Getting more solar panels than you need: a good thing or a bad thing?

When installing solar, most people have one main question in mind: how many solar panels should they get? Most people use their electricity bill to figure out how much they use and then get enough panels to cover that energy usage. However, what if you got even more panels than that in order to overproduce your energy needs? Would that be a good thing? For most people, no, there is no reason they should do that, and they’ll just be wasting their money on useless panels. However, like with most things, there are exceptions. Keep reading to find out if oversizing is right for you, and if it is, what the specific benefits are.

Why you shouldn’t: If you generate too much excess energy, net metering is actually useless.

Most utility companies offer net metering. With net metering, your utility company will credit your bill for any excess electricity generated from your solar energy system. While an oversized system might mean more net metering credits on your account, you aren’t going to realize the benefit of those credits unless you’re using them down the line. If you’re not using the credits, they’ll either exist as an ongoing credit on your bill or will expire after a certain amount of time. The specifics of how long you’ll get to keep net metering credits depends on your utility company’s policy.

A common misconception is that utilities will pay your money for any excess electricity generated from your solar panel system. However, the large majority of utility companies will not pay people out for net metering credits. In the rare instance that your utility will buyout your extra net metering credits, the rate they will pay for them will be substantially lower than what you originally received for the net metering credit (which is typically retail price).

Why you shouldn’t: It will cost you more to install.

Obviously, if you install more panels, it will cost you much more. And if you’re doing it for absolutely no reason, then you’ve basically just thrown your money in the trash.

Why you shouldn’t: you might not get your installation request approved.

When you apply to connect your solar panel system to the grid, utilities will review your past electricity consumption to see if the system proposed is sized appropriately. Utilities all across the country will often deny interconnection requests when the system proposed is much larger than what your usage history indicates you need.

Some utility companies will be stricter about allowing oversized system than others and may make an exception if you’re planning on oversizing for a logical reason. Always check with an installer to see if your utility allows oversizing, and if so to what extent.

Why you should: if you plan to get new energy needs in the future.

Planning on getting an electric car? Thinking of getting some new electric appliances? Have plans to add new rooms to your house? If you said yes to any of these answers, then yes, you should oversize your solar system. You’ll want to know exactly what you’re planning on adding to your home, of course, because you’ll need to plan appropriately. If you’re totally unsure how much additional energy you’ll need in the future, you’re better off just adding those additional panels later on.

Want to learn more about the solar industry and bringing solar energy to your home? Check out the HahaSmart blog!

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