![]() Most homeowners carry at least $100,000 of liability through their homeowner insurance policies (although you should verify that your policy will cover your system), which is often sufficient. Carry liability insurance - Liability insurance protects the power provider in the event of accidents resulting from the operation of your system.In your agreement, power providers may require you to do the following: When connecting your small renewable energy system to the grid, you will probably need to sign an interconnection agreement with your power provider. In addition, some states are now "pre-certifying" specific models of equipment as safe to connect to the state electricity grid. The National Electrical Code (NEC), a product of the National Fire Protection Association, deals with electrical equipment and wiring safety.Īlthough states and power providers are not federally mandated to adopt these codes and standards, a number of utility commissions and legislatures now require regulations for distributed generation systems to be based on the IEEE, UL, and NEC standards.UL 1741 verifies that inverters comply with IEEE 1547 for grid-connected applications. Underwriters Laboratories (UL) has developed UL 1741 to certify inverters, converters, charge controllers, and output controllers for power-producing stand-alone and grid-connected renewable energy systems.See the IEEE Standards Coordinating Committee on Fuel Cells, Photovoltaics, Dispersed Generation, and Energy Storage for more information. IEEE 1547-2003 provides technical requirements and tests for grid-connected operation. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has written a standard that addresses all grid-connected distributed generation including renewable energy systems.In an attempt to address safety and power quality issues, several organizations are developing national guidelines for equipment manufacture, operation, and installation (your supplier/installer, a local renewable energy organization, or your power provider will know which of the standards apply to your situation, and how to implement them): These components include switches to disconnect your system from the grid in the event of a power surge or power failure (so repairmen are not electrocuted) and power conditioning equipment to ensure that your power exactly matches the voltage and frequency of the electricity flowing through the grid. ![]() Power providers want to be sure that your system includes safety and power quality components. State and community codes and requirements.Grid-connection requirements from your power provider.Equipment required to connect your system to the grid.Some of the things you need to know when thinking about connecting your home energy system to the electric grid include: If you use more electricity than your system feeds into the grid during a given month, you pay your power provider only for the difference between what you used and what you produced. In addition, power providers (i.e., electric utilities) in most states allow net metering, an arrangement where the excess electricity generated by grid-connected renewable energy systems "turns back" your electricity meter as it is fed back into the grid. When renewable resources are unavailable, electricity from the grid supplies your needs, eliminating the expense of electricity storage devices like batteries. Any excess electricity you produce is fed back into the grid. While renewable energy systems are capable of powering houses and small businesses without any connection to the electricity grid, many people prefer the advantages that grid-connection offers.Ī grid-connected system allows you to power your home or small business with renewable energy during those periods (daily as well as seasonally) when the sun is shining, the water is running, or the wind is blowing.
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