Net metering for rooftop solar
Net metering lets a grid-tied solar system offset your bill with the power it exports during the day, without needing batteries. The application is a technical approval process, not a simple form — here is what is actually involved.
Who is eligible
Net metering is available to residential, commercial and industrial consumers who install a grid-tied (not purely off-grid) solar PV system and want to export surplus generation back to the distribution network. Distributors typically cap system size relative to your sanctioned load — commonly up to your sanctioned demand or a defined percentage above it — to keep exports within what the local feeder and transformer can absorb safely. Off-grid or hybrid systems that never export to the grid do not need net metering at all; they simply reduce the units you draw and never touch this process.
Required documents
- Completed net metering application form (from your distributor's office or portal)
- Copy of NID and existing electricity bill/account number
- Site plan showing panel placement and total roof area available
- Technical specification sheet for panels and inverter (grid-tie inverter with anti-islanding protection is mandatory)
- Single-line electrical diagram prepared by a licensed electrical engineer/contractor
- Structural adequacy note for the roof if the installation exceeds a threshold capacity
- Trade licence/TIN for commercial or industrial applicants
Application process
1. Design & size the system
Size the array to your realistic consumption rather than maximum roof space — oversized systems export more but the credit is capped and generally valued lower than avoided self-consumption. Use the solar savings calculator to model this before buying equipment.
2. Submit application with technical documents
File with your distributor along with the single-line diagram and equipment specifications. The utility checks that your existing meter and connection can technically support two-way flow.
3. Technical inspection
A utility engineer inspects the installation for compliance — correct grounding, anti-islanding protection on the inverter (so your system does not feed the grid during a utility outage, which is a lineworker safety requirement), and correct wiring to the metering point.
4. Bidirectional meter installation
On approval, the existing meter is replaced with a net (bidirectional/import-export) meter that separately records units drawn from and units exported to the grid.
5. Net metering agreement signed
A formal agreement is signed setting out the settlement period (commonly monthly, with annual reconciliation), the crediting rate, and the maximum export capacity allowed.
6. Billing begins under the new arrangement
From the next cycle, your bill reflects net units — units imported minus units exported — with any excess export typically carried forward as a credit rather than paid out in cash.
Timeline
A typical residential rooftop application, once the system is physically installed and the documents are complete, takes 3–8 weeks from submission to bidirectional meter installation — inspection scheduling is usually the longest single step. Larger commercial or industrial systems that require feeder capacity studies can take several months, particularly if transformer or protection upgrades are needed on the utility side.
How credits actually appear on your bill
Once live, your bill line-items separate "units imported" and "units exported." In the common monthly netting model, exported units directly offset imported units for that cycle at the same energy rate, and any net surplus is typically carried forward as a unit credit to future months rather than paid in cash — meaning a home that overproduces heavily in one sunny month can draw down that credit through a cloudier one. Demand charge and VAT are still calculated on your net billed amount, so a system that fully offsets your energy charge does not eliminate the demand charge for your sanctioned load.
Related
Installing solar as part of a brand-new connection? Read applying for a new connection first — the sanctioned load you request there affects your net metering export cap.