What is a Bi-Directional Meter? How It Works with Home Solar Systems What is a Bi-Directional Meter? A bi-directional meter is a type of electricity meter that measures energy flowing in two directions. Unlike a standard meter that only tracks how much electricity your home consumes; a bi-directional meter also tracks the excess electricity your [...]

What is a Bi-Directional Meter? How It Works with Home Solar Systems

What is a Bi-Directional Meter?

A bi-directional meter is a type of electricity meter that measures energy flowing in two directions. Unlike a standard meter that only tracks how much electricity your home consumes; a bi-directional meter also tracks the excess electricity your home sends back to the grid. This is particularly important for homes with solar panels, as it allows homeowners to measure both the energy they consume from the grid and the excess energy their solar panels produce.

How a Bi-Directional Meter Works:

Measuring Energy Consumption: Just like a traditional meter, a bi-directional meter records how much electricity your home uses from the grid. This includes any electricity consumed when your solar panels aren’t producing enough power, such as during the night or on cloudy days.
Measuring Energy Production: In addition to tracking energy consumption, the bi- directional meter measures the excess electricity generated by your solar panels that is sent back to the grid. This typically happens during the day when your solar panels produce more energy than your home is using.
Net Energy Flow: The meter keeps track of both the energy consumed and the energy sent back to the grid, allowing you and your utility company to calculate the net energy flow. If you send more electricity to the grid than you use, your utility may credit your account, a system commonly referred to as net metering.

The Role of a Bi-Directional Meter in Home Solar

For homeowners with solar energy systems, a bi-directional meter is an essential component of understanding and optimizing energy usage. Like an energy monitor, it helps you see exactly how much electricity your solar panels are generating and whether your home is energy self-sufficient or still reliant on the grid at certain times and usage levels.

It is also required as part of your Net Metering agreement with your power company. Net metering is a billing agreement with your power company that ultimately ensures you can power all of your energy needs with solar. Under Net Metering, you will receive credits from your power company for any excess electricity your solar panels generate. Your bi- directional meter tracks this flow and ensures you’re credited for the energy you’ve contributed.

With a bi-directional meter, you can better monitor your energy production and consumption. This helps you make informed decisions about your energy usage, such as when to run high-energy appliances during peak solar production hours. By aligning your energy usage with your solar output, you can maximize the savings from your solar investment.

But there is an even more effective way to use energy with solar if you are on a Time-of-Use billing plan.

If you are on a Time-of-Use billing plan, the excess energy that your solar panels produce will be sold back to the grid at the higher daytime rates. This means that instead of using more energy when your solar panels are producing at their maximum, you can shift some energy usage to a time when rates are lower and generate even more credits. Your solar panels will sell your excess energy back to the grid at higher Time-of-Use rates, and then you can “buy back” that energy later on when it’s at a lower rate.

Get a state-of-the-art Setup with XOLAR

A bi-directional meter is essential for homeowners with solar energy. It not only tracks the electricity your home uses but also measures the energy your solar panels produce and send back to the grid. The meter is required for Net Metering to ensure you get all the credits you deserve for your energy production and ultimately a big reason why most people can cover 90-100%+ of their power bill with solar.

Interested in learning more about going solar?

The first step is to acquire a solar proposal. By understanding your energy consumption, sunlight exposure, and roof orientation and space, we can design a solar solution that meets your needs both now and in the future. A well-sized solar system can help you achieve your energy goals and reduce your carbon footprint.

Our Solar Specialists and Project Managers can cleanly walk you through the steps of what is required and make sure you maximize the value of any provincial or federal programs in your area. We’ll also get you started on the vital first step of acquiring a tailor-made solar proposal for your residential project’s energy needs.

Schedule a consultation for our solar specialist’s expert guidance here.