How Solar Works

Learn More About Grid-Tied Systems From ProVision Solar on the Big Island of Hawaii and is now in Maui

Understand How Your Solar System Works

If you have a solar system installed on your Big Island and Maui home or business, you may be enjoying the energy- and money-saving benefits that it comes with. But, do you know exactly how it works? At ProVision Solar, we not only want to provide exceptional solar services and products, but we also want to educate our customers on how their new solar system works so that they can fully understand its use and the benefits they can experience. Keep reading to learn more, and contact us at ProVision Solar to get an estimate for your solar installation today!

Solar Panel

There are 3 different types of Grid-Tied Solar Systems:

  • Customer Self Supply (CSS)
  • Customer Grid Supply (CGS)
  • Net Energy Metering Program (NEM)

Our team at ProVision Solar can help you choose the system that’s right for you. Contact us today to get started!

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Residential Homes

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Commercial Businesses

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Non-Profit Organizations

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Government Institutions

Customer Self Supply (CSS)

Customer Self Supply is intended only for solar PV installations that are designed to no export electricity to the grid. Customers are not compensated for any export of energy, however, new innovations in solar inverters and batteries allow storage of excess energy to be used later while still having the convenience of pulling power from the grid as needed.

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Customer Grid Supply (CGS)

Customer Grid Supply (CGS) has reached the PUC mandated 5 MW cap as of August 23, 2016.

CGS customers receive a PUC-approved credit for electricity sent to the grid and are billed at the retail rate for electricity they use from the grid. CGS enables residential and commercial customers to connect distributed energy systems (up to 100 kW total output capacity) to the electric grid. CGS provides eligible customers with credits on their electric bills for excess electricity sent to the grid or energy delivered by HELCO to the customer-generator, whichever is less at a fixed rate of 15.14¢/kWh as approved by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission. These credits can help customers offset all or part of their electrical usage and lower their bills. These customers are billed the retail rate for all electricity they use that they receive from the utility.

Net Energy Metering Program (NEM)

Should you be lucky enough to have already been approved for this program, you need to have your solar electric system installed before your expiration date on your approval letter from HELCO.

Once your solar system is installed, you will receive full credit for energy exported to the grid and have a year to use your stored power. The year begins the day your net meter is installed by HELCO and ends on the anniversary of the meter installation. Any excess kWh in your account will be erased and the cycle starts over. There is no expiration date on a NEM contract once the system is installed.

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Choose ProVision Solar for Your Solar Installation Today

When it comes to making the switch to solar-powered energy, there’s no better team of experts to trust than the technicians at ProVision Solar in Hawaii. Whether you own a home or business on the Big Island and in Maui, we can work with you to come up with a solar solution that saves you money and energy. Get in touch with us to learn more about these grid-tied systems, our solar products, or to schedule a consultation with our team today.

Contact Us Online Today!