GREEN BUILDING TIP: Sell Energy to Your Utility Company

Photovoltaic(PV) Generation of electricity directly from sunlight. A photovoltaic cell has no moving parts; electrons are energized by sunlight and result in current flow. panels and are one of the design cornerstones of zero-energy homes, which produce as much electricity over the course of a year as they consume.

Installing enough PVPhotovoltaics. Generation of electricity directly from sunlight. A photovoltaic (PV) cell has no moving parts; electrons are energized by sunlight and result in current flow. to accomplish this costs tens of thousands of dollars, but as the price of photovoltaic modules continues to fall and efficiencies go up, net-zero performance will be available to many more U.S. homeowners.

In addition to incentives and rebates, net meteringArrangement through which a homeowner who produces electricity using photovoltaics or wind power can sell excess electricity back to the utility company, running the electric meter backwards. laws can help ease the cost of producing your own power.

These laws require utility companies to buy electricity generated on-site from customers at the full retail rate. Typically the electricity meter runs backward when power is flowing into the grid (such as sunny or windy days), which offsets the amount of electricity you have to buy at other times (at night or when the wind isn't blowing).

—This GREEN BUILDING TIP is from our Strategy Generator. Build a tip sheet for your green building or remodeling project under the Strategies & Details tab.

Green Points

LEED for HomesLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design. LEED for Homes is the residential green building program from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). While this program is primarily designed for and applicable to new home projects, major gut rehabs can qualify. Up to 10 points may be earned under EA1 (Energy & Atmosphere) or EA10 for renewable energy systems.

NGBSNational Green Building Standard Based on the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines and passed through ANSI. This standard can be applied to both new homes, remodeling projects, and additions. /ICC-700 Energy Efficiency: points awarded based on renewable energy production — 1 pt. per 200 watts (704.3.3.2).

Learn more in the Green Building Encyclopedia:

PHOTOVOLTAIC (SOLAR) ELECTRICIY
WIND-GENERATED ELECTRICITY

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