Rolling Back the Meter: How Net Metering Powers Kansas City with Solar Energy

Net metering has made batteries less important for solar energy to be beneficial to homeowners because it allows solar customers to receive credits on their electricity bills for excess energy produced by their solar panels. This means that solar customers can offset their energy costs and potentially even earn credits, without the need for a physical battery to store excess energy. Net metering essentially acts as a "virtual" battery bank, providing customers with the flexibility to draw on their credits when needed.

While some solar customers may choose to install a physical battery backup for added security and control over their energy usage, it is not necessary for solar energy to be beneficial. In fact, the majority of solar customers in the Midwest do not choose to install a battery backup. According to a report by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, only 6% of residential solar installations in the Midwest included battery storage in 2019. This suggests that the vast majority of solar customers in the Midwest are benefiting from net metering without the need for a physical battery backup.

What is Net Metering?

Net metering is a popular way for homeowners and businesses to offset their electricity costs by producing their own solar energy. In Kansas City, Evergy provides net metering services for customers who install solar panels on their property. In this article, we will explain how net metering works in Kansas City, specifically for Evergy, though some differences will be made for Kansas Vs Missouri as well as the different power providers in the area such as Evergy, Ameren, Independence Power and Light, and some of the coops in the area.

Before we dive into net metering, let's first talk about how traditional electricity meters work. Like a car odometer, traditional electricity meters spin forward as energy is consumed by a home or business. The meter cannot spin backward, meaning that any excess energy produced by solar panels is lost. This is where net metering comes in.

Net metering allows homeowners and businesses with solar panels to feed excess energy back into the grid. Evergy credits the customer for the excess energy produced, which is deducted from their electricity bill. Think of it like Ferris Bueller's day off when he tries to roll back the car odometer, but it won't budge. With net metering, the meter does "roll back" by crediting the customer for the excess energy produced.

Helio GreenTech is a solar energy company in Kansas City that provides installation and maintenance services for solar panels. With their help, customers can take advantage of net metering and significantly reduce their electricity bills. Independence Power and Light, a utility company in Independence, Missouri, also provides net metering services to their customers.

While there are similarities between net metering in Kansas and Missouri, there are also some differences. In Missouri, net metering is capped at 100 kilowatts for residential customers (that’s about 10X bigger than most homes in Kansas City will need) and 1 megawatt for commercial customers. In Kansas, the cap is 15 kilowatts for residential customers and 200 kilowatts for commercial customers. Additionally, Missouri has a lower reimbursement rate for excess energy produced compared to Kansas.

Evergy Net Metering: Kansas VS Missouri

When it comes to net metering for solar energy in Kansas and Missouri, there are some key differences that can impact the benefits for solar customers.

In Missouri, the net metering cap for residential customers is 100 kilowatts and for commercial customers, it is 1 megawatt. In contrast, Kansas has a cap of 15 kilowatts for residential customers and 200 kilowatts for commercial customers. This means that Missouri allows for larger solar installations to benefit from net metering compared to Kansas.

Another difference between the two states is the reimbursement rate for excess energy produced by solar panels. In Missouri, the rate is set by individual utilities and can vary. In Kansas, the reimbursement rate is set by the Kansas Corporation Commission and is currently around 3.5 cents per kilowatt-hour.

Overall, while Missouri's net metering program may seem more favorable for larger solar installations, the reimbursement rate can vary and may be lower than in Kansas. Additionally, both states offer the benefits of net metering for solar customers, allowing them to offset their energy costs and potentially even earn credits on their electricity bills.

Therefore, when comparing Evergy's net metering for Kansas and Missouri, there is no clear winner in terms of which state is better for solar. Ultimately, the decision will depend on factors such as the size of the solar installation, the individual utility's reimbursement rate, and other incentives or policies that may vary between the two states.

Net metering is an excellent way for homeowners and businesses to offset their electricity costs by producing their own solar energy. With the help of companies like Helio GreenTech and utilities like Evergy and Independence Power and Light, customers in Kansas City and Independence can take advantage of this program. While there are some differences between Kansas and Missouri, both states offer a viable option for net metering.

Net Metering VS Battery Backup?

When it comes to solar energy, there are two main ways to store excess energy generated by solar panels: with a physical battery or through net metering acting as a "virtual" battery bank. While both options have their benefits, there are some key differences to consider.

A physical battery stores excess energy generated by solar panels directly in the battery for later use. This means that the energy is available for use at any time, regardless of whether the sun is shining or not. With a battery, solar customers have complete control over their energy usage, as they can use the stored energy at any time, even during a power outage.

On the other hand, net metering acts as a "virtual" battery bank by allowing solar customers to feed excess energy back into the grid and receive credits on their electricity bills. This means that the excess energy is not physically stored in a battery, but rather in the form of credits on the customer's bill. The credits can be used to offset future energy costs, essentially acting as a "bank" of energy that can be drawn on later.

One key advantage of net metering as a "virtual" battery bank is that it can be a more cost-effective option for solar customers. Physical batteries can be expensive to install and maintain, whereas net metering is often included as part of a solar installation package. Additionally, net metering can be a good option for customers who may not have the space or resources to install a physical battery.

However, net metering does have its limitations. Solar customers can only receive credits for excess energy produced during the day, meaning that they still rely on the grid for energy during the night or on cloudy days. With a physical battery, customers have more control over their energy usage and can store excess energy to use when needed, regardless of the time of day or weather conditions.

In conclusion, both physical batteries and net metering have their benefits and drawbacks when it comes to storing excess solar energy. While a physical battery can offer greater control over energy usage, it can be expensive and may not be feasible for all customers. Net metering, on the other hand, can be a more cost-effective option and acts as a "virtual" battery bank, but does have limitations in terms of when excess energy can be used. Ultimately, the decision between these two options will depend on the individual needs and circumstances of each solar customer.