The concept of net metering programs is to allow utility customers to generate their own electricity from renewable resources, such as small wind turbines and rooftop solar systems. The customers send excess electricity back to the utility when their wind system, for example, produces more power than needed.
Customers can then take power from the utility when their wind system doesn t produce enough power.
In effect net metering allows the interconnected customer to use the electrical grid as a storage battery. Is when the customer can sell their excess power back to the utility at the same rate the utility sells power to you. One disadvantage of net metering and net billing may be the cost of the interconnection, which can vary considerably from utility to utility. There are efforts to get standards in place for interconnection guidelines. Most opportunities for public investment will be with the utility-scale turbines, as many of the industry participants are publicly held corporations.