Solar Frequently Asked Questions
We encourage all people interested in Photovoltaic Solar Installations to read our Frequently Asked Questions. The District receives requests for information daily. Below is the list of the top questions asked by our customer base.
Electrical District #2 allows a DC Name Plate rating of 10,000 watts or less.
That is a technical way of saying the maximum amount of solar panels you can have connected. So if you have 250 watt solar panels you can have 40 panels (250 watts x 40 panels = 10,000 watts). If you selected 300 watt panels you could install 33 panels. You can not install 34 panels as that will put your system over the maximum allowable name plate.
This is a complex question without a simple answer. The short answer is no. There will be a bill paid to Electrical District #2. The amount may be small but that will depend on how much power you use. Do you own a pool? A Hot Tub? A shop/garage with equipment? These types of loads can easily create a larger power draw than what the solar array can generate. That means the power grid would be making up the difference. If there were a number of cloudy days that will impact how much solar energy you can produce. Are you being strategic by taking advantage of your solar generation during daylight hours to do your cooking and laundry, run your pool pump etc. Unless you purchase a back-up battery for your solar system, solar generation is not stored and you will be drawing energy from the grid as soon as the sun sets.
You can calculate the amount of solar energy you can generate. The Department of Energy developed a website that will get you close to your power production output. If you know some of the technical specifications of your solar array this should get you an idea. https://pvwatts.nrel.gov
Electrical District #2 does not offer solar system installations at this time.
Electrical District #2 does not offer Solar Net Metering at this time.
Net metering is the system that utilities use to credit solar energy system owners for the electricity produced by their solar panels. With net metering, you only pay for the electricity that you use beyond what your solar panels can generate. Electric District #2 will credit your solar over generation (unused solar generation, that transfers to the electrical grid) at .04 per kilowatt, and this credit is issued to your account monthly.
There is a one time fee of $150.00 for a special solar meter that is installed once your system is ready. This meter tracks and stores data for your total solar generation, and is in addition to a second meter that will track and store data for total energy to and from the grid.
Please complete our district solar application and agreement, sign and date it, then email it along with your solar contract and system proposal and drawings to solarapps@ed2.com. An ED2 representative will review your application and system and will follow up with you on approval and install schedule for your solar meters.
Please contact our main office for a temporary disconnect request with a date and time you want to do your electrical upgrade on. Please allow 48 hours’ notice on service order requests.