The Massachusetts Green Communities Act, passed in 2008, encourages cities and towns to employ sustainable energy practices and reduce their carbon footprints. Many communities have responded to this challenge by taking part in net metering programs, which offer an innovative and effective way to incentivize investment in renewable energy.

Net metering programs allow cities and towns to buy into a portion of a renewable power source (typically solar panels) in exchange for credits toward their electricity bill.

An Uneven Exchange?

While metering programs sound like a win-win for participants looking for lower energy rates, and they can help save money, they can also present significant account issues. For example, a breakdown can occur when participants receive more kilowatt-hour credits than they use or are unable to reconcile the credits received to the power purchased.

In most cases, credits earned in net-metering programs cannot be used toward anything except electricity bills. This can result in a situation where participants accrue extra credits that they can’t use.

What’s more, communities that encounter credit allocation issues often find that they lack a single, reliable source of answers and advice. Utility companies are generally slow to respond, and the solar developers and/or banks responsible for funding net metering programs may not be able to offer solutions.

Making the Most of Net Metering

In order to ensure that participating communities get the most out of net metering programs, it’s critical that they have a resource that they can turn to when they have questions and concerns. One way to do this is by working with an energy advisor. An energy advisor can sort out the net metering program accounting and help communities interested in net metering programs procure a competitive, third-party electricity supply agreement that meshes with the net metering program.

Energy advisors can act as the primary point of contact for questions and concerns about net metering programs. They can assess the potential financial savings of a net metering program, determine if credits are being accounted for correctly, and, if necessary, help participants make changes.

Participating in a net metering program can be a sustainable way to save on energy costs – but before you sign up for a program, consider working with an energy advisor to ensure that you’re getting the most value.