Why Is My Electric Bill So High When I Have Solar Panels

Take Care of External Factors

Of course, you can’t change the weather or the number of hours of sunlight where you live. But there are some things that you can do.

First, remember that solar panels make power when they are in the sun. Putting them somewhere sunny is essential to get the most out of them. If your roof could use some work, think about getting solar panels that you can move around.

Second, solar cells work best when they are clean. So, wipe down often to get rid of any dirt or other things that might block the sun’s rays. Need help getting the solar cells clean? We’ve gone into more depth about it here.

Also, use tools with less energy during the day and bulbs with lower wattages at night. Of course, ensure all lights and machines are off when you’re not using them.

Increased Energy Consumption

Even if solar panels are correctly installed, you can still use too much electricity. If your solar panels aren’t coming down your bill, it could be because:

• It’s making less power than you’re using.
• When the panels aren’t making power at night, you’re using too much.
• Too many things are plugged in. You leave lights and machines on when you don’t need them.
• You’re not using light bulbs or machines that use less energy.

Wrong Reading On the Electric Meter

It would help to read your electric meter to find out how much energy you use. On the other hand, electric meters can give wrong readings, usually because of human mistakes or broken equipment. It’s also important to catch inaccurate meter readings early because they can lead to higher power bills.

If you keep an eye on how much electricity you use and check the accuracy of your meter once a month, you can lower the chance of getting a false number.

Loss of Production

If your usage hasn’t changed much, your panels aren’t making enough. One reason for this could be a soiling loss, which means the panels are dirty or the tools have a problem. Your tracking software should show you how well each panel is working. If there is a problem, call your installer.

Natural events like wildfire smoke, heat waves, and ancient cloudy weather can also cause solar output to drop.

More Bigger System

Since your new system might not be able to offset all of your yearly electricity use, it’s possible it needs to be bigger, and you can’t get your electricity price below zero. 

Not Good Time

In many places, net metering periods go from March to February. The goal is to build up credits in the spring and summer to compensate for the lower production in the autumn and winter. Your system won’t produce enough to lower your electricity bill since it was put in the autumn. You also will still need to get net metering credits.

That means you’ll still have to pay for a few months of power before your system starts building credit in the spring.

If you’ve already done all these things and your bill is still higher than the normal one you used to get, you need to look at things outside your home. Several outside factors can lower the output of your solar panels and, in turn, your energy bill. Besides the amount of sun and shade, these other things are essential: 

• Roof Slope
• The Direction Your House Faces
• Weather
• Dirty solar Panels