How are power company handling solar panels

Why do solar panels work?

By adding electricity to the grid with your solar panels, you reduce the peaks of that curve because people can use the energy you generated without the utility companies ramping up their power plants to meet consumer demand.

Do utilities pay for solar panels?

In most states, utilities pay solar customers for power they send back to the grid. But there's a battle over what that sun-fueled energy is worth. Lynn Krell is unhappy with the reimbursements she gets from her utility company for having solar panels on her garage in Hattiesburg, Miss. Bryan Tarnowski for NBC News

How does a solar PV system work?

When your solar PV system is connected to the grid, it’s crucial that you understand how your home’s solar-powered electrical system interacts with the local utility. A system that’s tied to the grid takes energy from it as needed, but then sends energy back to the grid when your solar panels generate “extra” electricity.

Why do solar panels need to be connected to the grid?

The simple answer is that remaining connected to the grid allows your home to draw additional power when solar panels can’t generate enough electricity, including nights and cloudy days.

Can solar panels be fed to the electric grid?

While energy from solar panels can be fed to the electric grid to support clean power and reliable delivery, the current grid configuration needs some improvement for the two distribution infrastructures to work seamlessly together.

How can utilities accommodate solar customers?

What's more, in order to accommodate solar customers, utilities say they must invest in new technologies that allow them to, for example, scale production up and down based on whether it's a sunny or cloudy day.