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Solar News and Innovations

Published

September 20, 2025

When going solar in California—especially with a quality system like Qcells—one of the questions many homeowners overlook is “what kind of electric meter will I have?” The answer matters: the right meter helps you get full credit for the energy you produce, ensures proper billing, and sometimes affects incentives and ROI.

Here’s a clear guide to the meter types you might encounter, what they do, and what’s required locally in California.

Types of Meters Used with Solar Systems

Meter Type	What It Measures / How It Works	When It’s Used / Why It Matters
Net-Energy Meter (Bi-Directional Meter)	Measures both electricity drawn from the grid and excess solar fed back into the grid. USA utilities often refer to this under “net metering” or “net energy metering (NEM).”	Most residential solar systems in CA use net-energy meters. Under California’s NEM rules, this meter enables you to subtract (or get credit for) what you send to the grid against what you consume.
Smart Meter with Time-of-Use (TOU) Features	Digital meter that can measure usage in different time blocks (peak/off-peak), and record exports/imports with more data granularity.	Because California utilities (like SCE, SDG&E, PG&E) charge different rates at different times, a smart TOU meter helps you optimize usage (and battery discharge) when rates are highest.
Production or PV Meters	Measures how much electricity the solar panels themselves generate (before losses in inverters or wiring).	Useful if you have performance guarantees, want detailed production data, or use dashboards to monitor system performance. Also relevant for some state performance reporting.
CT (Current Transformer) Meters	Used when usage or system size is large (commercial or multi-phase). These meters measure current via external sensors (CTs) and can handle high loads.	Less common for typical single-family homes, but relevant if you are installing large systems or for commercial/multi-unit buildings.
Utility-Issued Consumption Meter	Tracks the electricity your home draws from the grid (regardless of solar production).	Even with solar, this meter tells you what you still need from the grid—important for sizing solar + battery, and for seeing exactly where you still pay for electricity.

California-Specific Practices & Requirements

Net Metering Policies (NEM 3.0) — California’s current net energy metering rules (often called NEM 3.0) affect how much credit homeowners get for excess solar energy sent to the grid. The meter must be compatible with these rules to properly track "exported" energy.
Time-of-Use (TOU) Rates — Your meter must support TOU if your utility uses it (they almost all do now for solar customers). That lets you shift usage or discharge stored solar when you save most.
Meter Upgrades or Changes — In many cases, installing solar will require utility to change or upgrade your meter (to a bi-directional or TOU-capable meter). Good installers coordinate this with utilities so it's seamless.
Performance Monitoring Compliance — For California incentive or performance reporting programs, sometimes you’ll need a production meter or approved monitoring standard so that the energy produced by your system is tracked accurately. The California Energy Commission maintains lists of approved meters & monitoring service providers.

What You Should Do Before Going Solar

Check your current meter type — Is it already a bi-directional or smart meter? If yes, great. If not, your solar provider will usually arrange the upgrade.
Ask your installer about export credits and how your meter captures them — Your bill credits depend heavily on how your exported energy is measured.
Verify TOU rate schedule — Knowing peak vs off-peak timing helps with designing solar + battery to match your load.
Ensure monitoring tools are included — Dashboards or PV/production meters help you see actual system performance (including losses) and can help detect issues.
Work with a local expert — Someone familiar with California utilities, meter upgrade processes, and policy (especially net metering) will save you headaches.

Work with US Power

For California homeowners, your electric meter is more than just a device bolted to your house—it’s essential for capturing savings. The right meter ensures you get full benefit for solar production, grid exports, and reduced utility charges under current policies like NEM and TOU.

When you install a solar + battery system with US Power – Axia by Qcells, we handle the meter coordination, make sure it meets local utility requirements, and configure your system so you get real savings and performance you can trust.

Interested in what your current meter setup is, and how upgrading or swapping can change your savings? Contact US Power for a free solar consultation.