A Pennsylvania resident shared that their first full year with solar panels left them with 3,054 kilowatt-hours of credit, enough that they expected no electric bill.
They then shared their story on Reddit's r/Solar subreddit.
Here's what to know
As the original poster put it, "I'm headed into the winter season with 3,054 kWh! I shouldn't have any electric bill, it's so satisfying since I paid for my system in full already." The OP added, "I also drive an EV so this feels like such a cheat code."
They shared an image of their net meter banked usage information.
The replies included other solar owners reporting comparable surpluses where net metering is favorable. One commenter wrote, "Same here, two ev's with solar covering everything. Currently 3,115 banked."
A commenter in California on NEM 3 shared a less straightforward first-year tally, explaining they used 15,459 kWh, generated 14,559 kWh, imported 3,825 kWh from the grid, and exported 1,719 kWh.
That person said they still expect to owe something for the year, but much less than the $300 to $600 monthly power bills they used to have before solar, along with the fuel costs of driving gas cars.
The discussion also highlighted how much solar savings can hinge on utility policy. One commenter put it bluntly, "God I wish I had net metering."
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Where can I learn more?
The Pennsylvania homeowner's banked credits are one example of how much solar savings can vary.
• On Cape Cod, solar, mini splits, and net metering should leave a homeowner 4,100 kWh ahead.
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💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
• In Ohio, a homeowner learned net metering may leave half the power bill untouched.
• Across Reddit, solar owners shared how much their systems actually saved on household energy.
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