How a Grid-Tied System Works
Solar panels generate DC electricity when exposed to sunlight. A grid-tied inverter converts this DC power to AC power that your home or building can use. When your panels produce more than you are consuming at that moment, the excess flows through your meter to the utility grid. When you need more than your panels are producing, you draw from the grid as normal.
The system operates automatically — there is nothing to switch on or off. A production meter records how much electricity your system generates. Your utility bill reflects the net of what you consumed from the grid minus what you exported.
All grid-tied systems in Alberta require a micro-generation interconnection approval from your utility before installation. See our microgeneration guide for details on the approval process.
System Components
Solar Panels
Monocrystalline silicon panels, typically 400–500 W each. Black panels and black frames are standard for residential installations.
Grid-Tied Inverter
Converts DC power from panels to AC power for your home. String inverters or microinverters depending on system design and shading conditions.
Racking Hardware
Aluminium or galvanized steel mounting system. Rooftop or ground-mount depending on your property.
Production Meter
Records total electricity generated by your system. Required by your utility for micro-generation billing.
Disconnect Switch
Required by code and utility regulations. Allows the system to be safely isolated from the grid for maintenance.
Net Billing in Alberta
Under Alberta's Micro-Generation Regulation, excess electricity you export to the grid is credited to your account at the retail rate — the same rate you pay for electricity you consume. This credit is applied to future consumption on your bill.
For most Alberta properties, this means summer solar production — when days are long and output is highest — generates credits that offset winter consumption when production is lower. We model this seasonal balance in the production estimate we provide.
Note that Alberta's system is a net billing arrangement, not a traditional net metering program. The distinction affects how credits are calculated and carried forward. We explain this in detail during the design consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Grid-Tied Solar Service Areas
We design and install grid-tied solar systems for homeowners, acreages, and farms across Alberta.
Get a Grid-Tied Solar Design
Submit a recent power bill and we will review your consumption and provide an honest assessment of what a grid-tied system can do for your property.