Net metering allows A&N Electric Cooperative members to interconnect approved renewable generation systems to the electrical distribution system and to generate some of their own electricity. The output of the renewable generation system offsets the electricity that would have been delivered by the cooperative. Common examples of net metering installations include solar panels on a home or a wind turbine at a school.
These installations are connected on the member’s side (the usage side) of the meter. The meter will measure electricity being used from the grid, and it will reverse when the customer generates excess electricity (thereby “exporting” electricity to the electric grid). The sum, or “net,” of the forward and reverse rotation is the volume of electricity (kWh) to be billed or credited to the monthly bill.
Currently, Va. Code Sec. 56-594.01 is the law that governs net metering for electric cooperative service territories. This code sets the standards for electrical generating facilities fueled by renewable energy in Virginia. As net energy metering is intended to offset the member’s own electricity requirement, the capacity of the system shall not exceed the expected annual energy consumption based on the previous 12 months of billing history with a maximum of 20 kW for residential members and 1 MW for nonresidential members.
For discussion purposes only, PVWatts.nrel.gov is a user-friendly tool to help estimate the size of your system. You must consult with your installer/developer on accurately designing the system.
The cap is a legislatively-mandated mechanism designed to ensure a safe and reliable grid for all member-consumers, including those that choose to installed net-metered renewable generation at their premises.
Cooperatives in Virginia have up to 5% of their Virginia adjusted peak-load (2% residential, 1% non-residential and 2% non-profit/non-jurisdictional) open to net energy metering under the current law.
See the chart below for A&N Electric Cooperative's current total allowable net metering capacity for each of the three categories.
In 2019, A&N Electric Cooperative and its sister Cooperatives helped to pass a new law that expanded this cap following a rulemaking at the State Corporation Commission.
Please see A&N Electric Cooperative’s Net Metering Application Package which includes the Net Metering Interconnection Notification (Form NMIN) and Power Purchase Agreement as well as a checklist of items required to approve the application. Once the application is approved, construction can proceed. Upon completion of construction and notification of an approved electrical inspection, A&N will schedule a visual inspection of the site and convert the meter if approved.
Please see A&N Electric Cooperative’s Schedule NEM-10 for additional terms and conditions governing net energy metering.
Contact A&N Electric Cooperative's at 757-787-9750.
Net energy metering also operates on an annual cycle which renews automatically at the date of interconnection to the grid, defined as the Net Metering Period. During this period, members may bank excess energy when they export more power to the grid than they use during a billing cycle which can roll over as credit to the next month’s bill.
At the time of interconnection, the net energy metering system must be designed so that the annual generation capacity of the system does not exceed the previous 12 months electricity usage supplied by the cooperative resulting in no excess generation for the Net Metering Period.
However, due to varying circumstances related to when the system was interconnected and other operational considerations it is possible that excess generation may be accumulated at the end of the Net Metering Period.
In order to provide our net energy metering members the opportunity to optimize the use of their system’s output, a portion of that excess generation, not to exceed the total electricity supplied by A&N Electric Cooperative over the Net Metering Period, may be carried over to the next Net Metering Period.
Any additional excess generation will be “zeroed out” without credit prior to the new Net Metering Period.
A&N Electric Cooperative does offer an optional buyback agreement for net energy metering members that wish to sell their remaining excess generation back to the Cooperative at the end of the annual Net Metering Period.
Option for Purchase of Excess Energy
Generally the price paid for the excess generation is the current avoided wholesale cost of energy paid by the Cooperative to its generation supplier. That price is significantly below the value realized by consuming the power during the Net Metering Period.
Strategic planning and understanding the rules, terms and conditions related to net energy metering is important to attain optimal utilization of your net energy metering system.
Please contact your A&N Electric Cooperative net energy metering subject matter expert when considering an on-site solar generation project.