PECO Interconnected Grid-Tied Hybrid Solar System
What Is A PECO Interconnected Grid-Tied Hybrid Solar System? (includes batteries, most expensive) A PECO Interconnected Grid-Tied Hybrid Solar System is a type of solar system connected to the PECO electrical power grid with battery backup and many other options, functions, and advantages. A grid-tied hybrid solar system (above) is the cadillac of solar systems that provides energy whether the PECO utility grid is up or down. Adding a battery bank (batteries) to a grid-tied solar system will provide electricity when the sun does not shine and the PECO power grid is down. A grid-tied hybrid solar system allows the home to use solar energy from the sun when available, and to channel excess solar energy back into the PECO power grid through a program called PECO net-metering. The grid-tied hybrid solar system is interconnected to the PECO power grid and can function in the absence of the PECO power grid. Thus, the grid-tied hybrid solar system will continue to provide energy even when the PECO power grid is down. Additional equipment includes a multi-purpose "hybrid" inverter and a charge controller to charge the batteries. The grid-tied hybrid solar system can do everything a grid-tied solar system does, and a whole lot more including support of a backup generator available to the system to simultaneously charge the battery bank and provide electricity to the home if needed. This solar system option will lower your monthly electricity bill when the PECO electric power grid is up and running and the sun is shining. This option will provide emergency backup energy when the PECO electric power grid is down and at night when the sun is not shining. What Is A PECO Interconnected Grid-Tied Solar System? (no batteries, least expensive) A PECO Interconnected Grid-Tied Solar System is a type of solar system connected to the PECO electrical power grid with no battery backup and limited options, functions, and advantages. A grid-tied solar system does not include or require batteries, as in the case of an off-grid solar system and grid-tied hybrid solar system. A grid-tied solar system allows the home to use solar energy from the sun when available, and to channel excess solar energy back into the PECO power grid through a program called PECO net-metering. The grid-tied solar system is interconnected to the PECO power grid and cannot function in the absence of the PECO power grid. Thus, for the grid-tied solar system to work, the PECO power grid must be working as well. This solar system option will lower your monthly electricity bill when the PECO electric power grid is up and running and the sun is shining. What Is An Off-Grid Solar System? (requires batteries, can be expensive) An off-grid or stand-alone solar system is a type of solar system not connected to the PECO electrical power grid and requires batteries to provide electricity. An off-grid solar system permits electricity to be harnessed by solar panels and stored inside a battery bank without direct connection to the utility grid, providing an independent power supply to your home or business. An off-grid solar system purposes are most often to provide energy where a utility grid is not accessible or emergency backup energy source in the event of a short or long-term power outage. If a PECO interconnected grid-tied solar system, to supplement or replace your home electricity needs, is beyond your financial ability or interest, an off-grid solar system to provide independent or emergency electricity could work for you. In this case, visit our How To Survive A Long-Term Power Outage website. What Is Meant By PECO Interconnection? - PECO Interconnection Brochure An interconnection is an electric connection between PECO's utility grid and a private generation system (PGS). A PGS, also known as distributed generation (DG), has the capability to send energy to the PECO utility energy grid through a program called PECO net metering. This does not apply to off-grid solar systems intended for off-grid applications or the sole purpose of emergency backup generations. Application Process - PECO Interconnection applications are required for all private generation systems (PGS) supplying energy to the PECO electrical grid. Residential and business customers can submit an application themselves or choose to work with a professional contractor to submit an application. Typically, contractors complete and submit the required application on behalf of their clients. The application asks technical information that an experienced contractor will know how to provide. PECO's Connect-The-Grid is a one-stop online tool for solar contractors to submit, organize, view, communicate, update, and track their PECO interconnection applications. What Is PECO's Net Metering Program? Philadelphia Electric Company (PECO) PECO net metering allows solar energy system owners to accumulate bill credits when their panels are producing more energy than they use. With PECO's net metering program, you can turn around and use those extra credits when your panels aren't producing enough power to meet your electricity needs. If you have produced more energy than you used by the end of the billing period, the excess credits will go towards your next bill. When the metering year ends on May 31, PECO will pay you for any excess kilowatt-hours from that year. There is no limit to how much of this extra power generation PECO will purchase. As a result, you can use your solar credits to supplement your energy needs and save money throughout the year, and you will also receive extra money on May 31st if you produced more power than you used. Why Are Solar Backup Batteries Important? A PECO interconnected grid-tied solar system with no batteries will stop working when the PECO power grid goes down. Fully charged batteries become an uninterrupted energy source when the PECO power grid goes down. The solar system charges and will continue to charge the batteries when the sun is shining. The cost of the solar type batteries added to an installed solar system can be significant. An additional 1/4 to 1/2 of the cost of an installed solar system depending on exactly how much battery energy you prefer due to the cost of the batteries, extra solar equipment needed to integrate the batteries into your system, and the installation. But in an emergency situation, well worth the price when you have free endless electricity. Is Solar Energy For You? Residents of Chester County, Pennsylvania are awakening to the advantages of solar energy and are actively purchasing and installing PECO interconnected grid-tied solar systems as a way to participate in a movement to become more energy independent, to save on energy costs, and help save the earth from destructive fossil fuels at the same time. Energy from the sun is free, abundant, dependable, and most importantly clean and reliable energy. Although solar energy from the sun is free, a solar system is not free. Solar system cost includes the solar energy producing equipment and installation by a certified solar system installer. The solar equipment includes solar panels, charge controllers, batteries (optional), inverter, junction box or two, conduit piping, and wiring. The result is a private and self maintained power plant to supplement or replace the PECO commercial electric power distribution system. After you purchase and install your solar system, the energy from the sun is forever free. The cost for the solar system is considered prepaid electric and is typically recovered within ten years. Keep in mind that your month to month budget for energy is significantly less, zero, or PECO pays you for the energy you produced and did not use. Other factors can significantly shorten the recovery period such as shopping for price, pay cash opposed to finance, PECO rate increases, PECO credits, federal credits, state incentives, and solar renewable energy credits (SRECs). You can also practice conserving energy on your own. At the end of each year, PECO will pay you 100% value for every kilowatt generated and not used as though you were a utility grid selling power to PECO for PECO to distribute to other PECO customers. After about ten years, you should realize the true value of your solar system. We built our house ALL electric and installed a PECO interconnected hybrid grid-tied solar system. We frequently experience a credit balance on our PECO electric bills and produce our own solar energy when the PECO utility grid is down. A PECO interconnected grid-tied solar system is really not that complicated. It is just a new technology comprised of a few devices that allows you to produce your own free energy provided by the sun rather than a PECO nuclear power plant. The advantage of adding the backup batteries is that you continue to produce and use free energy when the PECO power grid goes down. Chester County PA Solar Energy - PECO Interconnected Grid-Tied Solar System | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
