maritime Electric |
Net metering planned for Prince Edward Island. |
| New Brunswick Power |
Net metering proposed. |
| Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro |
Net metering under development. |
| Nova Scotia Power |
Net metering announced.
www.nspower.ca/RenewablesRFP/NetMetering.jsp |
| Toronto Hydro |
Net metering available.
www.torontohydro.com/electricsystem /customer_care/cond_of_services/net_metering/index.cfm |
| Waterloo North |
Net metering under development. |
| Yukon Energy Corporation |
Yukon Energy Corporation has released a Comprehensive
Green Power Initiative that includes development of a “net
metering” policy. The policy is expected to be in place
by 2007. Customers interested in net metering should contact
Yukon Energy as rules may be developed faster if there is a
clear indication of demand for net metering. |
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