Net metering is an electricity policy for consumers, who own / plan to setup a Renewable Energy
facility, which allows them to produce electricity (using wind and solar) for their own use and
supply the excess produce to the national grid setting-off units of electricity consumed during
off-peak hours or at times when the production from RE facility is not enough to meet the
consumer load. The consumer will either pay reduced utility bill or get paid for access energy
exported to the grid, as stated in the contract with the relevant DISCO.
NEPRA, in September 2015, issued its net-metering regulations that allow the DISCOs in
Pakistan to purchase excess units of electricity produced by the consumers, and net them off
against the units consumed from the grid. Renewable Energy is a long-term power solution. The
Solar PV Technology gives access to affordable electricity supply during system life. Residential
and commercial customers can switch their electricity load to Renewable Energy (RE) and can
slash their power bills. The picture below illustrates the flow of electricity from distribution
company (DISCO) to the end-user, who can now install a renewable energy facility and send
the excess electricity back to the distribution grid and earn credit for his exports.
A solar array is a collection of interconnected solar panels designed to capture sunlight and convert it into electricity, forming a unified system for power generation.
A backup battery provides power to a system when the primary source of power is unavailable.