How does Green Mountain Power net metering work?

Green Mountain Power's (GMP’s) net metering program offers credits to customers who generate solar energy and send their excess generated energy back to the grid. This allows customers to generate and use power simultaneously. It also credits and incentivizes the use of solar power. Any customer with metered service may participate; however, if solar is already installed at your home, you will need to have an additional meter installed to directly measure the amount of solar energy generated.

Where does Green Mountain Power offer net metering?

GMP offers net metering to all customers with metered service. Net metering is available throughout the entire service territory. This includes service areas in each of the following towns:

• Brattleboro
• Colchester
• Middlebury
• Montpelier
• Poultney
• Royalton
• Rutland
• Springfield
• St. Albans
• St. Johnsbury
• Sunderland
• Vergennes
• White River Junction
• Wilmington

What are Green Mountain Power’s rates and prices for net metering?

Green Mountain Power’s utility rates and prices for net metering are determined by multiplying the excess kilowatt-hour (kWh) generated by a customer by the standard usage rate of 14.84 cents per kWh. This means that for each kWh fed back to the grid you get a monetary credit of just under $0.15 cents on your bill.

These monetary credits are only available if, at the end of a billing period, the amount of electricity generated by the customer exceeds the electricity supplied by GMP. All monetary credits from net metering must be used in a 12 month period. An additional meter is also required to participate in the net metering program, which has an upfront cost of $110.

What is Green Mountain Power’s net metering cap?

As of January 2017, Vermont no longer has a cap on net metering. It was previously limited to 15% of a utility’s peak demand during 1996 or the peak demand during the most recent calendar year, whichever was greater.

Green Mountain Power is a large utility for Vermont. As of early 2016, GMP had a net metered total of 124.4 megawatts (MW) of solar power either built or in the development process.

Is Green Mountain Power net metering the best in Vermont?

As of 2016, Green Mountain Power more solar panel installations than any other electric utility in the state of Vermont, numbering 4,476. The next highest count of solar panel installations was VEC (Vermont Electric Coop) with 753 installations. Any electrical utility customer can net meter once they have obtained a Certificate of Public Good from the State of Vermont and since there is no cap as of 2017, GMP’s net metering program has space for more projects.

In comparison with VEC, Green Mountain Power offers a higher solar incentive rate at 5.3 cents for small systems (15kW or less) as compared to a 1 cent/kWh incentive for 10 years plus a 3 cent/kWh Renewable Energy Certificate through VEC. Green Mountain Power is also the first energy utility to be a Certified B Corporation, meaning it has a strong commitment to community and the environment. Net metering is available throughout Vermont and with its competitive solar incentive rate and commitment to generating solar power, GMP has one of the best solar net metering programs in the state of Vermont.

What will happen to my Green Mountain Power net metering bill credits?

When Green Mountain Power customers participating in net metering have credits left over at the end of the month, also known as net excess generation or NEG, they are credited on the electric bill at the retail electricity rate (14 cents). Net excess generation credits are used to offset the cost of energy consumption during periods when a customer is using more energy than they are producing. Any net metering credits that are accumulated but not used during a billing period are applied to offset any charges on the next month’s bill. The credits expire after 12 months if they aren’t used, and GMP uses monetized credits from previous billing periods by first applying the credits that are scheduled to expire soonest.

Does Green Mountain Power offer other solar incentives?

Green Mountain Power offers a financial incentive in the form of monetary credits. These credits are awarded per kWh of electricity generated by a customer’s solar panel system. Customers with systems that are less than 15 kW receive $0.01/kWh in monetary credit. Customers with systems between 15 kW and 150 kW that are located on "preferred sites" are also eligible for this credit. If the customer agrees to transfer the renewable energy certificates (RECs) associated to the system to GMP, they receive another $0.03/kWh, for a total of $0.04/kWh. Learn more about this and other Vermont rebates & incentives with EnergySage’s Vermont Solar Incentives guide.

Green Mountain Power solar incentives

Green Mountain Power solar interconnection policies and costs

Interconnection is the process of actually connecting your solar panels to the grid. The State of Vermont allows net metering for any solar generation project of 500 kW or less.

All solar panel systems are connected to the grid after an application process that includes obtaining a Certificate of Public Good for Interconnected Net Metered Power Systems from the Vermont Public Service Board, conducting aesthetic review, and meeting technical requirements. The application form varies based on the size of the solar system:

• Form: Ground-mounted solar systems with a capacity greater than 15kW and up to 50kW
• Form: Ground-mounted solar systems with a capacity of 15 kW or less AND roof-mounted solar system with a capacity of 500kW or less
• Form: All systems with a capacity greater than 150kW AND net metered, ground-mounted solar systems with a capacity greater than 50kW

Applicants are responsible for all equipment costs necessary to interconnect the net metering system to Green Mountain Power’s grid. The cost varies based on the type of solar panel system being installed.