BEHIND-THE-METER SETTLEMENT ("Gross Load Billing")
My system, being Behind-The Meter, means that the electricity I produce is fed into my main electrical panel, and from there, it can either go:
1) To the grid, in which case my Import meter records it as outgoing power.
2) Be used in the home. In this case, although my solar production meter records the electricity being produced, the Import meter never sees it. It
is in fact invisible to the meter.
Because of point #2 above, some calculation is required to determine what my actual consumption has been because part of it has been measured, but part of it was invisible to the Import meter, and what I expected, was that it would be calculated as follows:
1) Solar production meter reading (total solar electricity produced) minus what got exported to the grid = solar electricity used in the home
2) Solar electricity used in the home + the usual Import meter reading = What truly got used in the home.
I would therefore be paid for all my solar production on one side, and get a "corrected" invoice for my use on the other, with the net amount being billed to me or paid to me as the case dictates. What I got instead was a spreadsheet calculated as follows, calculated by the hour:
Energy production in kWh x [the RESOP rate (42 cents) minus the Hourly Energy Price (HOEP)]
Gross Load Billing isn't any sort of extra charge, it merely adjusts the meter reading for your home's consumption so that you are billed correctly.
My system, being Behind-The Meter, means that the electricity I produce is fed into my main electrical panel, and from there, it can either go:
1) To the grid, in which case my Import meter records it as outgoing power.
2) Be used in the home. In this case, although my solar production meter records the electricity being produced, the Import meter never sees it. It
is in fact invisible to the meter.
Because of point #2 above, some calculation is required to determine what my actual consumption has been because part of it has been measured, but part of it was invisible to the Import meter, and what I expected, was that it would be calculated as follows:
1) Solar production meter reading (total solar electricity produced) minus what got exported to the grid = solar electricity used in the home
2) Solar electricity used in the home + the usual Import meter reading = What truly got used in the home.
I would therefore be paid for all my solar production on one side, and get a "corrected" invoice for my use on the other, with the net amount being billed to me or paid to me as the case dictates. What I got instead was a spreadsheet calculated as follows, calculated by the hour:
Energy production in kWh x [the RESOP rate (42 cents) minus the Hourly Energy Price (HOEP)]
Gross Load Billing isn't any sort of extra charge, it merely adjusts the meter reading for your home's consumption so that you are billed correctly.
It actually turns out that the two methods give very similar results. as I state in the note above (in case it is too smal to read); Note that by arranging an "Indirect Series Connection" which is behind the meter, although this example shows that there is $10.98 in Toronto Hydro's favour, this option allows microgenerators to avoid the cost of a second account with their utility (according to an OEB directive), and thereby avoid the associated Customer Account Fees.
The danger with this method is that the Hourly Energy Price (HOEP) might end up being substantially higher in the peak demand months of summer, and in any case over time due to inflation, thereby reducing the RESOP revenues more and more over time and doing so by unpredictable amounts.
Having said that, there are 2 factors which might narrow this gap or even reverse it:
-electricity prices are scheduled to go up and
-we will all soon be on Time-Of-Use pricing, so that most of my avoided cost of consumption, will be at a much higher "day" (peak) rate
Both options are available to homeowners, and it is still difficult to say wich method will work out best in the long run.
The danger with this method is that the Hourly Energy Price (HOEP) might end up being substantially higher in the peak demand months of summer, and in any case over time due to inflation, thereby reducing the RESOP revenues more and more over time and doing so by unpredictable amounts.
Having said that, there are 2 factors which might narrow this gap or even reverse it:
-electricity prices are scheduled to go up and
-we will all soon be on Time-Of-Use pricing, so that most of my avoided cost of consumption, will be at a much higher "day" (peak) rate
Both options are available to homeowners, and it is still difficult to say wich method will work out best in the long run.
Renewable energy systems for residential use ("MicroFIT" systems) may be connected "In front of the meter" or "behind the meter". Here is what that means:
"Behind The Meter" or
"Load Embedded" systems
"Load Embedded" systems
"In Front Of The Meter" or "Directly Connected" systems
BEHIND-THE-METER SETTLEMENT
NOTE: EFFECTIVE MAY 28, 2010, THIS TYPE OF CONNECTION IS NOT PERMITTED.
Click here for more details.
Click here for more details.