A solar expert is breaking down how to get the most out of your renewable energy investment. 

In a YouTube video from Solar Surge (@solarsurge), the expert began by explaining solar buyback programs. They allow homeowners to sell their excess solar energy back to the power company. Energy usage meters roll to negative numbers during the day, when solar energy is plentiful, accruing credits to the homeowner's utility account. At night, the excess energy is used to power the home. 

Some states are moving away from this one-to-one model, opting instead to encourage battery storage of excess solar energy. In April 2023, California changed its net metering policy to reduce the rates offered for solar energy sent back to the grid. 

Solar Surge notes that the best option to reduce energy bills is to store extra solar power generated in batteries. The charged batteries provide a backup energy source in case of an emergency, enabling homeowners to access power without relying on the grid or using fossil fuels.

"I think there's a tremendous advantage of that type of backup power system or that type of independent renewable energy system compared to a backup generator," says Solar Surge. "With a backup generator, you have to feed it fuel, which you either have to have prepurchased in a propane tank, or you have to pay for it metered from a natural gas utility."

The expert identifies solar energy as the ultimate hack to reduce utility bills. Homeowners can save even more money by using EnergySage's free tools to get quick solar installation estimates and compare quotes.

EnergySage helps homeowners save thousands on solar installations. With the website's help, the average person can access up to $10,000 in incentives. The website even has a helpful mapping tool that shows the average cost of home solar installations in each state. 

Now is the most opportune time to switch to solar. Incentives for solar energy in the home could be in jeopardy, with Congress signaling that it wants to roll back the Investment Tax Credit. In debates over President Donald Trump's spending bill, Republican senators recently added an amendment to halt credits for wind and solar projects in the coming years.

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