Rooftop solar panels rely on the ability of the solar cells to harness the energy of the sun and convert it to electricity. It is a small, square-shaped semiconductor that is made from conductive materials such as silicon. When sunlight strikes the solar cells, it induces chemical reactions that release the electrons, thus generating electric current.

Net metering is an electricity billing mechanism that allows consumers who generate some or all of their own electricity to use that electricity anytime, instead of when it is generated. This is particularly important with renewable energy sources like wind and solar, which are non-dispatchable (when not coupled to storage). Monthly net metering allows consumers to use solar power generated during the day at night, or wind from a windy day later in the month. Annual net metering rolls over a net kilowatt-hour (kWh) credit to the following month, allowing solar power that was generated in July to be used in December, or wind power from March in August