Making Renewable Energy More Accessible through Net Metering

 
 
 
Posted by: IIPS Category: Daily Insights Tags: , , , Comments: 0

Energy is the essential element to the socio-economic development of a country. However, Pakistan continues to formulate efforts toward renewable energy endeavours. The government needs to decrease its reliance on imported fuel and enhance its untapped renewable energy potential in hydro, solar, and wind. Due to the power sector’s dependence on imported fuel-based power generation, its transmission and distribution network has been hampered stressfully. Therefore, an integrated approach is required to fully utilise the renewable energy potential to achieve a sustainable energy future for the country. Renewable energy resources include the sun, wind, hydropower, geothermal energy, and biofuels, such as biodiesel, bioethanol, biohydrogen, bio-oil, and biogas. Such initiatives will play a significant role in promoting environmental productivity and sustainability.

Net metering is a billing mechanism that credits solar energy system customers for the electricity they add to the grid. For example, if a residential customer has a PV system on their roof, it can produce more electricity than the home uses during daylight hours. If the home is net-metered, the electricity meter will go backwards to provide a credit for what electricity is consumed at night or other periods when the home’s electricity use exceeds the system’s output. Owners are only billed for their ultimate energy use. Approximately only 20-40% of a photovoltaic system’s output ever goes into the grid, and this exported solar electricity fulfils nearby customers’ loads.

Net metering enables utility customers to generate their electricity cleanly and efficiently. During the day, most PV system owners produce more electricity than they consume. Net metering allows them to transfer the excess electricity to the grid and reduce their future electric bills. Net metering provides substantial economic benefits regarding jobs, income and investment. The concept of net metering promotes demand for solar energy, generating jobs for the installers, electricians, and manufacturers who work in the solar supply chain. Today, the solar industry employs many workers due to strong state net metering policies that have allowed the solar industry to thrive.

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IMARAT Institute of Policy Studies

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