| Smart Meters are digital electrical usage meters that | | | | use by the hour is to move you into the higher tiers |
| measure not only how much power you use, but also | | | | more quickly. So even if you use the same amount |
| when you use it. If you live in Northern California and | | | | of electricity at the end of the month, your baseline |
| get your power from PG&E, chances are good that | | | | is smaller and you end up paying more. |
| you either already have a Smart Meter or are due to | | | | Battle Rising Energy Costs with PV Solar Panels |
| receive one shortly. But Smart Meters have come | | | | If increasing costs with Smart Meters weren't |
| with a slurry of customer complaints that electric bills | | | | enough, one major utility already increased its electric |
| have shot up since the new meters were installed. | | | | rates over 19% from a year ago. This is where solar |
| Fortunately, there's a good solution to Smart Meters | | | | comes in. First of all, a professionally installed solar |
| and rising energy prices: PV solar panels. | | | | panel system generates substantial amounts of |
| Tears for Tiers | | | | electricity, reducing or eliminating the need to pull |
| What's going on behind the increases? The price per | | | | energy from the grid (i.e., from the utility). The |
| kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity is set in tiers, with | | | | energy produced by your panels pays for the |
| each incremental tier costing more. The more quickly | | | | system; then the panels continue to produce free, |
| you move above your baseline, or tier-1, the more | | | | clean energy for many more years -- allowing you to |
| you pay. Previously, your utility would read your | | | | bypass inevitable future rate hikes. |
| meter, subtract the reading from the previous month | | | | As an additional plus, most solar homes are usually |
| and bill you for this month's consumption. With the | | | | exempt from having to install the current Smart |
| new Smart Meters, the utility measures your usage | | | | Meter. Most modules are simply not set up to |
| by the hour. Apparently, this is to give utilities a more | | | | measure the excess electricity your PV solar panels |
| accurate measurement of demand and to help | | | | send back into the grid. With a solar installation, you |
| people track and reduce their usage. Unfortunately, | | | | can drastically reduce energy bills while skirting the |
| the net effect of measuring and billing your electricity | | | | new tier pricing structure. |