Net metering
Net metering (Engl. Net measurement ) is a model for the remuneration of electricity from (usually) small photovoltaic systems (PV) systems or small wind turbines . The prosumer is only billed for the difference between the electricity they feed in and the electricity they draw from the grid.
The electricity generated is fed into the power grid via a double tariff meter and offset against the electricity purchased. If more electricity is generated than is used in the household, the surplus can be carried over to the next accounting period.
Net metering has been introduced in a number of countries, including Denmark , Belgium , Italy , Cyprus , the USA , Australia and Brazil .
advantages
As of 2013, the costs for generating solar power in some countries are already significantly lower than the electricity price for household customers. With investment costs of around 1500 € / kWp net, an annual degree of utilization of around 10% in Germany, maintenance costs of 1.5% of the investment costs per year and a discount rate of 4%, the electricity production costs (LCOE) are 16 ct / kWh.
In order to prevent over- funding through net metering , on the one hand the sales tax exemption could be omitted, on the other hand the solar power fed in could be remunerated at a lower tariff than the electricity tariff for end consumers. Even a revenue of 15 ct / kWh at the beginning, which is linked to the development of the electricity price, could with an assumed increase in electricity prices of 3% p. a. sufficient to ensure economical operation of the PV system.
PV systems with net metering do not receive any feed-in tariffs under the Renewable Energy Sources Act . Instead of the three electricity meters (for feed-in, self-consumption , electricity purchase), only two meters are required (for feed-in and electricity purchase).
disadvantage
Legal framework conditions for exclusive net metering without increased feed-in tariffs do not offer enough incentives for investing in solar systems in some countries, depending on the available solar radiation and current prices for electricity and renewable energies. The return flow of capital is also less calculable. While financially strong households tend to benefit from net metering , while working people only consume little electricity in the household during the day, parents with children, tenants or pensioners' households do not receive sufficient compensation payments or opportunities to invest in renewable energies, although they could consume it in the household when it was generated .
A combination of net metering or smart metering with incentive taxes on fossil energies, with simultaneous per capita reimbursement of these taxes, can be a more socially acceptable way than today's feed-in tariffs with increasing EEG surcharges : The Australian government has such a redistribution in 2012 of the income started with a simultaneous reduction of coal subsidies with a carbon tax , relieves families and lower-income households with social policy measures (" Household Assistance Package ").
Individual evidence
- ↑ UNEP report on feed-in tariffs, net metering from page 11 , (PDF; 1.4 MB) (English) 2012, accessed June 18, 2013
- ↑ Feed-in tariffs vs. Net Metering, environmental protection organization environmentvictoria ( Memento of the original from May 15, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , (English) accessed June 18, 2013
- ↑ Samantha Maiden, Sunday Telegraph, Lump sum for families to ease carbon tax pain , April 7, 2012
- ↑ Federal Government of Australia, Household Assistance Package , accessed June 18, 2013
