Solar-powered homes are no longer just a thing of the future. They are here. Zero-net-energy homes produce as much energy as they consume, allowing the home’s net energy bill (energy credits minus energy usage) at the end of the year to be zero. These homes are grid-tied; excess energy from the solar panels on sunny days is sent to the electric grid and credited to the homeowner’s electric bill.
On cloudy days, electricity is drawn from the grid and the energy use is deducted from the homeowner’s credit with the electric company. At the end of the year, the homeowner pays nothing in energy costs, other than the monthly fee required to connect to the grid.