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Why do our products and services differ based on state? Because our business is regulated by state. We have regulated operations in eight Western and Midwestern states. The different regulatory body for each state we serve determines what products and services we deliver in that state.
Photovoltaic Basics - CO
Photovoltaic Basics - CO
How solar systems work
Photovoltaic (PV) cells collect light and convert it into direct current (DC) electricity. Multiple solar cells form a module, and several modules form a panel. A unit made up of solar panels is called an array. Depending on your needs, your installation may have more than one array.
The current generated by a solar array must be converted to alternating current (AC) electricity before it can be used in your home or business. Your building must also be connected to our electric grid so you have electricity at night and on cloudy days. Photovoltaic systems up to two megawatts use net metering.
About Net Metering
Net metering measures energy produced by your PV system. Net meters move forward when electricity flows from our grid into your home or business, and backward when power flows from your PV system onto our grid.
For example, if your system generates 300 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity in a month and you use only 250 kilowatt-hours, the extra hours will be credited to you the following month. At the end of the year, if you have provided more energy to the grid than you have used from it, Xcel Energy will pay you. The credit will be based on the average incremental cost of energy for the previous 12 months, multiplied by the net number of kilowatt-hours your system produced.
