Understanding Wisconsin Residential Solar Projects

Understanding Wisconsin Residential Solar Projects

The utility billing technique of granting credit for the energy your solar energy system provides to the grid is known as net metering. It is essential for Wisconsin homeowners who wish to add a solar installation to their house to understand it.

Solar panels frequently produce more energy than your home requires when the sun is high in the sky, and the extra is delivered to the grid. You use electricity from the grid at night. Your utility provider will set up a unique two-way meter that counts the kilowatt-hours of electricity you transmit and receive (kWh).

How net metering in Wisconsin operates

One of the leaders in sound solar regulation is Wisconsin, where the Public Service Commission (PSC) established net metering requirements for electric companies in 1982. All “distributed generation”—including solar, wind, and combined heat and power (CHP) systems—is included in this regulation. However, as this is a page about residential solar, we’ll concentrate on the rules relevant to homes for systems less than 20 kilowatts (kW).

Your installer will create a system that meets your needs when you purchase solar panels. They’ll also assist you in submitting the application and interconnection agreement to your utility. Thanks to these, you can use and market renewable energy in Badger State! You will generally be the owner of one of the state’s solar production facilities after the system is built and the utility activates your new meter.

How many solar panels are required in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin homes consume roughly 9,000 kWh of power annually, while one kW of solar panels may provide about 1,215 kWh. You may calculate the approximate 7.4 kW of solar energy needed to fully power the typical Wisconsin home by dividing 9,000 by 1,215. About 20 solar panels come to that.

This demonstrates how solar panels provide far more power in the spring and summer than the home requires and much less in the fall and winter. Solar panels may provide almost all the power needed throughout the year, but depending on your utility, choosing this size may not be a wise option.