Post Solar system Installation, a vital part of the process is having your meter changed.
Picture this:
A security guard is required to count every customer that enters the store to understand foot traffic each day. They stand out the front of the store and counts customers as they enter. But, when a customer leaves the store, the security guard also counts them with this number.
If the store realised this they would be pretty angry that they were being double-charged!
Old power meters are liable to do the same. Instead of customers walking in and out of a store, it’s counting energy, and you’re the store owner! When your newly installed Solar system generates excess power and pushes it back to the grid (a customer leaving the store) – you’ll get charged! Not cool.
Smart meters:
A smart meter can distinguish both power imported from the grid and excess power generated by your Solar System. This is a necessity for gaining generation credit from your power retailer.
The process of getting a Smart Meter:
When Lightforce installs your Solar System, our customer care team will apply for one of these smart meters through your Power retailer. The Power retailer is then responsible for upgrading your meter onsite. This can take anywhere from a day, to a week or even a month depending on their supplier’s backlog.
Once your meter has been changed you will see a charge on your power bill noted as “Generation Tariff” or “Meter change Fee” for around $90-$180. If you are a Lightforce customer going through the process of Solar System installation, we will reimburse you for that cost.
That’s it. Once your meter is onsite, you will then see generation credit being recorded on your upcoming power bills. Get excited!