Regulation, paperwork and institutions
Surplus energy
Also known as: excess energy, grid export, leftover energy.
Definition
Surplus is the energy your solar system generates but you do not consume at the time, and which is exported to the grid. Through net metering, that surplus is offset on your bill under the regulation in force.
Sources: Resolución CREG 174 de 2021 (net metering regulation) (opens in a new tab)
Surplus arises from a timing mismatch, not from an oversized system: panels produce at midday and many homes consume mainly at night. The greater that mismatch, the greater the proportion of energy exported rather than used directly.
That distinction matters because energy self-consumed on site is always worth at least as much as exported energy, and usually more. Shifting flexible loads to daylight hours — washing machine, water pump, heating, vehicle charging, a business's equipment — increases self-consumption and improves the project's return without installing a single extra panel.
A daytime consumption pattern is in fact one of the factors that makes a solar project most attractive. That is why shops, offices, industry and farms with pumping usually get better numbers than a home that is empty during the day.
The essentials of Surplus energy
- It arises from the mismatch between production hours and consumption hours.
- Self-consumed energy is worth as much as or more than exported energy.
- Moving flexible loads to midday improves the return without enlarging the system.
- It is only offset if the system is legalized and has a bidirectional meter.
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Frequently asked questions about Surplus energy
Do I get paid for solar surplus?
It is not a direct cash payment, but an offset on the bill under the rules of the regulation in force and whatever your retailer applies. The specific way it is settled depends on your case, so it is worth asking for that explanation in writing before signing.
Is it worth installing a bigger system to sell energy?
Generally not. The logic of a self-generation project is to cover your own consumption; exported energy is offset on terms that rarely match the value of the energy you stop buying. Oversizing adds investment without a proportional return.
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