How residential solar actually works.
No jargon, no sales pitch. Just a clear explanation of what happens when you put solar on your roof.
Sunlight hits your panels
Photovoltaic cells convert sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity throughout the day.
The inverter converts to AC
Your home runs on alternating current (AC). The inverter — either central or one micro-inverter per panel — makes that conversion.
Your home uses solar first
Whenever the sun is out and you're using electricity, that power comes straight from your roof — bypassing the utility.
Extra power flows to the grid
If you produce more than you're using, that surplus flows onto the utility grid — and you get credit for it.
Net metering balances the bill
At night or on cloudy days, you pull from the grid. The credits you earned during the day offset what you use — so your bill goes down.
You produce your own power. The grid becomes your backup.
A well-designed residential solar system is sized to offset most or all of your annual electricity usage. On sunny days you'll produce more than you need and bank credits with the utility. On cloudy days and at night you'll draw those credits back down. Over a full year, the credits and usage balance out — which is why solar homeowners often see monthly bills of just $10–$20 for grid connection fees.
See what solar could look like for your home.
The Home Solar Analysis™ uses your electric bill to estimate savings. Or skip the tool and book a free consultation.