I'm really curious about the new regulations for balcony solar setups in Utah. I've been doing some research, but I have a few questions. The recent legislation states that utilities can't charge for anything related to these systems and that they can't require permits or agreements. But I'm wondering if that means they'll accept back feed if I generate more power than I use? Or will they still try to make me manage my system to avoid any export?
When I reached out to my utility company, they seemed oblivious and told me it wasn't allowed. After pushing a bit, they said they'd look into it, but ultimately they mentioned I wouldn't be charged for any energy I send back, even if they would be notified if I did. Other local utilities gave me a similar story. Is this whole situation so new that nobody is actually implementing it yet, or am I just missing something about the back feed rule?
5 Answers
I think a tricky part is that to use these systems legally, the inverter must be UL certified and also plug into a standard outlet. The catch is that there aren't any UL listed grid-tie inverters for 120V. At least, I hope I'm wrong!
As far as I understand, RMP needs to install a bi-directional meter and enroll you in their net metering program, which is a complicated process and they aren’t super helpful with it. But I believe the new bill (HB 340) is meant to let people use these systems without needing permits, applications, or net meter agreements. It sounds great, but I can see utilities like RMP being caught off guard since they’ll need to adapt.
I've found that a lot of utility staff don't really grasp the details of these regulations. I had to explain to my power company why isolating my hybrid inverter’s output from the grid was necessary, and they surprisingly managed to do it because I already had everything in place. So, it's likely they just haven't caught up with the rule changes yet.
We just set up a plug-and-play balcony solar system here in Utah, generating about 10kWh a day with a 1.6kW input and a microinverter. Installation was surprisingly straightforward, even for beginners! We're looking at a payoff period of about 4 years, and it’s already helping with our electric bill.
That's fantastic! I'm really interested in going solar too! What's the brand of your system? Is it a smart one that adjusts output based on your load? How does that work?
Awesome setup! Just curious, how did you figure out your meter is smart? Did you have a specific term to use when talking to Rocky Mountain Power? I'm worried my solar input might just speed up my meter without being part of net metering.
What’s your typical energy use? These balcony systems can only back feed so much, so as long as you’re careful, experimenting should be fine!
My base energy usage is around 400W. I'd like to max out the 1200W that Utah permits for these systems, but that would mean I could back feed a lot during peak times. Maybe it’s smarter to start with under 400W for now...
That’s interesting! I didn't realize that part of the bill aimed to simplify things. Do you think RMP will really be prepared if more people start using these balcony systems? It seems like the smaller utilities are even more lost.