Grid-Tied

If you are interested in producing environmentally clean sustainable electricity, it can be done easily with a grid-tied system. Grid-tied means the solar panels that are producing electricity are connected to your house and your main electric line. As the panels produce power, you can either use it or sell it back to your utility company.

Now the State of Minnesota is making it easier than ever to purchase a grid-tied photovoltaic solar system. Check with your utility company to see if they offer any incentives for installing solar electricity. A photovoltaic solar energy system in which the circuits energized by the solar energy system are not electrically connected in any way to electric circuits that are served by an electric utility company. While renewable energy systems are capable of powering houses and small businesses without any connection to the electricity grid, many people prefer the advantages that grid-connection offers.

A grid-connected system allows you to power your home or small business with renewable energy during those periods (daily as well as seasonally) when the sun is shining, the water is running, or the wind is blowing. Any excess electricity you produce is fed back into the grid. When renewable resources are unavailable, electricity from the grid supplies your needs, eliminating the expense of electricity storage devices like batteries.

Some of the things you need to know when thinking about connecting your home energy system to the electric grid include:

• Equipment required to connect your system to the grid
• Grid-connection requirements from your power provider
• State and community codes and requirements