Welcome to Solar Buyback 101
Read on to learn more about how solar power works and your most frequently asked questions about setup and billing.
LET'S START WITH THE BIG ONE
How does solar buyback work with Rhythm?
Here’s a step-by-step look at how solar power works.
1. Solar panels produce electricity from the sun’s rays.
2. Your solar panel production goes from your solar panels to your electricity meter. Your home uses what it needs. This is called self-consumption.
3. If there’s extra energy, it goes to the grid, and with Rhythm’s Solar Buyback, it earns you Solar Buyback Credits.
So, when solar panel production hits your electricity meter, it can go 1 of 2 places - to your home as self-consumption or if there is surplus, to the grid as Solar Buyback Credits.
4. Save money by using those credits toward that month's bill.
Questions about setup
This is a form that is filled out by you with your transmission and distribution provider [TDSP] (CenterPoint, Oncor, AEP, TNMP) and allows you to sell back any excess energy to a retail electric provider. IMPORTANT: If it’s not on file when enrolling with Rhythm, you will not receive any solar credits until interconnection is completed by the TDSP.
It takes to 2-3 billing cycles from the date that your Permission to Operate is on file for your TDSP to complete interconnection between your meter and ERCOT. Interconnection completion is when ERCOT and Rhythm are informed of your home’s surplus generation and your meter has a PV (photovoltaic) load profile. Unfortunately, this timeline is standard with the TDSP and ERCOT and cannot be altered.
If it's been more than 90 days since the Permission to Operate was signed and you haven't received Solar Buyback credits, please reach out to Rhythm so we can take a further look into your account and see if there is a delay with the TDSP or ERCOT.
Questions about your bill
It’ll have its own line on your bill, and you can see it below. And as a reminder, it’s calculated by multiplying the surplus generation by the contracted energy charge.
It’ll be reflected as a line item on your bill, as illustrated above.
Your credits will be applied to your outstanding bill. If you move, transfer your service, or switch providers, any accumulated credits will be lost.
When you renew on our solar buyback program, we will roll over any accumulated credits from your previous Rhythm plan.
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